Spirits of state: American single malt steps into the spotlight

The story is similar around the US, with over 250 distilleries each crafting single malt that’s a reflection of their culture and climate. To say the style is ‘on the rise’ in the US is an understatement: there are now more distilleries producing single malt in the US than there are in Scotland.

Yet according to Steve Hawley, president of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC), it’s a category many drinkers still don’t know about: ‘Most Americans don’t even know bourbon is made from corn, let alone understand that America produces single malt whiskey.’

They’d probably also be surprised to learn that US distillers have been making single malt for over 30 years, the number of producers steadily growing as the appetite for ‘world whisky’ amongst curious drinkers has taken hold both in the US and globally. But educating the public about American single malt has been an uphill slog, especially when most shops and bars have no idea whether to position bottles alongside bourbon or lump them in with Scotch. That’s why December’s long-awaited federal ratification of American single malt as a legally recognised whiskey category is the shot in the arm distillers desperately needed.

‘Thirty-one years after the first American single malt was ever placed in a barrel to rest, we see the category gain the recognition it deserves,’ says Caitlin Bartlemay, master distiller at Clear Creek Distillery in Oregon, the first to make American single malt whiskey under the McCarthy’s brand in the 1990s. ‘Where before, American single malt might have been on a local producer’s shelf or maybe lost in the maze of “Whiskey”, its new definition makes it that much easier to create a space of its own on menus, shelves and in our hearts.’

It’s a sentiment shared by producers around the country, 109 of which collectively form the ASMWC, as Mark A. Vierthaler, master distiller and blender at Arizona’s Whiskey Del Bac, explains. ‘From a producer standpoint, ratification makes it easier for us to educate consumers. It creates trust in the category and encourages more distilleries to begin experimenting with this distinctly American take on a classic style of whiskey. From a consumer standpoint, it helps establish trust in the category.’

So, what exactly is American single malt and how does it differ from the grandfather of single malt made in Scotland? From a production perspective, the two categories share almost identical rules. It must still be made from a fermented mash of 100% malted barley at one distillery, the caveat being there is no minimum age requirement and any type of still may be used (unlike the copper pot stills required in Scotland). Furthermore, unlike other American whiskey categories, both new and used oak casks may be used for maturation.

‘We’re inspired by the Scottish model but not defined by it,’ says Vierthaler. ‘It’s this beautiful fusion of well-earned tradition and reputation, merged with innovation and unapologetic breaking of those long-established rules that creates these beautiful works of liquid art.’ The rules are structured to ensure every expression chimes with the world’s collective understanding of what typifies single malt, with enough wiggle room for producers to create their own interpretations.

The sheer geographical vastness of the US, with all its unique microclimates from the dry deserts of Arizona and cool mountains of Oregon and Washington, across to the humidity of sub-tropical Florida, makes it impossible to emulate styles from state to state. This is particularly true when distillers are incorporating hyper-local ingredients to produce single malts that are a reflection of their terroir and culture.

While Westward leans on Portland’s brewing heritage, occasionally smoking its malt using local alder trees instead of peat (which the distillery says isn’t ‘emblematic’ of the area), Whiskey Del Bac, Santa Fe and Andalusia in the neighbouring states of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas dry their malt with local mesquite wood for what Vierthaler calls a ‘very distinctive, desert-influenced’ flavour. ‘Sipping our single malt is like walking through the old barrios of Tucson in the winter,’ he says.

Wielding the climate to their benefit, Del Bac uses a yeast strain that thrives at higher temperatures alongside maturation in smaller barrels to combat the desert climate’s low humidity and aggressive temperature swings. Similarly, Stranahan’s in the dry, mile-high city of Denver, Colorado, fills their barrels at a relatively low 110 proof (55% abv) to account for higher evaporative water losses.

Cask types are often purposefully selected to underpin the sense of place so carefully woven into the spirit. Iowa winery-distillery, Cedar Ridge, matures a portion of its single malt in its own wine barrels, while Virginia Distilling Co. partners with local breweries, wineries and cideries to nurture its signature style. Producers are even coopering casks made from native oak, like the Garryana used to mature Westland’s single malt in Washington.

‘I often compare American single malt production to winemaking in that the makers use individual stylistic choices to have a huge impact on the final product,’ says Miles Munroe, master blender at Westward. ‘We have so much possibility here with this approach of individuality that looks to immediate surroundings for inspiration.’

Although the UK’s choice of American single malt is currently very limited, it should soon be easier to find more examples overseas as ratification eventually streamlines export logistics (depending on the outcome of Trump’s tariff wars, of course). It’s a chicken and egg situation for now though, as single malt from the US gradually creeps into the vernacular of drinkers and bartenders around the world (and consumers understand it’s more than just ‘American Scotch’).

For those still not convinced by the excitement around the category, Hawley has a word of advice. ‘The quality across the board is going to surprise you,’ he says. ‘This isn’t a category filled with tinkerers – they know what they’re doing and if you’re open to it being different than your Macallan or Glenfiddich, there’s a world that’s going to open up for you. American whiskey isn’t just bourbon anymore and the world needs to recognise that.’

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