https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/single-malt-whiskey-triple-eight-distillery-91785071?mod=hp_listb_pos1 Crafted 3,000 miles from Scotland, at Triple Eight Distillery on Nantucket, the Notch single-malt whiskey is turning heads among enthusiasts By David Thomas Tao June 16, 2026 6:00 pm ET For the past 18 years, on a windswept, Atlantic island 3,000 miles from Scotland, a tiny distillery has been quietly releasing some of the world’s best whiskey. In a blind tasting, the Notch, a whiskey from Triple Eight Distillery on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket, could be mistaken for a drink produced in Scotland. Last year, the 12-year-old bottling of the Notch won Best American Single Malt at the International Wine & Spirit Competition North America, signaling it as a leader in a growing, but often overlooked, category. Long-overdue recognition In American whiskey, bourbon (made primarily with corn) reigns supreme, with rye a distant second. Distillers have been making single-malt whiskey in the U.S., at least since the 1990s. But the federal government didn’t even recognize American single malt—whiskey made from 100% malted barley produced at one U.S. distillery—as a spirits category until 2025. Triple Eight distilled its first whiskey in 2000, and introduced its first bottling, called the Notch, in 2008. “We wanted to have a fairly well-aged product before we started to release anything,” said Randy Hudson, Triple Eight’s co-founder and master blender. Despite its name being a portmanteau of “not Scotch,” the Notch has a complex, fruity, aromatic profile that ends with a touch of spice—that makes it closer to a Scotch from Scotland’s Speyside region than most other whiskeys produced in the U.S. When it first appeared on shelves most of the country wasn’t clamoring for domestic malts, and so the Notch’s arrival went largely ignored by a bourbon-swigging public.  That started to change in 2010, when John Ramsay, who oversaw blending for the Scottish distilleries Macallan, Highland Park and Glenrothes, took notice. After tasting the Notch, Ramsay joined the Triple Eight team as a consultant. Around 2015, Triple Eight began accruing recognition, and a steady accumulation of awards hasn’t slowed since.  “It is the best single malt in the country, and there’s not even a close second,” said Owen Martin, the master distiller at Kentucky’s Angel’s Envy, who formerly oversaw production at Colorado’s Stranahan’s, another single-malt distillery.  Recipe for success For decades, Triple Eight has used off-grain fermentation (separating solids from the liquid before fermentation), and double pot distilled its whiskey—both common techniques for single-malt producers. In recent years though, it has also started using column distillation, a process more common with styles like bourbon, which yields a lighter spirit. The rare combination of off-grain fermentation and column distillation offers yet another lever to pull when it comes to modulating flavor. But the Notch’s main differentiator from its American competition? The environment. Nantucket has a relatively mild climate, with temperatures moderated by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream, drawing comparisons to certain islands of Scotland. To lean into the weather, Triple Eight uses dirt floored, open-air warehouses that invite contact between aging barrels and the salty coastal air.  “I think that the Notch is the most Scotch-like American single malt in flavor profile,” said Adam Polonski, co-founder of bottling house Lost Lantern Whiskey. “In a blind tasting, unless they’re an expert, people would be hard-pressed to know that it is not a Scotch.” Delicious to drink, hard to find Now a company run independently from Cisco Brewers, Triple Eight fills between 100 and 200 barrels a year, a volume major distilleries can match in a day. That diminutive scale, along with lengthy fermentation processes and a fondness for hard-to-find barrels, can translate to sticker shock at the liquor store. The Notch’s 8-, 12- and 15-year-old single malts retail for $250, $350 and $500, respectively. The whiskey is also notoriously hard to get a hold of, with limited East Coast distribution and just a handful of specialty online retailers, including Seelbach’s.  High prices and limited stock—coupled with the lower profile of American single malts—can make it tough to grow a following. The American whiskey market isn’t making things easier, as producers fight softening demand and an overabundance of product, particularly bourbon. For Martin, a key to growing American single malt is convincing drinkers to embrace variety. “If Scotland can emphasize very small differences between Speyside and Highlands-style Scotch, what’s more fun than showing off variations between Seattle, Colorado, Texas and Nantucket?” Your Passport to Global Single-Malt Whiskey The U.S. isn’t the only producer of single malts outside traditional powerhouses like Scotland, Ireland and Japan. Here are some others to look out for.  Kavalan Distillery Founded in 2005, this Taiwanese operation has quickly grown into a well-known, well-loved single-malt producer, with bottles ranging from $100 to over $1,000. The Cardrona Made in New Zealand from locally-sourced grains, this distillery also sells a distinct vodka with a subtle banana flavor. Its Falcon Single Malt starts at around $250 in the U.S.  Ki One South Korea’s first single malts, these bottles start at around $120 in the U.S. Released internationally in 2023, they feature impressive balance even at three years and younger.  Starward A beloved producer in Melbourne, Australia, Starward’s signature Nova single malt is aged in Australian red wine barrels. (Around $60). Paul John One of several Indian distilleries competing in the premium single malt category, Paul John produces a wide range of whiskeys, including a popular annual Christmas Edition that runs about $85. Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. David Thomas Tao is a contributor to The Wall Street Journal. He is a drinks writer, presenter and theater producer. A Kentucky native, he currently lives in New York City.

Posted by lawschooldrnk at 2026-06-17 02:57:43 UTC