I’d be curious to know what other folks regard as their favorite American whiskies, especially setting aside the really big brands. For me, it’s Bourbon: Driftless Glen Rye: Angel’s Envy Single Malt: Cedar Ridge Quintessential. Driftless Glen is very reminiscent to Knob Creek, my old go-to, in flavor profile, intensity, and proof, and not as expensive as a craft bourbon can be. It’s become my go-to summer pour over a big rock of clear ice. Angel’s Envy Rye is probably my favorite American whiskey of any kind. The herbal, dill rye spice is turned up not so much to 11 but maybe more like 28, and the rum finish seems to me mainly to integrate the very complex symphony of flavors into a more cohesive whole. With Scotch, rum finish tends to add spicy, rye-like notes for me, so it’s interesting to me that here it’s more of a slight sweetener and spice-tamer. The whole thing for me is just a masterpiece of the whiskey-maker’s art. Quintessential was the standout from a recent year of seeking out and trying American Single Malt bottlings. It reminds me of an excellent Highland malt: Honey, heather, grass, floral notes with a very mild peat foundation and a mouthfeel of not-quite oily viscosity. The quality here is what I’d hoped American Single Malt could become in a decade or two. My only demerit is that while it’s made in Iowa, the grain comes from Alberta. But that’s just my highly subjective two cents. What are your favorite American whiskies?

Posted by Scott Rogers at 2024-10-08 22:07:36 UTC