If you missed our first installment in the American Single Malt Whiskey series, go back and read it to learn more about the definition of this category!
Last week, we discussed the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission’s (ASMWC) efforts to have the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) create an official definition or standard of identification for American Single Malt Whiskey (ASMW). While an official definition will go a long way in helping to educate consumers on the ASMW category, the on-premise has a role to play as well.
“In my opinion, American Single Malt is perfect for on-premise accounts. It’s the perfect style of whiskey for consumers and bartenders to geek out about. A bartender can educate consumers on the range of different styles that this category presents,” says Murphy Quint, head distiller at Cedar Ridge Distillery. “When it comes to dialogue between the bartender and consumer, there really is no better category than American Single Malt Whiskey.”
Balcones Distilling also views the on-premise as a valuable partner for getting the word out. “We have done a good deal of relationship building and education for the public and on-premise accounts,” says Jared Himstedt, head distiller at Balcones. “We have a lot of ideas going forward around how to engage consumers as well as both on- and off-premise accounts to help us spread the message and tell this story. Any bar or restaurant interested can reach out for staff training, POS materials, etc. One of the best things that you can do is to have American Single Malts available and have the category represented on the back bar and in menus.”
Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, co-founders of independent American Whiskey bottler Lost Lantern, suggest offering something like a whiskey flight to help showcase the different styles of ASMW. The duo also believe that ASMW has a lot to offer in the way of mixology.
“We think it’s actually one of the most exciting areas for mixologists to explore, partly because of the wide array of flavor profiles. Some American Single Malts can be used as a clean substitute for Scotch (especially single malt Scotch, but sometimes blended Scotch as well) in Scotch cocktails,” they say. “But most ASMWs are distinct enough from other styles of whiskey that they benefit from new cocktails of their own! ASMWs aged in new oak in fairly mild climates (like Westland) or with a clear beer influence (like Westward, or Copperworks in Washington), work well in a whiskey highball, but mixologists have ample opportunities to come up with new ways to use these spirits.”
In fact, Ganley-Roper & Polonski believe ASMW offers bartenders the unique opportunity to put their stamp on this space. “It’s a rare category that’s new enough that it doesn’t have its own classic or signature cocktails,” they say. “A few talented bartenders may even end up creating a new generation of classics that will help define American Single Malt for future whiskey drinkers."
The one obstacle that stands in the way of ASMW taking off in the on-premise, however, is price. “Most ASMWs are made in fairly small quantities from high-quality, expensive ingredients. Like single malt Scotch, they tend to be fairly expensive,” say Ganley-Roper & Polonski. “Many brands’ entry-level expressions start at an SRP of around $60 or even higher, and that can be prohibitive for most cocktail programs.”
They suggest bars/restaurants look for the more affordable entry points into ASMW to introduce the category to a wider audience, with the goal of making it a major revenue driver in the future.
Looking for a cocktail to highlight ASMW? Try this twist on a Penicillin, which is typically made with blended Scotch and a float of peated Scotch single malt.
Mesquite Penicillin
Courtesy of Lost Lantern
Ingredients:
2 ounces Lost Lantern American Vatted Malt Edition No 1.
3/4 ounce honey-ginger syrup (see recipe below)
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce mesquite-smoked single malt -- either Colkegan from Santa Fe Spirits in New Mexico or Whiskey Del Bac Dorado from Arizona. A peated American Single Malt like McCarthy’s or Balcones Peated would also work nicely.
Honey-Ginger Syrup:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup water
3 inch chunk of ginger
Directions:
For the Honey-Ginger syrup, combine the ingredients in a small pan, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5-10 minutes, chill in the fridge overnight (or for a few hours), strain out the ginger.
For the cocktail, combine Vatted Malt, honey-ginger syrup, lemon juice, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice (preferably one or two large ice cubes). Float the mesquite-smoked single malt and garnish with candied ginger.
Check back next week for the final installment in our series on ASMW; we'll be discussing the future of the category.
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