RAISING GLASSES STORIES WESTLAND 8 YEAR BARBADOS RUM FINISH

Review #1140; American Single Malt #31

This bottling of American Single Malt comes from Raising Glasses, an independent bottler based out of Massachusetts. This was distilled from Malt in December of 2014, reracked into the Barbados Rum Cask and bottled in 11/2023 at cask strength with no additives. 5% of profits from this bottling go to Brandi Carlile’s Looking out Foundation.

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Distillery: Westland

Bottler: Raising Glasses

Region: Washington, United States

Still: Column Still

Cask: Ex-Rum, 4 Year 8 Month FInish. 8 Years total ageing

ABV: 55%

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Nose: Malty Backbone, Toasted Coconut, Green Apple, pops of lemon tart, Dark Chocolate

Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel, Malty, Lemon Tart, Green Apple, Toasted Coconut, Dark chocolate, mango

Finish:   Long finish, Lemon, Green Apple, A bit of hay, dark chocolate, toasted coconut, mango

Rating: 8/10

This is excellent. The Rum finish here (more of a maturation really) works so well with the base maltiness that the Westland Distillate has. Pops of savory spices, tropical fruits, dark chocolate all work incredibly well together. This is one I may just have to pony up the cash for and get before it is gone. I haven’t had very many rum aged or finished single malts, but this is a pretty great one.