Episode 26: 117° West Cask Strength Single Barrel West Coast Whiskey

The Pot Still Column: Episode 26

117° West Cask Strength Single Barrel West Coast Malt Whiskey "Total Wine & More"

Cask #157

Proof: 110

Age: 20 months

Finish: None

Source: 117° West Spirits (San Diego, CA)

Price: $60.00

Reviewing local products is bittersweet and requires some political tact. I am fully committed to speaking truthfully about what I experience, but I also am committed to supporting craft distilleries. The same support applies tenfold for local craft distilleries, so I feel pressure to pull my punches when discussing local products. It's easier to criticize a whiskey when you don't risk meeting the distiller responsible for its production at the grocery store on a Wednesday.

Fortunately, 117° West has given me absolutely nothing to criticize with this single barrel pick of their West Coast Whiskey, an American single malt. The whiskey is allegedly inspired by stout beer, and I can totally see the inspiration reflected in the final product. The mash is produced from crystal, chocolate, and roasted barely, and the distillate is aged for a mere 20 months in small oak barrels. As soon as I hear that a mash bill contains chocolate malt, I start to get excited. The chocolate and espresso notes that certain barleys bring out of a whiskey are two of my absolute favorites across spirits of all kinds. Funnily enough, 117° West Spirits is about 45 minutes from my house by car (North, not West), but I haven't had the chance to visit in person just yet. Next time I am in Vista, CA, I'll make sure to allocate some time for a stop.

The nose is a beautiful disaster of bold scents compiled into an extremely complex and unique profile. There is so much in here, you could randomly select a flavor and it would likely exist in this single malt. The nose is buttery with an extremely pure note of caramel. Specifically, the caramel scent reminds me of the chocolate caramel cups commonly found as toppings at frozen yogurt shops. Another image that pops into my head is hot caramel apple cider with caramel drizzle in the cup. It's a perfect fit, especially considering the funky herb and spice notes dancing around in the background. Beyond the candied scents, the malt profile contains some confusingly rye-adjacent notes. There is a bright and clean crispness that I have only ever found in malted rye whiskeys, and it happens to be a note that I like very much. Crisp is a good overall descriptor for the whiskey; while the flavors are rich and dark, they also lack the dusty "old" notes found in so many bourbons.

I had to walk away from the desk and take a lap after taking my first sip of this. The amount of flavor----and good flavor,----is overwhelming. The chocolate malt explodes on the palate, introducing a dense toasty note. No, it's not a note, it's too big for that. The toastiness is like the stage upon which the other flavors play their parts, and they play them well. A very specific image of cocoa nibs comes to mind, and herbal notes bordering on earl grey tea exist subtly in the background. The sensation on the palate is creamy with no ethanol to be detected, and the finish consists of miles and miles of toasted cocoa nibs.

Closing Impression:

Before going any further, I must disclaim that this will probably not be a crowd-pleasing whiskey in most circles. There is too much going on, and every sip raises your IQ by at least two points---- most whiskey drinkers aren't looking for that kind of stimulation. However, for those who crave adventure or are just a little whiskey-kinky, this is going to make you scream. Try to keep it together while sipping this cask strength American single malt, as it threatens to lure you into state of eternal ungratefulness for other whiskeys. 117° West is not known for their barrel picks, and I haven't actually seen one released before this collaboration with Total Wine & More, but the future is bright if they intend to continue down this path. For $60.00, this is not only an immediate buy, but a bunker bottle. If I bunkered bottles (I don't), I would grab a backup of this one to stow away, as it is a truly special pour. I will be keeping an eye out for more barrel proof single barrels from 117° West, and I am especially excited to potentially see a higher proof bottling of their malted rye. While this isn't going to be a winner for everyone, it is a rare beauty to my palate, and it won't be difficult to rate this highly.

Nose: 96

Taste: 98

Finish: 98

Overall: 97/100 (Unbelievable)