{"title":"Westward","description":"\u003cp\u003eWestward makes American single malt in Portland, Oregon: 100% malted barley, distilled start to finish at one distillery. It ferments with a brewer's ale yeast, the Chico strain, which arrives in kegs from Breakside Brewing after Breakside has brewed with it. Then a custom low-reflux pot still, built to strip out as little as possible, leaves the spirit big and oily.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe company started as House Spirits in Corvallis in 2004 and moved to Portland a year later. It was in the room when the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission formed in 2016. Both bottles we carry shipped in our Whiskey-of-the-Month Club in September. The Pinot Noir Cask is finished for up to two years in Willamette Valley pinot casks. Switchback is a single barrel that held whiskey, gin, and IPA before its last fill.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"westward-pinot-noir-cask-american-single-malt","title":"Westward Pinot Noir Cask American Single Malt Whiskey","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWestward reaches for Oregon pinot.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWestward makes American single malt in Portland, Oregon. Single malt means 100% malted barley from one distillery, the same rule Scotch follows. The process is where Westward goes its own way. They start by brewing a full ale from Northwest two-row barley and ale yeast, double-distill it in pot stills, and age it in new American oak that's heavily toasted and lightly charred. That's Westward Original.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this bottle they take Original and finish it for up to two years in French oak casks that held Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. The wine casks add red fruit, a little earthy spice, and a touch of tannin. It doesn't drink like wine. It drinks like a malt with more fruit and a drier edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican single malt became an official US whiskey category in January 2025, after years of American distillers pushing for it. This is a good bottle to learn what the category tastes like.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAroma:\u003c\/strong\u003e orchard fruit, tobacco, freshly cut grass\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e raisin, fig, apricot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e rich malt, herbaceous oak, dark chocolate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBottle Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCategory: American Single Malt Whiskey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrain: 100% malted barley (Northwest two-row)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAging: New American oak, then up to 2 years in French oak Pinot Noir casks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge: No age statement\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProof \/ ABV: 90 proof \/ 45%\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDistillery: Westward Whiskey, Portland, Oregon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBottle size: 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePoured by Whiskey-of-the-Month Club Explorer members in September 2026.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is American single malt?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhiskey made from 100% malted barley, distilled entirely at one US distillery, aged in oak barrels up to 700 liters, and bottled at 80 proof or higher. The federal government made it an official category in January 2025.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it taste like wine?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. The Pinot Noir casks shape the finish: more red fruit, a little tannin, a drier edge. The base is still malt whiskey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is it different from Scotch?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSame grain, different method. Westward brews its own ale first, uses ale yeast, and ages in new American oak. Most Scotch goes into used barrels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"good-in\"\u003eGood in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/whiskey-for-manhattan\"\u003ea Manhattan\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/whiskey-for-hot-toddy\"\u003ea hot toddy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Westward Whiskey","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67682226438298,"sku":"VWS_200422337","price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0126\/5647\/6250\/files\/westward-pinot-noir-cask-home-bar.jpg?v=1791324889"},{"product_id":"westward-switchback-single-barrel","title":"Westward Switchback Single Barrel American Single Malt","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThis barrel has had four lives.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost barrels hold one or two things before they're retired. This one held Westward single malt for four years, then Aviation Old Tom gin for a year, then an IPA from Breakside Brewery, a few miles down the road, for 10 months. After all that, Westward filled it with two-year-old single malt and left it for four more years. The barrel's nickname is the Switchback.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery fill leaves something in the wood. The tasting notes read like the barrel's résumé: honey and malt, then botanicals and spearmint, then a hazy-IPA, warm-sourdough finish that's hard to place until you know the story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt came out as a single-barrel pick. The panel almost missed it: they were waiting on a ride to the airport when Westward's blender asked if they wanted to try anything else, and they went straight for the barrel everyone had been talking about the night before. Their verdict was that it's \"a creation that will never be made again.\" One barrel, one bottling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 119.05 proof, start with a small pour and a few drops of water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e citrus, botanicals, honey, dark chocolate, malt\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e spearmint, wildflower, cardamom, pastry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e hazy IPA, mint, warm sourdough, orange, caramel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBottle Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCategory: American Single Malt Whiskey, single barrel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBarrel: Switchback (Series 1, Barrel 17)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrain: 100% malted barley\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBarrel history: Westward single malt (4 yrs) → Aviation Old Tom gin (1 yr) → Breakside Brewery IPA (10 mo) → this whiskey: 2-year-old Westward, aged 4 more years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge: No age statement\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProof \/ ABV: 119.05 proof \/ 59.53%\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDistillery: Westward Whiskey, Portland, Oregon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBottle size: 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePoured by Whiskey-of-the-Month Club Enthusiast members in September 2026.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy would a whiskey barrel hold gin and beer?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUsed barrels get passed around. Gin and beer both pick up flavor from the wood and leave some of their own behind. When whiskey goes back into that barrel, it picks up traces of everything that came before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow old is it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere's no age statement. The whiskey went in at two years old and aged four more in this barrel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill there be more?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. It's one barrel, and the selection panel called it a one-off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"good-in\"\u003eGood in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/whiskey-for-manhattan\"\u003ea Manhattan\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Westward Whiskey","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67682226634906,"sku":"VWS200425119","price":130.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0126\/5647\/6250\/files\/westward-topflight-barrel-17-home-bar.jpg?v=1791324891"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0126\/5647\/6250\/collections\/westward-pinot-noir-cask-home-bar.jpg?v=1793401012","url":"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/westward.oembed","provider":"PourMore ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}