Westward Whiskey Cask Strength American Single Malt Review

Westward Whiskey
American Single Malt Whiskey
Cask Strength
Proof: 125
SRP: $99.95
Review

Please enjoy our Westward Whiskey Cask Strength American Single Malt Whiskey Review!

“This is our Original whiskey in its purest form: bottled at cask strength to showcase the full intensity of our brewing and distilling process. Made from Pacific Northwest two-row barley, brewed into a flavorful ale, and aged in new American Oak, Cask Strength is a powerful expression of our house style.” – The Distillery

Westward Whiskey Background

Westward Whiskey, founded in 2004 in Portland, Oregon, is a pioneer in American single malt whiskey. The distillery utlizes a grain-to-glass approach, sourcing two-row barley from the Pacific Northwest and fermenting it with ale yeast, drawing inspiration from the region’s craft beer culture. Their whiskeys are double-distilled in copper pot stills and aged in new, heavily toasted, lightly charred American oak barrels. Barrels are mingled in small batches and the whiskey is bottled non-chill filtered. Their classic expressions are generally aged from 4-6 years.

Tasting Notes – Westward Whiskey Cask Strength American Single Malt Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose:
Ed: Sweet milk chocolate, dark caramel, tart orange peel and maltiness and mild graininess; noticeable, but not unexpected intensity of alcohol vapor
Dean: Malt, cherry cola, freshly cut grass, little bit of mint, fresh cut sawdust

👉🏻Taste:
Ed: Fairly sweet and syrupy, with malty graininess, rich milk chocolate, citrus
Dean: Bittersweet chocolate, grapefruit, lychee, oatmeal, honey, French toast

👉🏻Finish:
Ed: Sweet chocolate continues; citrus, maybe grapefruit; growing white pepper spice; increasingly dry, with dry wood and mild barrel char later on in the finish; long; pleasant warmth
Dean: sweet, enjoyable mouthfeel, pepper spice later on, cinnamon red-hots, mild char, long

Summary – Westward Whiskey Cask Strength American Single Malt Review

Dean and I both very much enjoyed this whiskey. While we did get some different flavors, our overall impression was similar. The flavor profile is full and complex, with many layers. While this is a fairly high octane whiskey at 125 proof, we did not feel that the alcohol was overpowering at all. Rather, we thought that it was what contributed to the full flavors and complexity. I was very prone to Dean’s power of suggestion, and noted the grapefruit, particularly later on in the taste and finish, as well as the cinnamon red hots in the finish, after he mentioned them both. Likewise, I also could appreciate French toast with maple syrup after he pointed out that flavor as well.

Conclusion

If you enjoy a full-bodied, full-flavored, complex and layered American Single Malt, then you’ll likely want to give Westward Whiskey Cask Strength American Single Malt a try. Have you had it or any of their other whiskeys? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Westward Whiskey Cask Strength American Single Malt Review! To learn about another whiskey from this brand, read our Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask American Single Malt Review. If you would like to read about another grain to glass ASM, then check out our Minden Mill American Single Malt Whiskey Review. To learn about this category of whiskey, read our article “Standard of Identity For American Single Malt Whiskey Is Established By The TTB.”

Note: This bottle was graciously provided by the brand for our review. Thank you!

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!