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American Single Malt Whiskey: A Rising Star Challenging Bourbon's Dominance
American single malt whiskey is making waves in the spirits industry, emerging as a potential rival for America's whiskey identity and challenging the long-standing dominance of bourbon. This new category, with its own legal definition, is gaining recognition and a growing consumer base, with distilleries popping up in nearly every corner of the country.
The pioneer of this movement is Stranahan's, based in Denver, Colorado. Their flagship product, Stranahan's Original, boasts layers of caramel, toffee, roasted grain, and a touch of campfire smoke. Stranahan's continues to lead the charge in American single malt production, using Rocky Mountain water and Colorado barley.
Another key player in the scene is Balcones Texas "1" Single Malt, produced by Chip Tate in Waco, Texas. This whiskey was born in a former welding shop and helped kick off the American single malt movement. Texas "1" Single Malt features a bold flavor profile, with notes of roasted pecans, honey, ripe tropical fruit, toasty oak, and an oily texture.
Cedar Ridge, based in Swisher, Iowa, is Iowa's first licensed distillery since Prohibition and is known for their American Single Malt. Cedar Ridge uses locally grown malted barley and ages the whiskey in both new and used oak barrels. The result is a whiskey with notes of baked apple, vanilla cream, and a touch of cocoa.
Westland Distillery, based in Seattle, Washington, focuses on local ingredients and regional terroir in their American single malt production. Westland American Oak has flavors of roasted coffee, red berries, and baking spices. Westland Distillery also uses peat sourced from a bog on the Olympic Peninsula.
Santa Fe Spirits Colkegan is a single malt with a smoky twist, made with mesquite wood, deeply tied to the Southwest's culture and cuisine. Colkegan Single Malt opens with soft mesquite smoke, layered over vanilla, caramel, and dried fruit.
The Virginia Distillery Company's Courage & Conviction is their flagship release, launched in 2020. Known for cask experimentation, blending bourbon, sherry, and cuvée casks, Courage & Conviction Single Malt has an elegant and balanced flavor profile, with orange peel, milk chocolate, roasted almonds, and gentle baking spice. Unfortunately, the founders of the Virginia Distillery Company are not identified in the provided search results.
American single malt whiskey showcases diversity, from Colorado's mountain malts to New Mexico's mesquite smoke. This growing category is certainly one to watch as it continues to evolve and challenge the status quo in the world of American whiskey.
