63: Westland American Single Malt Whiskey

We're discussing a new style of whiskey for us, American Single Malt Whiskey.  And who better to talk with than Westland Distillery, co-founders of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission.  We discuss what makes an American Single Malt Whiskey and the efforts to ratify a definition on a national level to protect the whiskey category.   We enjoyed 3 of Westland's single malts; American Oak, Sherry Wood, and Peated.  Made from 100% barley, American Single Malt Whiskey may not share a lot of similarities with Kentucky Bourbon, but we enjoyed exploring the style. The rise in interest of the category has developed a lot of unique offerings across the country to compete with bourbon and rye whiskey. According to the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission, there are six standards of identity. An American single malt must be: Made from 100% malted barley Distilled entirely in one distillery Mashed, distilled and matured in the U.S. Matured in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres Distilled to no more than 160 proof (or 80% ABV) Bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV) or more LINKS: Westland Distillery American Single Malt Whiskey Commission How Westland Is Leading An American Single Malt Revolution Matt Hofmann, Westland Master Distiller - Interview What Is American Single Malt Seattle Scotch Is A Thing. And It's Good. NOTE: This show was recorded prior to the outbreak of Coronavirus/ Covid-19 in Seattle Washington and the surrounding areas.  We do not address this topic in this show for that reason. We send our best wishes to everyone that has been impacted by this virus and pandemic.   Thanks for sticking with us each week, we enjoy interacting with our listeners so please reach out anytime! We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app and please leave us a written review. This will help others discover our podcast and will help us expand our reach. Also, be sure to follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected]. Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts and see what we are up to. - Scott, Michael, & Jake