American single malt whiskey is still figuring out exactly what it wants to be, and that is part of the fun. Without centuries of tradition dictating the formula, American distillers have been experimenting with native oak, unusual cask finishes, long maturation, and small-batch releases. The result is a category where two whiskey bottles can have very little in common beyond the words 'American single malt whiskey' on the label. These 5 best American whiskey bottles are particularly interesting examples, whether for their age, limited production, unusual maturation, or the approach taken by the distillery behind them. Here is the list: the Macklowe Black Edition 13 Year Old Single Cask, Westward Milestone, Westland Garryana, Starlight Indiana Uplands 10 Year Old whiskey and more.
The The Macklowe Black Edition 13 Year Old Single Cask #119 takes the single-cask idea seriously. This 13-year-old expression was distilled in January 2012 and aged for 13 years and nine months in new American oak. Just 202 whiskey bottles were produced, making this a particularly limited release rather than a whiskey designed for broad distribution.
The official price for The Macklowe Black Edition 13 Year Old Single Cask #119 is US$1,500
ABV: 46%.
The Westward Milestone series is less about a conventional age statement and more about what happens when a distillery brings its best stocks together. Westward Milestone, Edition No. 3 whiskey was selected from a 21-barrel Solera system, incorporating older Westward whiskeys and casks from Australia, Bordeaux, Jerez and Oregon. The producer calls it a one-time-only expression.
The official price for Westward Milestone, Edition No. 3 is US$249.95
ABV: 54.25%
Westland has spent more than a decade exploring Garry oak, a native tree of the Pacific Northwest, and the Westland Garryana 10th Edition whiskey is the first age-stated Garryana release. It is aged for 10 years, with first- and second-fill Garry oak as the primary casks, alongside Pedro Ximenez, rum and ex-bourbon casks.
The official price for Westland Garryana 10th Edition is US$149.99
ABV: 50%.
The Westland Garryana 9th Edition whiskey takes the same Garry oak experiment back one chapter. The release was limited to 6,600 bottles and bottled at 50% ABV, with the producer highlighting the distinctive character that the native oak brings to the whiskey.
The official price for Westland Garryana 9th Edition is US$149.99
ABV: 50%
Starlight brings some serious age to the category with the Starlight Indiana Uplands 10 Year Old single malt whiskey. It is made from a 100% sweet-mash fermentation, double pot distilled in copper stills, and matured in hand-selected oak casks from around the world.
The official price for Starlight Indiana Uplands 10 Year Old is $89.99
ABV: 49%
What makes these bottles interesting is not simply that they are harder to find. Each gives American single malt whiskey a slightly different identity. Macklowe puts the focus on a particular cask, Westward on accumulated stocks and unusual finishes, Westland on Pacific Northwest oak, while Starlight shows what happens when the spirit is given a full decade to mature.
American single malt whiskey is still finding its feet, and that may be its biggest advantage. There is no single formula yet, and these bottles are proof that the category is better for it.
Note: These whiskey prices are the original U.S. prices listed by the respective producers where available and are subject to change.