Luxury American Whiskey producer based in Oregon, Westward is proud to announce the launch of their Vintage Muscat Cask Whiskey in a world-first partnership with an Australian wine producer.
This new offering, born from a shared focus on blending tradition and innovation, has been produced in collaboration with renowned Rutherglen winemakers, Stanton & Killeen.
The Westward Whiskey Vintage Muscat Cask will be sold exclusively through The Whisky Club (which is free to join online) from December 1, 2023. Westward Whiskey and The Whisky Club have worked closely together since Westward launched into the Australian Market in 2019, releasing one hit or award-winning drop after another.
With a nod to the festive season, Muscat is reminiscent of Christmas pudding flavours due to its fig, spice, fruit and butterscotch notes, making this limited-edition release the ultimate gift for whiskey lovers, beginners, aficionados, and everyone in between.
The project has been many years in the making. It started when The Whisky Club team set out to find and bring together the very best producers in a perfect fit of people, craftsmanship and passion, to create a truly remarkable whiskey.
The result is Westward’s award-winning Original Whiskey, beautifully finished in the heavily awarded Classic Muscat casks that were sent from Rutherglen Australia to Oregon USA, from Australia’s iconic Stanton & Killeen Wines.
Stanton & Killeen’s ‘Classic Muscat’ is a blend of Muscat with a minimum 12 years of age, which adds complexity and richness. Each cask was hand-selected for this partnership to complement Westward’s Original product, and the result is an absolutely cracking world-first whiskey.
Seamus Carroll, Head of Whisky at The Whisky Club, says: “We well and truly achieved our mission to create the most incredible whiskey by bringing together the best producers, and we quite literally had to travel the world to make this happen. For the first time ever we’ve bought legendary Australian Muscat casks to the other side of the world to be filled with this world class whiskey. Between Westward having a cult following amongst whiskey enthusiasts, and the Christmas flavour notes making it a great gift for anyone who enjoys whiskey or wine, we know this will sell out fast.”
Master Blender of Westward Whiskey, Miles Munroe, says “This cask highlights our commitment to pursuing perfection by creating flavour in every step of a long, slow process without shortcuts… While the Westward Vintage Muscat Cask was born in Oregon, it wouldn’t be the whiskey it is without being raised in Australia by the renowned Stanton & Killeen winemakers. This exclusive release pairs our dedication to flavour innovation with the tradition and passion of Stanton & Killeen, and is a delicious example of what can be created by exchanging ideas, aligning our visions and enjoying each other’s company all in the name of making incredible whiskey.”
The process of creating this stand-out offering begins by brewing an artisanal American ale from scratch using locally malted barley, ale yeast, and slow, low-temperature fermentation. It is then distilled twice in custom low-reflux pot stills designed to create a robust spirit, which transfers the fresh, flavourful ale into whiskey. Once the liquid is matured to perfection in new lightly charred American Oak barrels selected to accentuate the bold characteristics of the whiskey, the Westward Whiskey Original is transferred into Stanton & Killeen Vintage Muscat Casks. The whiskey is finished for an additional year to benefit from the four distinct seasons in Oregon that perfectly matures the whiskey and results in a nuanced, bold and delicious collaboration.
Wendy Killeen, Managing Director of Stanton & Killeen Wines adds, “We have been producing award-winning wines for seven generations and 145 years, and similarly to Westward, we are exceptionally passionate about artful blending traditions and constantly innovating, to create unique and extraordinary drops that people haven’t tasted before.”
Whether it’s enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or paired with festive foods like plum pudding or pumpkin pie, the Westward Whiskey Vintage Muscat Cask is too delicious to miss.
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