by 
Westward Whiskey Single Malt Rum Cask. Oregon, USA. ABV: 62.5%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $135 (bottle).
Colour: Deep copper.
Nose: Fresh pine needles and juicy sweet raspberry chewy lollies. A hint of camphor and old timber boxes stuffed with blankets that you discover as a kid at your grandparents’ house.
Palate: Oak-forward but creamy sweetness. Like sucking a touch too long on an ice cream stick that’s still got a few remnants of sweet salted caramel ice cream on it. Bold alcohol-wise, but it’s not quite as big as you might expect a 62.5% ABV drop to be.
Finish: Like your first teenage rum hangover, this one hangs around for a long time. That delicious salty sweet balance keeps dancing across the tongue, with some caramelised pineapple rings cooked on the bbq to top off proceedings.
Comments: Fruity, creamy, salty and sweet…the flavours here pack a punch to back up the cask strength ABV hit. There’s nothing worse than a high strength drop that is all heat and doesn’t have the flavours to back it up. The Westward Whiskey Single Malt Rum Cask is a little bold and brash, but as an American single malt that’s probably quite fitting! A very decent drop.