Ode to Islay American Single Malt Whiskey

For years we've released a bold, heavily-smoked American Single Malt inspired by the super-smoky single malts of Islay (ai - luh). Formerly known as Winter Release, we've renamed this classic expression "Ode to Islay." This expression is our way to raise a glass to tradition and pave our own way with Southwestern ingredients – Ode to Islay is heavily mesquited. Not peated. It also joins the Global Cask Collection as a limited annual release like Frontera and Normandie.

This year’s Ode to Islay is a mix of three different 100% malted barley mash bills and three different finishing casks. We’ve blended together a 100% mesquited-not-peated malt mash bill, with our standard 60% unsmoked/40% mesquited mash bill, along with our 100% unsmoked mash bill.

Those three disparate mash bills have all been initially aged in brand-new American White Oak toasted and charred quarter casks, then finished in a mix of ex-rye, bourbon, and second-use Whiskey Del Bac Dorado barrels. 

These were all then blended together, allowed to marry for more than three months, and then slowly proofed down to 110 proof (55% ABV). 

The final result is a beautiful love letter to both inspirations. The last Winter Release expression won both the Gold medal from the New York International Spirits Competition and a Silver medal from the New Orleans Spirits Competition.

On the nose, you may find cocoa nibs, cinnamon, charred mesquite, and earth. On the palate are caramel-dipped apples, sour cherry, and dulce de leche. 

When neat, you may find soft vanilla up front, blossoming into plumes of mesquite smoke and white pepper, tapering off into soft cinnamon and candied toffee. 

On the rocks, you may find the mesquite moves to the forefront, contrasting against new notes of vanilla and dried stone fruit. The pepper spice recedes, replaced by notes of honey and butterscotch. 

Our recommendation is to serve Ode To Islay with one large ice cube.