Westland Sherry Wood American Single Malt

Nose: Wonderfully balanced. The oloroso and PX sherry casks are both interacting, alongside a classic honeyed toasted cereal grain character. Some candied lemon peel, raisins, and fig newtons are present. There's also a subtle touch of icing. A faint herbal character is woven in - more on the mint/thyme spectrum. Palate: The character from the nose carries through quite well - the cask influence with raisins and toasted nuts is all there, but it's not cloying or overly phenolic. Vanilla, mint, citrus, and a hint of brown sugar. Orange peels emerge, along with a touch of smoke. There's also oak character, but it's not excessively dominant. It coats the entire palate, with plenty of mid and high notes - the low end isn't the focus, but it doesn't feel unbalanced. It has an oily, yet medium-light mouthfeel. Finish: Banana bread with raisins and roasted walnuts. Fruitcake. Oak and vanilla then fill in some gaps. Icing with lemon zest, which fades out, along with subtle hints of phenol and thyme. Medium length. Additional notes: As a finished product, this is genuinely impressive. Context is key here - tasted on its own, it's a solid finished single malt without any flaws. Perfectly enjoyable and interesting to explore. However, knowing it's an American product elevates it significantly. Westland has earned its reputation, and I'm eager to try more of their products. This is a good example of restraint without being dull. While it won't become a must-have, it certainly makes me want to keep bottles from this label in my collection more often than not. Excellent stuff. Cheers!

A whiskey sample given by a friend as part of the "Whiskey Transfer Program". This one unexpectedly appeared and impressed me with its quality. Nose: I've never encountered a whiskey with such a powerful banana aroma. Aged bananas, like dried banana chips. Also, raisins, figs, and dates. Strong grain notes resembling corn flakes. Combined with the sweetness, it's almost like frosted flakes. Taste: The banana is present but less intense, with dried fruits such as cherries, figs, and raisins leading the way. Significant caramelized sugars. Finish: Still sweet, but the wood characteristics begin to emerge. A prolonged, intricate finish with oak, sandalwood, more dried fruit, and a hint of spice. Heavily spiced with prominent cloves and cinnamon. Finishes quite dry for such a sweet spirit. Wow, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Extremely intricate and engaging.

Initially, this bears a strong resemblance to Macallan, with similar notes present but in varying proportions. I'd say this bottling is less rich than Macallan but also noticeably smoother. The darker notes might lean more towards coffee than nuttiness, but overall, it's very comparable. For roughly $10 more, this one is a good choice to support domestic small businesses and craft distilleries. It's worth sampling, though it might not be life-changing. I recommend trying to find a sample at a bar before purchasing. Additionally, it features a plastic screw cap instead of a cork, which required pliers to open each time.

The sherry is somewhat apparent on the nose, making it a bit sweeter and brighter than their oak expression. The palate develops nicely from sweet sherry (very similar to sherry-finished Scotches) to burnt oak and new leather, which is truly great. The finish is pleasant with more oak spice and dark notes, and it doesn't fade too quickly. This dram evolves as I drink it, and it's my preferred choice from Westland. Adding water deepens it for me, bringing out more pronounced, richer, and darker notes of wood and dark chocolate. This immediately became my top favorite and will remain a staple in my collection.

Nose: Seems a bit subdued, but there are definite notes of traditional fig and baked apples from the sherry cask. A touch of candy sweetness complements the dark, earthy aroma. More wood character emerges at the edge of the glass. Palate: The sherry is again clearly evident with sweet fig and overripe brown apples. The syrupy sweetness follows, akin to brown sugar, accompanied by the classic Westland notes of chocolate and hazelnuts. Finish: Mellows the sweetness, with some woody tannin and dark cocoa and hazelnuts.

I believe I appreciate Sherry Wood more in concept than in practice. I'm re-evaluating my Westland bottles with a bit of ice and a fresh perspective. Sherry Wood on ice maintains its color stubbornly until the 25th hour, but the nose truly opens up into a rich landscape. The palate also tries to open up, but just barely falls short, retaining that astringent finish that I'm too sensitive to ignore. That said, taking a chance... we're back to the initial rating, and I'm not unhappy with it.