Westland Garryana 2016 Edition 1.1

Nose - A subtle touch of sweet apples/pears, milk chocolate, a whisper of smoked sweet ham or turkey jerky, and toasted orange zest. Palate - Sweetness with a mild smoke reminiscent of honey/maple glazed ham or turkey jerky, pleasant black & white pepper notes, baked pears/apples with spice, and a slight bitterness from apple/pear skins. Finish - The pepper spice lingers, gradually giving way to the gentle bitterness of apple peels, with continued notes of sweet smoked turkey jerky and a hint of smoked salt. Score - 89/100 Final Thoughts - While I don't typically gravitate towards heavily peated whiskies, this one achieves a pleasant equilibrium. Its light peat and savory-sweet character are quite pleasing, though I'd need to be in the right mood for it. It's unlikely to be an everyday dram for me, and its intricacies are best appreciated neat rather than in a mixed drink. I can't quite discern the impact of the Garry oak, but I'm eager to see future releases from this producer.

During my 2nd year of my MBA, I already had a job offer, but I used to sign up for interviews anyway just to get in all the free food and drinks (the night before, companies used to wine and dine us). I bombed the interviews on purpose, just wanted the free food. So...today I get an email from Park Ave Liquor in NYC (which by the way is on Madison Ave, but whatever floats their boat). They had a tasting event sponsored by Westland. I'm there, even though it's out of my way from Penn Station!! Like business school all over again! Free drinks and all you have to do is chat! I especially wanted to try their Garryanna. It's good...real good. A friend's assessment is spot on---fruity with a heaping dose of coffee, fresh herbs and a wee bit of peatiness (which the guy told me is not from peat, but the west coast native species of oak called Garryanna. He said it's just under 3 yrs old as well. Now the bad news---it's $115!!! It's good, but not $115 good.

The aroma is warm with distinct BBQ notes. On the palate, the BBQ flavor intensifies with full mesquite. The finish is rich and full-bodied, featuring ham and sweet undertones. A delightful and distinctive flavor that warrants its own classification.

I really like Westland, and I believe this is their finest bottling yet. Imagine American Oak, but elevated. The cost is significantly higher than their other bottlings. For this special edition, it might just be justifiable!

Garryanna presents an intensely spicy scent of oak, banana, brown sugar, and a hint of vanilla. The flavor mirrors the aroma with a rich tobacco quality and a subtle raisin finish.

Remarkably distinctive; it drinks more like a single malt scotch than a bourbon. It brought Highland Park 18 to mind. This is an absolute must-have.