SipScout Monthly Subscription Box (Photo by the brand)

American Single Malt Whiskies, Part 1

As I’ve stated many times, I love malt whiskey in all of its glorious forms – Scotch and Irish whiskies chief among them. I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of sampling many, including some from less traditional locales, including India, France, Croatia, Japan, and others. But I hold a special place in my heart for American Single Malt whisky (ASMs), and I’m thrilled to see the genre gaining visibility. Despite bourbon and rye receiving most of the fanfare as “America’s” spirit, American single malts incorporate much of the same pioneering spirit that made bourbon so prevalent.

Growing Popularity

One of the latest signs that ASMs have gained favor is the October 2023 SipScout monthly club selection. SipScout is the monthly subscription-based wine, beer, and spirits discovery program created by Suzanne Henricksen, founder of The Crafty Cask. For about the cost of a modest dinner-for-two out, SipScout ships a substantial-looking package that includes a themed selection of beer, wine, and/or spirits and the accouterments necessary for well-stocked tasting. Previous shipments I’ve experienced include a rum sampler, an Oktoberfest beer sampler, and this month’s shipment, a generous selection of American single malt whiskeys.

ASMs are the great-grandchild of Irish whiskey, likewise made of barley, and subject to many of the same mandates of Irish whiskey production and its offshoot, Scotch. Although ASMs are not yet legally defined (certification by the TTB is underway), most distilleries comply with the proposed rules voluntarily. Generally speaking, ASMs are a barley product, although minute amounts of other grains may be included and are produced, matured, and bottled entirely in the USA. I’ve written extensively on many brands (see links below), some of which were included in the SipScout tasting kit.

Uniquely American

Malt whiskey has a unique flavor profile when compared to the other uniquely American spirits of bourbon (corn-based) and rye (corn and rye grain). Although fashioned after Irish and Scotch whiskeys, the varied maturation and barley-preparation methods impart a wider array of flavor profiles typically found in prototypical malt whisky ancestry. Additionally, given that peat is not commonly grown stateside, producers use alternative barley-smoking-and-drying methods that employ a variety of woods -mesquite, applewood, alder, for example – although the list of possible “smoking” materials is endless. Because the American distilleries are not limited in their barley-smoking options like their British forebears, the variation can be mind-boggling.

ASM Selection

With over 100 ASM producers available, it was likely difficult to select just six for the SipScout selection, but six it was, and I believe they chose well. I had previously sampled two of the six – the Santa Fe Spirits Colkegan (one of my favorites) and 10th Street Distiller’s Cut Peated (another excellent whiskey). The remaining four were familiar names I had never sampled, so I had some discovery coming! They included Copperworks Distilling Release 047, Dampfwerk Distilling Batch No. 2, Vapor Distillery Boulder Spirits, and Jettywave Distillery Maritime. The samples were presented in clearly labeled 50ml mini-bottles accompanied by a professionally designed tasting flight guide and two SipScout-logo’d tasting glasses. The glasses, although not of the typical Glencairn shape, were serviceable, with a flared swirling bell and columnar nosing chimney. Although I have an extensive collection of tasting glasses, the SipScout sippers were a welcome addition and quite serviceable for those who may not have the proper whisky-tasting vessels.