Westland Distillery Garryana Single Malt Edition 7 is trickling into the global market this month and, as with past expressions, it’s one you’ll want to snag if you’re able to find it. Garryana is always a unique tasting experience, whether it’s been the 2021 edition created using brandy and cognac casks, or the 2018 edition, which used a combination of second-use American oak barrels and port to go alongside the special Garryana stocks.
This year’s edition focuses even more closely on the local flavors and terroir of the Pacific Northwest—the Garryana barrels have been blended in combination with Washington State Syrah casks and cabernet sauvignon casks to add silky, wine-finished character to this batch.
Matt Hofmann, Westland co-founder, says “rich and savory Garryana oak interacts with sturdy Washington wine casks, resulting in a mix of spice and savory fruit.”
The Seattle-based Westland distillery has always prided itself on using local and regional ingredients. That started with the provenance of its barley, but for many years it’s also extended to the wood used in making some special barrels for the distillery’s limited casks.
Garryana oak (also called Garry oak) is a native species of tree somewhat closely related to the American white oak used in bourbon aging. Unlike white oak, however, Garryana is rare, grows slowly in knotty, tangled shapes, and is an overall difficult wood to fashion barrels out of.
Westland does it anyway—and rest assured the juice is worth the squeeze. The flavors those barrels impart to the whiskey inside are often spicy, earthy, nutty and intense, compared with the relatively mellow, sweet flavors of white oak.
That spice is gorgeous in this whiskey. It starts as clove and sandalwood dryness before building toward toasty, nutty flavors. There are hints of molasses and currant—earthy and raisiny with intense dark chocolate notes on the finish.
One thing you’ll want to note: This release of Garryana reduces the bottle size from 750ml to 700ml for the second time in Garryana’s history. The switch began after new regulations (which had required wine and spirits to be sold in 750ml bottles) allowed the slightly smaller packaging to be used domestically and imported internationally.
While 50ml represents about a 6.5 percent reduction in total volume, the $150 SRP is still an easy buy, especially for fans of the growing American single malt category. And with just 6,900 bottles in the market this year, it’s a relatively small release.
But there’s reason to find it anyway—particularly if you’re a fan of the brand (you should be) or you enjoy wine finishes. Hoffman and his team have steadily improved on an already great portfolio from day one of Westland’s existence. Another limited edition—Solum—is slated for debut later this year.
In the meantime, Garryana Edition 7 can be procured from liquor stores and whiskey specialists, as well as Westland’s online storefront, which can also help you track down some previous releases. That’s assuming you don’t want to make an impromptu trip to Washington State. Who’s up for a road trip?
from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/9FVsxbl
No comments:
Post a Comment