High West High Country American Single Malt (2021 Release)

I'm not sure why the scores are so low for this American Single Malt from High West. I opened it last night when I was already quite intoxicated and was amazed by its delicious aroma. The scent is an intoxicating maltiness that evokes a malty cereal with a touch of fruitiness. Oh, I absolutely love the smell!! The texture is very soft and truly coats my mouth with flavors similar to the aroma. I swished this around for a while on each sip to fully appreciate what this single malt offers. Finally, it goes down easily. The proof allows you to taste the flavors rather than burn your tongue like high-proof bourbons and ryes do. Overall, if you enjoy American single malts, this is a nice one to have. The price is a bit high for what it is, but it's not unreasonable since it's not a year-round bottle. If you like Stranahan's, give this a try. I really wished after opening it that I still had some of my last Stranahan's store pick. Oh well, I guess I need to find another to compare. 10/14/22

A great find today! There was just one bottle left at TW camelback. It's taken me a long time to acquire this. Unlike prior versions, this High Country expression is finished in Sherry casks and is not peated. The aroma is overwhelmingly cornbread initially. Incredible! Caramel and nuttiness are also present, though not in the typical Olo Sherry nut style. A honey-like sweetness and maple syrup are also detected, with oak emerging in the background. The finish echoes the same fantastic qualities! I believe it's well worth the cost and serves as a perfect dessert dram. I prefer this to MWND. Score: 92/100. My only minor critique is that the Sherry cask influence wasn't very pronounced, perhaps due to brief usage or an unfamiliar cask type.

Nose: Sharp cut grass and raisin with chocolate and light tobacco. Taste: Sharp hay with figs, chocolate, and dense caramel. Initial addition of water makes the nose syrupy and dense with deep stewed figs and caramel, plus a malty honey note. The taste also becomes thicker and more oily, revealing a subtle floral and citrus note. Further dilution reduces the hay notes even more, introducing a strong peach character and a hint of gingerbread. Still quite disappointing. However, if you strongly dislike it, try adding a significant amount of water; it unveils more appealing flavors while masking the grassy bitterness.

The aroma presents primarily as dried bundles of alfalfa. A hint of sugary caramel or pastry sweetness is present, but the dominant note is dried hay. It carries an earthy sweetness reminiscent of barns and round bales. The palate echoes this profile, with notes of chocolate and almond emerging. After a minute of tasting, more chocolate nuttiness surfaces in both the aroma and palate, accompanied by hints of cinnamon and spice. The finish is surprisingly long-lasting, light, sweet, and pleasantly grassy. While I was eager to sample this as a dedicated fan of High West, it falls short of being my preferred American Malt.

Starts off intensely sweet, featuring distinct notes of vanilla and a flowery spice. The finish is harsh and dry, a stark difference from the initially smooth, velvety texture. You can detect the barley husks on the finish... Maybe borrow a dram from someone who already purchased this to avoid the disappointment of overpaying. It’s worth about $35, not $80. I’ll continue exploring American single malts for their distinct character, but this category is definitely a gamble.

Tried neat. Purchased for $130 and unfortunately not worth that price. On the nose, I detect tobacco, corn, wood, smoke, char, grain. On the palate, it tastes very young with notes of black pepper, spearmint, wood, tobacco. Although I love this distillery and most of their products, I had hoped this would be better… I will not buy the next release.