Westland has been making single malt whiskey for over 10 years. Based out of the Pacific Northwest, Westland honors the traditions of distilling yet offers unique expressions that are distinctly American. From their flagship single malt to their limited edition Outpost Range, there is plenty to taste from Westland.
Can Americans make single malt whiskey as well as Scots do? Westland knows that the answer is an unequivocal yes–and the Judgment of Westland is proof positive. The Judgement of Westland engaged whiskey lovers in a blind tasting of single malts from around the world to see how the competition measures up to classic Scotch single malts. Instead of the “experts,” whiskey fans from around the world weighed in as judges. The results were clear: Westland is the real deal. To check out the results of the Judgment of Westland simply click below.
We caught up with Westland’s Steve Hawley for his tips on how to properly blind taste whiskey so you can conduct your own research.
Westland Whiskey
#1 Forget
The first thing to remember when doing a blind tasting is to forget. Don’t try to guess what each brand or expression is without going through the process of tasting and nosing because your memory is imperfect and more often than not, you’ll be wrong. Blind tasting is about honesty: assessing what is in the glass without any prejudice. It’s just you and the liquid.
#2 Nose the Whiskey
We’d recommend nosing, or carefully smelling, all the whiskeys before tasting. Think about what you smell in simple terms—is it Sweet, Dry, Light, Heavy? Work out your initial impressions, then move on to the next glass, repeat, move on, and repeat until you’ve covered all four.
Identify which whiskey you think is the richest or heaviest. Using it as a benchmark, compare the rest against it. This way, you’ll have a better idea of the range of flavors and qualities before you which will, in turn, allow more complex aromas and character to emerge.
Westland Whiskey
#3 Taste the Whiskey
Now (finally) taste. Initially, think in terms of texture, lightness, or heaviness. Does the taste mirror the nose, or are new flavors appearing? Take another small sip—where and when do the flavors develop on the tongue, how do they interlink with each other? Repeat for all four.
Then, if you want, add a little water to each whiskey. This is helpful because water kills some alcohol burn and can release subtle flavors.
#4 Take your time
Whiskey is about three things: balance, complexity and character. Balance is when all the elements are working together. Complexity is the range of flavors and textures (not about which is the biggest and boldest). Character is individuality: Does this whiskey tell you a story? Is it more than just a nice drink but something which transports you in some way?
