Seattle’s Westland Distillery may be the country’s foremost producer of American single-malt whiskey, especially considering its most recent releases. The Peated blends a heavily peated spirit with a mash of fruity, grainy Washington-grown pale malt to give a whiskey with the smoky snarl of peat that’s elegantly tucked into a smooth, harmonious drink. The Sherry Wood whiskey shows a similar touch, the maple and toffee hallmarks of Sherry oak present but not overwhelming.
Jordan Mackay’s writing on wine, spirits and food has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Decanter, the Art of Eating and many other publications. While Secrets of the Sommeliers, the book he wrote with Rajat Parr, won a James Beard Award in 2011, it’s certain winemakers that he credits with some of his most important tasting lessons.
This story appears in the print issue of Winter 2015.
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