Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask American Single Malt Review

Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask
American Single Malt Whiskey
Finished in Stout Casks
115 Proof
MSRP: $99.95
Club Release
Review

Please enjoy our Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask American Single Malt Whiskey Review!

“This bold release celebrates innovation and our brewing roots, highlighting our long-standing partnership with Fort George Brewery. Crafted with barrels from their famously delicious Matryoshka Stout, this expression showcases the artistry of both whiskey and beer making. The result is a whiskey with deep layers of roasted malt, dark chocolate, and coffee, balanced by subtle sweetness and a robust finish. What sets this release apart is the flavor—elevated not only by the rich Matryoshka barrels but also by a higher proof, which enhances depth and brings perfect balance to the finished spirit.” – 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.

The Process – Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask Review

According to the press release, this whiskey is made by what is being referred to as a “double stouting” process. Mature Westward Whiskey was initially aged in freshly dumped stout casks, and was then transferred into Fort George’s freshly returned Matryoshka Stout barrels. For those of you who are like me, and are not familiar with Fort George’s Matryoshka Stout, it is a barrel aged imperial stout, aged in a variety of barrels which include those from Westward Whiskey. After all that stout cask finishing, we would expect this American Single Malt to have quite a bit of rich flavors and imperial stout character. So, does it?

Tasting Notes – Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose:
Ed: Moderately sweet, darker dried fruit like dried prunes, cocoa powder, tangerines; subtle roasted malt; alcohol vapor appropriate for the proof
Dean: Stout, chocolate, coffee, tobacco

👉🏻Taste:
Ed: Fairly sweet, with simple syrup and rich chocolate fudge, tart oranges
Dean: Dark chocolate, strong black licorice, white pepper; stone fruits like plums; grapes, apples

👉🏻Finish:
Ed: White pepper spice grows and lingers; chocolate cake that gradually fades; mildly dry with mild tannins and dry wood later on; long with lingering spice; deep warmth
Dean: Sweet with malted milk balls, honey; black licorice; long

Summary – Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask Finish Review

Both Dean and I thought the nose was very full and inviting, making us want to jump right in and take a sip. We both noted variations of chocolate, however, I picked up dark dried fruits and some citrus, whereas Dean noted coffee and tobacco. I did perceive a roasted maltiness, so that probably coincides with the flavors that Dean was describing.

In the taste, we again both noted variants of chocolate; dark for Dean and rich fudge for me. Again, I noted citrus, whereas for Dean it was sweeter fruits. I did not detect black licorice initially, however, after Dean mentioned it, I felt it was there as well, particularly in the finish. For me, the finish had white pepper spice, which Dean had noted earlier on, and some dryness later on, whereas for Dean it had some sweeter flavors. However, the chocolate cake that I tasted in the finish would certainly qualify as a sweeter flavor, too!

Conclusion

Similar to the Westward Cask Strength we had recently reviewed, Dean and I both found this to be a very enjoyable American Single Malt. I really thought that this was a fantastic whiskey, and would almost consider joining one of Westward Whiskey’s clubs so that I could purchase another bottle. If you enjoy rich, full flavors in your whiskey, and are a fan of a nice full bodied stout, then the Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask is definitely one you’ll want to try! Have you had it? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask American Single Malt Whiskey Review! If you would like to read about another whiskey from this distillery, check out our Westward Whiskey Cask Strength American Single Malt 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. We appreciate it!

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!