引領美國單一麥芽威士忌的革命品牌
資料來源:此篇擷取自Cynthia Mersten於2024年12月19日發表於Bottle Raiders的文章
https://bottleraiders.com/whiskey/american-single-malt/8-essential-american-single-malt-brands/
美國單一麥芽威士忌無疑是當前市場上最受矚目的威士忌類別。根據國際葡萄酒及烈酒研究機構(IWSR)於2024年4月發佈一項數據,預測該類別在2022年至2027年間以每年9%的速度持續增長。
美國單一麥芽威士忌尚處於起步階段,且仍在探索其本身的定位,因此美國單一麥芽威士忌領域內存在著豐富的多樣性。隨著需求激增及全美範圍內的快速發展,製造商們呼籲制定相關準則,以確保這些獨具美國特色的威士忌在生產過程中能夠得到保護和透明度。
自2022年以來,美國單一麥芽威士忌委員會(ASMWC)一直敦促美國政府的酒類與菸草稅務貿易局(TTB)制定明確的規範,界定何謂美國單一麥芽威士忌。就在幾週前,美國酒類與菸草稅務貿易局(TTB)正式批准了該威士忌類別的標準。
此消息一出,全美各地的酒廠紛紛表示慶祝,許多品牌也因為終於有規範來保護這個新興的威士忌類別而鬆了一口氣。為了向美國這個最酷且最新的威士忌類別致敬,我們特別挑選了幾個喜愛的酒款,這些酒款來自那些努力不懈推動美國單一麥芽威士忌發展的核心品牌,其中一些早在這個類別崛起前,就已開始引領潮流。
Westward Whiskey美國威蓋堡單一麥芽威士忌

(Photo: Jordan Hughes/Westward Whiskey)
美國WESTWARD威蓋堡單一麥芽威士忌起源於奧勒岡州的波特蘭市,其威士忌以當地大麥麥芽及愛爾(Ale)啤酒酵母釀製。威蓋堡已有20年的歷史,並從美國西北部的原始之美中汲取靈感,融入其品牌威士忌中。
威蓋堡品牌團隊成員背景多元,包括曾於餐飲與服務業工作的專業人士,如啤酒釀造師、葡萄酒釀酒師,甚至廚師等。 威蓋堡以手工釀造的美式愛爾(Ale)啤酒為基底,接著像傳統單一麥芽威士忌一樣進行蒸餾,再像波本威士忌一樣陳年。所有威蓋堡的威士忌都在一個特製的蒸餾器中進行兩次蒸餾,並且全部陳年於全新、重度烘烤、輕微炙燒過的美國橡木桶中陳年。
值得一試的威士忌:美國威蓋堡單一麥芽威士忌原味桶原酒

美國威蓋堡單一麥芽威士忌原味桶原酒以62.5%酒精度裝瓶。《Breaking Bourbon》在其評價中對這款威士忌讚譽有加,香氣中散發鳳梨與杏桃的氣息,口感則呈現桃子派、橙皮以及全麥餅乾的多層次風味。這款風味豐富、結構優美的威士忌是品味威蓋堡的絕佳選擇。以原酒強度呈現,完整保留了純粹的蒸餾酒體與橡木風味。
8 Essential Brands Leading the American Single Malt Whiskey Revolution
The American single malt is arguably the hottest whiskey category in the marketplace. IWSR data published in April 2024 suggested the category was expected to grow by a rate of 9% annually from 2022 to 2027.
This whiskey category is so young, and it is still finding its identity, so there is plenty of diversity within the realm of American Single Malts. With rampant demand and an explosion all over the U.S., producers have pushed for some kind of guidelines ensuring the protection and transparency involving the production process of these distinctively American drams.
Since 2022, The American Single Malt Commission has urged the U.S. Government’s Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to cement regulations as to what exactly makes an American Single Malt. Just last week, the TTB ratified the whiskey category.
Distilleries all over the U.S. celebrated the news, and some brands breathed a sigh of relief now that there are finally guidelines in place to protect this fledgling whiskey category. To raise a glass to America’s coolest and newest whiskey, we’ve gone ahead and collated some of our favorite bottles from essential American single malt brands that tirelessly lead the American Single Malt charge — and some way before the category took off.
Westward Whiskey

(Photo: Jordan Hughes/Westward Whiskey)
Westward Whiskey hails from Portland, Oregon, and its whiskeys are made from locally malted barley and ale yeast. The brand has been around for 20 years, and it uses the beauty of the American Northwest as inspiration for all its whiskeys. The brand’s team is an eclectic mixture of former hospitality professionals, including brewers, winemakers and even chefs.
Westward brews the base of its whiskeys like an American ale from scratch, then distills it like a single malt and ages it like a bourbon. All of Westward’s whiskeys are twice distilled in custom-made pot stills and are all aged in new, heavily toasted American oak barrels with a light char.
One Whiskey to Try: Westward Whiskey Cask Strength ($99.95)

Westward’s cask-strength American Single Malt is bottled at 125 proof. Breaking Bourbon was quite partial to this whiskey in its review, with its aromas of pineapple and apricot that segue into peach pie, orange zest and graham cracker on the palate. This beautifully complex pour is the perfect way to taste Westward. With no water diluting it, it’s pure distillate and oak.