The new big thing in the whiskey world is American single malt, the current darling of the burgeoning craft distilling movement. It’s not Bourbon or rye, for despite being American it doesn’t rely on corn and rye, which flourish in the United States. Instead, it turns to the oldest grain recipe of all—pure barley. American single malt is among the youngest of whiskey categories, but its roots date back a millennium. Some 200 small, domestic distillers have fashioned distinctive, flavorful whiskeys that mimic the Scotch single-malt standard, yet still reflect the spirit and geography of the United States.
From that one grain has come a startling panorama of flavors that evoke senses of place out of diverse locations from coast to coast. While all of these American single malts are made…
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Cigar Aficionado (Digital) - 1 Issue, July/August 2023