High West High Country American Single Malt Whiskey
Medal: Bronze
Tasting Notes: Warm croissants, bananas foster, white grape jelly on toast, mountain meadows, honeydew melon, raw honey, dulce de leche, praline, shortbread raisin cookies, tobacco, vanilla cream, maple syrup
BUY NOW: $80
This American single malt whiskey from High West is distilled from a 100% malted barley mash bill that contains three different types of malt: 85% base malt, 14% caramel 60 malt, and 1% chocolate malt.
During distillation and fermentation, the grain is left in the mix instead of being filtered out. Combining both American and Scottish maturation techniques, High Country American Single Malt is matured in both freshly charred and second-use oak barrels.
Storm King Distilling Company Side Gig American Whiskey
Medal: Bronze
Tasting Notes: Strong spice, herbaceous notes, traditional caramel, dryness on the palate
BUY NOW: $85
Described by Storm King as “our fun little side project,” Side Gig is a limited release in which the full scope of Storm King’s creativity can be seen. A few times a year, the distillery releases a whiskey distilled from an experimental mash bill, matured in non-traditional casks, and/or “random blends, or something that is completely off the wall.”
Storm King seems to be keeping the makeup of this release close to its chest. As such, this is the perfect opportunity to sample something experimental without any preconceived notions about the production method or profile. Storm King’s tagline is, after all, “Craftsmanship without pretense.”
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Storm King Distilling is nestled in the Uncompahgre Valley in Western Colorado and distills a wide range of spirits including rye, agave blanco, gin, rum, and vodka.
Traveller Whiskey
Medal: Bronze
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, aged fruit, buttery shortbread, caramel, a touch of oak, spice, toasted nut
BUY NOW: $30
According to the Buffalo Trace website, “Authentically crafted to be there whenever you find yourself in good company, Traveller Whiskey is Easy to Drink, Hard Not to Love.”
The American whiskey is bottled at 90 proof and is noted for its versatility, sipping well neat and in a cocktail.
Bainbridge Battle Point Two Islands Barbados Cask
Medal: Silver
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, butterscotch, tropical fruits, toasted wheat, charred maple sugar, Luxardo cherries, demerara, grated nutmeg, sherry
BUY NOW: $89.99
Bainbridge Distillery, located on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, is renowned for its artisanal approach to crafting organic spirits. Specializing in whisky, vodka, and gin, the distillery sources local, organic ingredients, ensuring sustainability. Their Bainbridge Battle Point Organic Whiskey is a standout, offering complex flavors and smooth finishes.
Due to its island home, Bainbridge is proud of the salty, maritime influences that are instilled in its whiskey during maturation.
This straight wheat whiskey was matured on the island for at least six years in American oak and then finished for 6-12 months in EX XO rum casks from the Mount Gay Distillery in Barbados. The name ‘Two Islands’ refers to the two islands that crafted the whiskey: Bainbridge and Barbados.
Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. Americana Straight American Whiskey
Medal: Silver
Tasting Notes: Sweet, soft, smooth, Apple brandy staves
BUY NOW: $33
Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. has seen the rise in demand for light whiskeys and single malts and recognized an opportunity. “We believe the appetite for new American whiskey styles is growing, and so we give you the Americana.”
This unconventional whiskey is a blend of light whiskey and bourbon distilled from a mash bill comprising 80% corn, 14% rye, and 6% malted barley. Interestingly, the distillery also discloses the ‘Oak Bill’ – the three casks used for maturation: 40% Toasted American Oak Barrel Staves, 40% New Char #4 Oak Staves, and 20% American Apple Brandy Staves. This finishing process makes this whiskey perfectly smooth and sippable when bottled at 50% ABV.
Batch #1 of Broken Barrel Americana was released in 2018 and has continued to gain fans across the US.
Hinterhaus Distilling American Single Malt Whiskey – Discovery
Medal: Silver
Tasting Notes: Tropical fruit, buttercream frosting, sweet toasted cereal grains, toffee, light grains, intense oak, cinnamon toast crunch, sprinkles of sugar cookie
BUY NOW: $86
This small batch release from Hinterhaus Distilling is released a couple of times per year, each distilled from a different barley mash bill. In the name of transparency, the Discovery Batch Sheet can be downloaded on the Hinterhaus website, so that you can see exactly what has gone into your whiskey.
The current batch of Discovery American Single Malt Whiskey is batch number 3. It has been created in collaboration with Dust Bowl Brewing in California. Distilled using barley from Germany and Belgium, the whiskey was aged for at least 18 months in new American oak char #3 before finishing in ex-bourbon. 426 bottles were produced.
Hinterhaus Distilling, located in the Sierra Nevada’s Truckee, California, is known for producing premium small-batch spirits. Their offerings include whiskey, vodka, and gin, crafted with a focus on local, high-quality ingredients.
