Single Cask Nation, Virginia Distillery Co. Single Malt, Aged 5 Years, Cask #666

I finished the bottle of my top whiskey release from 2022. I recall being prepared to dislike it: the color was unusual (like cherry cola) and it was from a distillery unknown to me, but I was immediately won over by the intense sherry finish and the underlying malt's ability to stand out amidst the trail mix-like complexity. Trusting the selection skills of a certain entity and being a supporter of American single malts paid off handsomely this time. I'm now a big fan of a certain distilling region and appreciate a particular single malt, even if it hasn't quite replicated this exceptional moment yet.