Official Bottling | 46% ABV

A sign of American malts to come?

Let’s review a synopsis of global whisky recognition per country. Scotland is known for scotch/malt whisky. Irish is known for triple distilled pot still whiskey. Canada is known for “rye”. Japan is known for … well we don’t know yet. And America is known for bourbon. Now that American production and consumption powerhouse is focusing on malt whiskey, so what does this mean to the global malt community?

Well first off, astute readers may notice a difference in the spelling of whisky. Scotland, Canada, Japan, India, Taiwan and others spell whisky without the “e” however Irish and American products may be spelled either way (whiskey/whisky). The spelling differences do help narrow down the potential country of origin in the sea of available malts on your local whisk(e)y monger’s shelves. 

Spelling aside, let’s discuss the emerging American single malt scene. First and foremost, I will admit I’m very far from an expert on the American malt whiskey economy. Rapid and feverish growth has occurred in this category in the past decade, some of which has culminated in the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. This commission is aimed at defining the American single malt spirits category, much in the same vein as the Scotch Whisky Association. To my estimation, more than 130 producers of single malt whiskey are now laying down spirit. That’s quite the investment and growth in a short period of time, somewhat mirroring the explosion in Irish whiskey.

The ASMWC has recently succeeded in defining the single malt category. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau or the TTB (don’t ask me to explain how that abbreviation works), recently released a bulletin stating that the definition and classification of “American Single Malt Whiskey” is proposed for public and stakeholder review, closing in Q3 2022. For those unfamiliar with the TTB, they are a federal branch of the American government that regulates all things alcohol. You probably don’t want to mess with them as they are responsible for outlining and enforcing all alcohol production in America.  

Looking closely at the recently published TTB bulletin, American single malt whiskey can be aged in barrels of any wood type (similar to Ireland then) not exceeding 700 litres in size. Additionally, and more perhaps interesting to the global Dramface readers, is that addition of colouring, flavouring, and blending materials would be permitted.

WOW.

After digesting that last statement, it’s also notable that the TTB’s definition neglects the requirement for a minimum maturation period in wooden barrels. So technically, rinsing a barrel with new-make spirit would qualify as being categorised as an American single malt as long as it meets the other requirements. This is shaping up to be a wild ride of a whiskey category, or alternatively, buyer beware! Now that some global readers are up-to-speed on the potential future basis of American single malt, we can jump into Boulder’s single malt.

You might be mislead about the nature of Boulder Spirit’s approach to whiskey given the above quote. Following these grandiose statements, Ryan recounted that Boulder’s approach is quite the opposite with deft and delicate touches to their whiskies. So with this apparent delicacy (foreshadowing!) in mind, let’s dive into this American oak core release expression.

Boulder Spirits, produced by Vapor Distillers, in Boulder, Colorado, was one of the first distilleries to produce single malt in the USA, initially barreling malt spirit in approximately 2015. Fermentation is completed for a minimum of 36 hours followed by distillation in a single 3800 L copper Forsyth pot still with a shell-and-tube condenser. This particular expression is matured entirely in new/virgin 240 litre American oak barrels with a char #3 preparation.

Review

Boulder Single Malt American Oak, 46% ABV
CA$70-90 for a 750ml bottle

Likely owing to the relatively young American single malt category, there are limited details on many whiskies, including this one. For example, both the distillery website and marketing materials state that this product is at least three years old, yet my bottle clearly states that the whiskey inside is at least two years old on the back label. This may be a hold-over from the bourbon category and regulatory requirements for labelling, or it might be a slight difference in batches where the new bottles are older than the one in my possession. Unfortunately, no lot number, production dates, or batch identifiers can be found on the bottle so this will have to remain a mystery. Further compounding my inquisitive roadblocks would be the lack of information on the state of colouring or chill-filtering. Giving a small craft distillery the benefit of the doubt, it’s unlikely that colouring or chill-filtration is conducted on these spirits simply owing to the fact that they can’t afford the equipment (rewind to Hamish’s excellent feature and discussion on chill filtration).

Nose

Supermarket fake vanilla, cinnamon, rice krispie squares. It’s bright and shiny but not spiky like new-make spirit. The virgin oak and barrel charring has filtered and rounded the edges off but the relative youth still shines through the vanilla and marshmallow in a nice way.

Palate

Heavy on the vanilla and dark caramel sweetness, then barrel spice consisting of a 50/50 mix of white pepper and cinnamon, ending in a slightly bitter char note. After successive sips and some imagination, dipping a slightly burnt marshmallow into a spicy vanilla caramel sauce is an apt description. Where some malts can be multi-dimensional in their flavour experience, this whiskey is singular in purpose, delivering a strong dose of simple barrel flavours.

The Dregs

The vestiges of a bourbon-esque whiskey are evident. It is intense, powerful, sweet, and begs to have an ice cube or two dropped in on a hot day. It has a short and uneventful finish that won’t be harmed by the addition of solid dihydrogen monoxide. It’s a good choice for relaxing on a hot day and is very sessionable, an easy pour for friends who will not be looking for nuances and would enjoy simpler sweeter drinks with an ice cube in a rocks glass. Throw it into an ice bucket among your other beverages and forget about it. It’s that type of whisky.

Sharing with friends, and my own hot summer imbibing, has led to the low bottle level in the images here but unfortunately this will be a bottle I won’t be replacing. The value proposition, at least here in Canada, is too unbalanced for the flavours and nuances that would be available from other malts at similar prices. For reference in my area, Arran 10, Tobermory 12, and Ardbeg Wee Beastie are malts that offer more complexity or different experiences for similar or lower price points. 

Is this Boulder American oak expression representative of American single malts? Only time will tell but it would appear that we’ll be buying whiskies amidst America’s single malt whiskey growing pains for the foreseeable future.

Score: 4/10

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. BB

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