It isn’t a stretch to declare the Pacific Northwest as the epicenter of the American single malt whiskey movement. And with a mission statement of “Single malt reimagined, American whiskey elevated,” Westward Whiskey is leading the charge. For nearly two decades, Westward has brought something new, different, and relevant to whiskey, and they are proud to serve as a leading voice for American single malt.
American single malt whiskey is made from a single distillery in the U.S. rather than traditional single malt which is made in Scotland. Westward bucks the Scottish style even more by aging its malt whiskey in newly charred barrels, which gives the whiskey a bold and decidedly American flavor similar to bourbon. It’s no wonder this style of American single malt is gaining market share. In 2019, Westward released a Tempranillo cask-finished whiskey which was the first ever American single malt to experiment with this finish to rave reviews. At that point on, the spirit of experimentation was in their blood. As well as a fierce commitment to community. In 2021 their second Westward Benefit Barrel was released with a promise of giving 100% of proceeds to organizations focused on homelessness and food insecurity. Bold flavors. Bucking the status quo. And a commitment to elevating the whiskey industry through experimentation and community impact. It’s easy to see why Westward Whiskey made it into our top 10 finalists for the RackHouse Whiskey Club Craft Distillery of the Year Award. If you want to see Westward Whiskey crowned as RackHouse Whiskey Club’s Craft Distillery of the Year, vote now! To learn more about the American single malt movement and the impact Westward Whiskey is making on its community, click here.
Our first step to determine the Craft Distillery of the Year Award winner was to open up the competition to the public to nominate your favorite craft distillery. From there, an expert panel of judges narrowed the list down to 10 finalists based on these four categories: compelling story, impact on community, marketing presence and branding and packaging. Now we’re turning the competition over to you to determine the distillery you believe deserves to be named the 2021 RackHouse Whiskey Club Craft Distillery of the Year. Get your votes in now, voting closes on Nov. 30! VOTE NOW!
