• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Baking
  • About Tammy

Scotch & Scones

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Whisky
  • Subscribe
  • About Tammy
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Whisky
    • Subscribe
    • About Tammy
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » American Whiskey

    Published Sep 15, 2017 · Updated Apr 16, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Westland American Single Malt Whiskey

    Jump to Reviews

    Westland American Single Malt whiskey is to be savored. Their 5-component recipe of barley and air-dried oak barrels give each expression a backbone, and cask finishes add variety.

    Westland American Single Malt Whiskey lineup on a counter.this …

    There is a romance about faraway places…a setting so different from the one you experience daily.

    The Pacific Northwest is a dream-state for me, lush rain forests and natural rivers. So much green! And it is in the heart of the Pacific Northwest that Westland American Single Malt whiskey is produced utilizing their natural resources to produce an exceptional whiskey lineup.

    Jump To: hide
    The Westland distillery
    Westland American Single Malt Whiskey
    Westland American Single Malt
    Westland Sherry Wood American Single Malt
    Westland Peated American Single Malt
    Westland American Single Malt - Single Cask #617 Cask Strength
    Final thoughts
    Related Tasting Notes

    The Westland distillery

    For Westland’s whiskey, the focus is not the aging in barrels, it’s what goes into the mash tun that distinguishes them from other single malts.

    Westland looks at barley the way a brewer does, namely that different barley varietals and roasting levels have a significant influence on the taste. They prides itself on the five-component recipe of barley that is the basis for all their expressions: unroasted, light roast, medium roasts, and dark and heavy roasted malted barleys. The dark roast especially gives Westland that distinctive dark chocolate and coffee flavors in their expressions.

    In addition, Westland uses New American Oak barrels that have been air dried rather than kiln dried (the standard in the whiskey industry), thus reducing the woodiness and oiliness that can come from the latter type of barrels.

    Okay, enough preaching about Westland…let’s taste some whiskey!

    Westland American Single Malt Whiskey

    At Gordon’s DTX, presented by Chris Riesback, August 16, 2017

    Westland American Single Malt

    46%ABV, the flagship expression, almost exclusively 5 malt blend, 2 different New American Oak casks
    Type: American

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: honey, oranges, ripe pineapple, dark chocolate
    • Taste: soft coffee, chocolate, hint of menthol
    • Finish: mocha coffee, dark chocolate fades to ash.
    • Comments: a mouthful of flavor, lovely, creamy dark ganache as a drink, very distinctive nothing added. Soft, showcases the 5-malt grain combo

    Westland Sherry Wood American Single Malt

    46%ABV, almost exclusively 5 malt blend with some pale barley distillate added; Aged in Oloroso and PX sherry casks along with New American Oak for balance
    Type: American

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: distinctive sherry cooked fruit, slightly menthol
    • Taste: full and thick (Oloroso), sweet (PX), the malty grain slinks in, then falls to dark coffee
    • Finish: sweetness lingers, some evergreen on the end
    • Comments: excellent! Not cloyingly sweet, is balanced with the deep mocha

    Westland Peated American Single Malt

    46%ABV, a combination of their 5 malt blend and pale malt along with peated malted barley from the Scottish Highlands
    Type: American

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: immediate peat, light grain, apricots
    • Taste: easy cream, nice texture with an oily body, peat isn't strong but pleasant
    • Finish: the smokiness is lingering, soft and easy (not like drinking a campfire)
    • Comments: such a nice easy peat, a good introduction for a new peat drinker

    Westland American Single Malt - Single Cask #617 Cask Strength

    53.7%ABV, their "Boston blend," so named because it was the 617th cask produced
    Type: American

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: lighter fruit, a little harsh alcohol note, slightly green
    • Taste: higher alcohol, sweeter but not cloying
    • Finish: fades to eucalyptus
    • Comments: very interesting! The more you sip the more you want, not many available anymore
    Westland American Single Malt W.hiskey lineup on a barrellhead.
    Photo credit: Gordon's DTX

    Final thoughts

    Westland truly makes a lineup that shines. All these expressions are well balanced in each category, so for example in the sherry expression, the chocolate doesn’t overshadow the sherry or the sherry to overshadow the cereal notes.

    It’s an approach that I appreciate as a whiskey drinker, allowing the different flavors in the dram to be savored. This Westland lineup is definitely one I would consider buying.

    Maybe I can go visit the distillery one day, in the green and exotic Pacific Northwest?

    Why not? Westward Ho!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Tasting Notes

    Whiskey can be found all over the world, and it has such a rich and diverse array of flavor profiles and distinct characteristics from which to choose. Here's where you can find a whiskey or bourbon I've reviewed from America. Cheers!

    • American Whiskey

    More American Whiskey Tasting Notes

    • Smugglers’ Notch Distillery whiskey
    • WhistlePig Rye Whiskey Comparisons
    • On the Rocks Premium Cocktails
    • Selecting Single Barrel Picks for Limited Edition Bottles

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Let's Talk Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Dianne Sanders says

      September 15, 2017 at 8:41 am

      As usual informative and funny ?

      Reply
      • Tammy says

        September 15, 2017 at 9:47 am

        Glad you liked it, Dianne. Thanks for commenting!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Profile picture - Tammy, July 2019 square

    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

    More about Tammy →

    Celebrate Someone Special

    • Sweetheart Valentine Frosted Fudge Brownies
    • Mini Chocolate Mousse Brownie Cake
    • Mini Skillet Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
    • Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse (No Coconut Oil)
    • Foolproof Slow Cooker Crème Brûlée (Vanilla Custard)
    • Silky Smooth Strawberry Mint Sorbet (Dairy-Free)
    • White Chocolate Marshmallow Pecan Fudge
    • Easy Chocolate Truffles (Only 4 Ingredients)

    What's Popular with Readers

    Here's what my readers are viewing...

    • Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake (Eggless & Dairy-Free)
    • How to Make Scottish Bannocks from Outlander
    • Sourdough Discard English Muffins
    • Sourdough Herb Ciabatta Rolls
    • Traditional Scottish Shortbread Cookies
    • The Best Homemade Sourdough Bagels
    • Italian Meringue Macarons step by step
    • Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse (No Coconut Oil)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Disclosures

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Ingredient Measurement Unit Policy

    Subscribe

    Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Let's Talk
    • About Tammy
    • Shop Scotch & Scones

    Copyright © 2023 Scotch & Scones