About Us
For nearly two decades, we have brought something new, different, and relevant to whiskey, and we are proud to serve as a leading voice for American Single Malt.
Our Process
At Westward, there are no shortcuts, and therein lies the beauty. We pursue perfection by creating flavor in every step of our long, slow process.
Brewing.
We begin by brewing an artisanal American Ale from scratch, using locally malted barley, ale yeast, and a slow, low temperature fermentation.
Distillation.
We distill twice in custom low-reflux pot stills that we designed to create a robust spirit, and transform our fresh, flavorful Ale into whiskey.
Maturation.
We mature to perfection in new, lightly charred American Oak barrels selected to accentuate the bold characteristics of our whiskey.
Mingling.
We mingle our barrels in small batches to achieve Westward’s signature flavor profile – balanced and bold.
Previous Special Release Whiskey
WESTWARD AMERICAN SINGLE MALT TEMPRANILLO CASK
In 2019, we released our first Tempranillo cask-finished whiskey -- the first ever American Single Malt to experiment with this finish -- to rave reviews. We knew we were onto something great, so we returned that very same Tempranillo puncheon to our warehouse to age a second batch for nearly three times as long. What can we say, the spirit of experimentation is in our blood.
This whiskey pays homage to the collaborative culture of the Northwest while highlighting the provenance of both the incredible wine and whiskey producers who have earned the region such renown. We are fortunate to call on our close-knit community of Oregon winemakers, who have forged a new path in the traditional wine world with their trailblazing grape choices, and there is no better example of this than Tempranillo.
Previous Special Release Whiskey
WESTWARD AMERICAN SINGLE MALT SINGLE BARREL NO. 61
Discover a true representation of our ethos that drives us to reimagine single malt. This Westward American Single Malt Single Barrel is a limited release and a rare glimpse into the experimentation that led us to develop our signature Westward flavor profile.
While most of our original American Single Malt is aged in 2 char barrels, Barrel 61 is a 3 char and has produced richer and more distinct flavors a bit different than most often found in Westward’s whiskies. Lead Distiller Miles Munroe selected this barrel to be part of this special release, as it is one of the oldest in the Single Barrel program from our earlier days when the Washington location was new.
To taste this Single Barrel and appreciate its unique profile is to experience the Westward Whiskey story.
Previous Special Release Whiskey
WESTWARD AMERICAN TWO MALTS BRIDGEPORT BREWING CO.
Our latest offering in our popular Two Malts Series, WESTWARD AMERICAN TWO MALTS BRIDGEPORT BREWING CO. marks our first-ever collaboration in which our team of distillers turned an iconic brewery’s recipe into one of our whiskeys. Brewed alongside the BridgePort team using a clone of their Kingpin Red Ale, which boasts a relatively high rye content, the result is a complex and warm expression perfect for winter.
A project driven by Lead Distiller Miles Munroe, who called BridgePort Brewing his home when he first came to Portland from brewing school, this collaboration highlights Westward’s unwavering dedication to the brewing process in our whiskey-making efforts.
Previous Special Release Whiskey
WESTWARD AMERICAN SINGLE MALT HUNGARIAN HEADS
A testament to the creative minds behind Westward, who have reimagined Single Malt since 2004 and continue to push the boundaries of whiskey forward, this offering is a whiskey aged with toasted Hungarian oak, a coveted wood that produces lower tannins and rich aromatics. Created from a Bordeaux-style barrel sourced from McGinnis Wood Products, the largest stockist of air-dried US white oak wine and whiskey barrels in the world, this hybrid barrel contains heads made from Quercus petraea, one of two coveted types of Hungarian Oak. Though it is prized by winemakers and occasionally used aging Cognac, it is not a common wood in malt-making circles.
Previous Special Release Whiskey
WESTWARD AMERICAN TWO MALTS WHEATED
Our first ever Westward Whiskey Club exclusive, this expression pays homage to both the incredible ingredients found in the American Northwest and the raw beer making talent of our hometown. This whiskey was created from a mingle of our signature Two Row Malted Barley and Soft Winter White wheat that was grown exclusively in
the Pacific Northwest for American Pale & Hefeweizen beers. Often used in American whiskey to soften and add layers of light fruit complexity, the wheat perfectly balances Westward’s signature malted barley notes; the end result is a fine tribute to our Northwest provenance.
Serving Suggestions
Westward is best enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a classic cocktail, like the Old Fashioned.