Westland releases fourth Colere single malt
Part of Westland's limited edition Outpost range, American single malt Colere explores non-commercial barley varieties
Seattle’s Westland Distillery has announced the fourth release in its Colere series, an American single malt distilled from fritz, a variety of barley derived from Washington State University’s The Bread Lab research center. “With Colere, Westland sets out to chart the direct impact of barley on flavour, leaving behind the well-trod territory of ubiquitous grains,” master distiller Tyler Pederson said. “Colere explores the thousands of new and forgotten varieties of barley whose flavour has yet to be considered, striving to capture the vibrancy and diversity of Pacific Northwest terroir in whiskey.” The whiskey is bottled at 50% ABV and priced at US$150, with 3,084 bottles available across the US. It was aged for more than five years, predominantly in refill Westland casks, with 5% going into ex-Bourbon barrels. Colere Edition 4 shows a bouquet of fruit on the palate with pear skin, dried apricot, and fresh tangerine notes on the nose, and apple turnover and dried mixed fruit on the palate. “Colere Edition 4 begins with sweet swirl pastries and arcs towards a dry herbaceous palate, whereas Colere Edition 3 maintained a steadier state based upon bread and brightness,” master blender Shane Armstrong explained. In October 2023, Westland released the eighth edition of Garyana, also part of the Outpost range. That whiskey was the first release since co-founder and master distiller Matt Hofmann left the brand in June. Founded in 2010, Westland is a leading voice in the growing American single malt movement. Earlier this year, we spoke to Pederson about the pending guidelines for the style, which have been under review with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) since September 2022. “We’re going to start poking the TTB with campaigns that are a little more provocative to remind them, hey, this is still an issue,” Pederson said.
