There's a quiet revolution happening in American whisky, and Westland sits right at its centre. Based in Seattle, Washington, this distillery has committed itself to producing single malt whiskey — not bourbon, not rye, but proper single malt — on American soil. The Sherry Wood expression is one of their core range offerings, and at 46% ABV with no chill filtration, it signals a distillery that takes its craft seriously. I've spent time with this bottle over several sessions, and it's earned its place in the conversation.
What strikes me first about Westland's approach is the deliberate choice to work with sherry casks as a primary maturation influence. This isn't a finish or an afterthought — it's a foundational decision that shapes the entire character of the whisky. The use of new and seasoned sherry casks, combined with American single malt's typically rich, cereal-forward distillate, creates something that sits in genuinely interesting territory: neither Scotch nor bourbon, but borrowing vocabulary from both.
At 46%, it's bottled at a strength that gives the spirit room to express itself without overwhelming the drinker. No age statement here, which in the American single malt category is less a cause for concern and more an acknowledgment that the Pacific Northwest climate accelerates maturation considerably compared to, say, a warehouse in Speyside. The wood influence is working hard, and it shows.
Tasting Notes
I'll reserve detailed tasting notes for a future revisit with a fresh bottle, but the sherry wood influence is unmistakable in the glass. Expect the kind of warmth and richness that good sherry cask maturation delivers — dark fruit character, baking spice, and a malty backbone that reminds you this is, at its heart, a grain-driven spirit. The 46% ABV carries these flavours without any harsh edges.
The Verdict
At £51.50, Westland Sherry Wood sits at a price point that asks you to take it seriously — and it delivers. This is a whisky for anyone curious about what single malt looks like outside Scotland's borders. It doesn't try to imitate Scotch, and that's precisely its strength. Westland has carved out its own identity, and the sherry wood expression is perhaps the most approachable entry point into understanding what they're about.
I'm giving this a 7.5 out of 10. It's a well-made, confident whisky that knows what it wants to be. Where it loses half a mark is in the depth department — I'd like to see what a longer-aged or cask-strength version of this profile could achieve. But as a daily drinker with genuine character? It more than justifies its shelf space. The American single malt category is still finding its feet, and bottles like this are exactly why it deserves attention.
Best Served
Pour it neat in a Glencairn and give it five minutes to open up. The sherry influence rewards patience. If you want to stretch it, a few drops of water at room temperature will soften the malt and let the fruit notes come forward. This also works beautifully in a Highball with good soda water and a twist of orange peel — the sherry sweetness plays well against the carbonation, making it a surprisingly elegant long drink for warmer evenings.
