Mashbill – 100% Malted Barley
Age – NAS (at least 4 years)
Proof – 90
Price Paid – $66.48

Color – Golden

Aroma – An inviting sweetness is on the nose much like honey, bright fruit scents such as apricot and citrus, as well as nutmeg and oak. It really encourages you to want to taste it.

Tasted Neat – The honey and sweetness from the nose are right there on the palate, those lead to the herbal/citrus flavors such as lemongrass and ginger. The finish has a hint of cocoa, cinnamon, and oak. The overall taste is really pleasant.

Tasted with dried cranberry – The sweetness faded while the lemon aspects came forward. It isn’t bad, just different.

Tasted with a pecan – The pecan eliminated the citrus and now the oak is dominant and there is an allspice finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Oddly, the chocolate brought out many bitter notes, perhaps a touch of malt, and the finish tastes like black pepper.

Overall, we enjoyed it neat or with the dried cranberry. It is very approachable and tastes a bit like summertime. If you have shied away from trying an American Single Malt, this might be a terrific option.

Clermont Steep by Jim Beam

Mashbill – 80% Standard Malted Barley, 20% Golden Pilsner Malted Barley
Age – 5 years
Proof – 94
Price Paid – $63.59

Color – Light Amber or Bronze

Aroma – Roasted barley and a light smokiness is first. A very toasted aroma. Also on the nose is a sweetness of caramel, oak, and baking chocolate or maybe coffee beans.

Tasted Neat – Very similar to the nose … sweet and earthy at the same time but with more spice. Caramel and toffee with barley, nuts, and charred oak. Also tasted a hint of honey and white pepper. Similar notes on its rather long finish with malted barley, caramel, oak, and pepper.

Tasted with dried cranberry – This negated many of the flavors but added pepper almost like pepper flavored Pop Rocks candy.

Tasted with a pecan – The earth tones are amplified with strong nutty notes and there is an additional woodiness with a light and smooth finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Fascinating as it really didn’t have much flavor at all with the dark chocolate.

Overall, we enjoyed it neat or with the pecan. This is an all-around good pour with terrific malt flavors and, again, an approachable choice for trying an American Single Malt.

Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey – by Limestone Branch

Mashbill – 100% Malted Barley
Age – NAS (at least 4 years)
Proof – 108
Price Paid – $54.49

Color – Light Amber

Aroma – Fruity with apricot or pear, floral scents perhaps honeysuckle, the malted barley is coming through in a cereal-like fashion. Great nose.

Tasted Neat – It begins with a lovely floral sweetness of honeysuckle, apricot, and caramel. The taste evolves to graham cracker and pastry crust then finishes with a combination of sweetness, oak, and white pepper.

Tasted with dried cranberry – Very nice as there was the sweetness of honey followed by a much more intense finish of oak and pepper.

Tasted with a pecan – This created a very smooth and sweet woodiness with a nice white pepper finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – This was not a good pairing as it made any flavors very harsh.

Overall, we enjoyed it neat or with the dried cranberry. In some ways, this drinks a bit more like a bourbon than the other two did and the fruity sweetness is very nice and welcoming.

Moving Pieces American Single Malt Whiskey – by Second Sight Distillery

Mashbill – 100% Malted Barley (5 types)
Other – Crafted using 5 different malts and aged in small barrels before being blended to new 55 gallon barrels for its final finish.
Age – 5 years
Proof – 96
Price Paid – $106.00

Color – Very Dark Amber

Aroma – A burst of coffee and chocolate malt with the sweetness of brown sugar.

Tasted Neat – The dominate taste is a fantastic dark roast coffee but there is so much more going on. There are also raisins and a dark cherry with dark chocolate or perhaps a chocolate malted mocha. There is a very nice lingering finish of cinnamon that brings thoughts of oatmeal raisin cookies.

Tasted with dried cranberry – The cranberry brightened it a bit but also brought a hint of bitterness as if from the zest of an orange.

Tasted with a pecan – This pairing really brought forward the coffee and the chocolate together with a hint of white pepper on the finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – This negated the coffee and made the chocolate pretty dominant … like a chocolate covered caramel.

Overall, we enjoyed it neat as well as with the pecan or dark chocolate. Its name says it all … Moving Pieces … it changes quite a bit and remains dark and inviting throughout the pour. Quite amazing overall.

Mashbill – 100% Malted Barley (up to 6 types)
Other – Various mashbills matured in a variety of casks for at least 7 years and then blended to create this concept. The six mashbills include: 100% Maris Otter, a classic British ale malt; 100% Golden Promise, a classic Scotch whisky malt; Barleywine-style, after high gravity, heavy bodied barleywine ales; Belgian quadrupel-style, in the fashion of rich, mellow Trappist ales; 100% Scottish peated barley malt, heavily smoked and pungent; 100% Chevallier Heirloom malted barley, an 1820s-vintage English variety.

Age – at least 7 years
Proof – 113.8
Price Paid – $75.77

Color – Dark Amber 

Aroma – There is sweetness and earthiness. Specifically, malted grains, dark chocolate, and coffee with hints of citrus and smoke. Very complex on the nose.

Tasted Neat – Sweet and earthy notes from the various barley and barrel treatments such as sherry and oak.  Chocolate and cherries somewhat like a cherry cordial, soft caramel, coffee beans, and a light smokiness. On the finish there are light fruit and sherry notes with citrus, spice, and a bit of smokiness.

Tasted with dried cranberry – This muted the flavor profile and brought forward a harsh lime zest and a spicy finish.

Tasted with a pecan – This pairing is nice as the chocolate returns and it is a lot like a chocolate turtle, the barrel is present, and there is a nice and spicy finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Not very flavorful, only cinnamon and spices.

Overall, we enjoyed it neat and with the pecan. This is a complex pour that you need to take your time with to fully enjoy its nuances.

Discussion and Final Notes

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Spirit Requirements

Whiskey (generic) must be made from cereal grains, distilled below 190 proof, placed into an oak container, and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof.

To be labeled American Single Malt Whiskey, the product must be distilled entirely at one U.S. distillery, and must be mashed, distilled, aged in the United States.  The product also must be sourced from a fermented mash of 100% malted barley, at a distillation proof of 160° or less, and stored in oak barrels not exceeding 700 liters. In addition, allowable coloring, flavoring, and blending materials would be permitted.    

NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.