Episode 2: Tire Fire Cask Strength American Single Malt

The Pot Still Column: Episode 2

Weird Whiskey Wednesdays Edition

Tire Fire Cask Strength American Single Malt Whiskey

Proof: 111.8

Age: NAS

Finish: Peated

Source: ASW Distillery (Atlanta, Georgia)

Price: $59.99

One of my favorite occurrences in this great hobby of ours is when I stumble across a whiskey that stops me in my tracks— not because it’s spectacularly beautiful, rare, or expensive, but because it’s weird as absolute shit.

Whiskey Wednesdays is going to explore the weird side of whiskey, delving into some of the lesser-known pours of our time. High risk, high reward— a quest for the daring only.

**Disclaimer: Weird Whiskey Wednesdays are not to be expected to occur every Wednesday---- only when I feel like it, and sometimes maybe not on Wednesdays**

Today's spotlight shines on Tire Fire Cask Strength American Single Malt, a 2019 release from ASW distillery out of Atlanta, Georgia, an infrequently seen location in the whiskey market. ASW Distillery, which recently rebranded from American Spirit Whiskey, is in my eyes one of the most exciting and promising distilleries in the United States today. While many larger distilleries are cranking out tons of generic bourbon to meet market demand, ASW is making whiskey with what can be seen as nothing less than extreme care and passion. Interestingly enough, ASW's flagship whiskey, Fiddler, is a blend of MGP high-wheat bourbon and high-malt bourbon. The high-malt portion is double-distilled using ASW's Vendome copper pot stills, while the high-malt distillate is cranked out on MGP's column stills. What I can't figure out is whether the high-malt portion is ASW's own distillate, or if it is simply redistilled MGP. Regardless, the rest of ASW's product line is homemade, and each expression is chock-full of exciting and unusual flavors.

ASW makes no secret of its hellish intentions with Tire Fire Cask Strength American Single Malt, boldly branding the whiskey as a “puckishly peated” single malt intended for “the select few who share their breakfast with bears," "hydrate with tankards of seawater," and "like their whiskey with all the peat that can be seared into a single dram.” Ironically, the whiskey is only peated to 45 ppm, while Islay scotches such as Bruichladdich's notorious Octomore releases have been peated as highly as 309.1 ppm. The mashbill consists of 100% peated and malted barley from Inverness, Scotland, and the distillate is rested in 53-gallon #3 and #4 charred new American oak for an undisclosed amount of time. This expression is non-chill filtered and bottled at barrel proof.

Before I move on, I must commend how transparent ASW is about their production process every step of the way--- they are very clearly proud of their products.

I recently shared this pour with a friend, and we both enjoyed it tremendously. Coming back to it now, the nose is off-putting enough to trigger a double-take, but not nearly off-putting to dissuade a second sniff. If ASW intended to imitate the smoky, coastal charm of Islay scotch, then I must admit that they succeeded, although their interpretation is as unique as it is bold. The nose is undoubtedly peaty (they did not lie), and while my experience with burning tires is admittedly limited, it does bring to mind melted rubber. This can more eloquently be described as a synthetic chemical smell, likely a product of the highly phenolic tail cuts that the distillery made during distillation. The malt is expressing itself in the oddest of ways, showing up as an almost fishy note. While using fish as a descriptor feels unfair, I can't shake the somewhat fish-oil-reminiscent note from my mind.

**I returned to this after reading the website description for research, and the "fishy" note can be better described as an umami such as one might find on grilled pineapple in certain Asian cuisines.**

As expected, this is quite the flavor bomb, each swallow shortly chased with a fantastic Kentucky hug (ironic again...Georgia hug?). I can best describe the overall profile as dusty— presenting as a dry, ashy version of all the notes it contains. There is peat, rich and musty malt, umami fruit notes, and a chemical rubber... and there is dust. Think of an old, musty basement for reference. But yummy!

Closing Impression:

Am I selling this well? Probably not, and that saddens me so, as ASW is truly an exciting newcomer on the whiskey scene, and I will most certainly be aggressively seeking out some of their harder-to-find offerings. Nonetheless, Tire Fire fulfills its purpose as today’s Weird Whiskey Wednesday attraction. I’d be a fool to say that this American single malt is for everyone, but it would certainly appeal to those who love smoky scotch and have a desire to explore the furthest reaches of the whiskey flavor spectrum. Tire Fire has great value as a break from the monotony of the commercial palate, and I suggest joining me for a sip, if you dare.

87/100