Best American Single Malt Whiskey From The 2025 SF World Spirits Competition

Forbes

2 days ago

The Finalists for Best American Single Malt Whiskey From The 2025 SFWSC
American Single Malt whiskey is rapidly gaining a reputation as world-class spirits. These five whiskeys, all finalists for World's Best American Single Malt Whiskey at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, represent some of the finest American single malts currently produced. One of these five will be named the best American single malt whiskey. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes for each of the finalists.
Triple Eight Distillery, part of the Cisco Brewers family on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, is renowned for its artisanal spirits. The distillery has consistently garnered gold medals at international spirit competitions.
Their "Notch" series reflects a commitment to traditional Scottish methods, using 100% Maris Otter malted barley, an heirloom variety, and double distillation in a single Arnold Holstein pot still. The 15-year expression is aged solely on Nantucket, where the coastal climate imparts a unique maritime character to the whisky, utilizing a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry casks. This expression is among the oldest American single malts currently available.
The whisky presents rich sherry cask aromas on the nose, featuring stewed and dried fruits, chocolate, and toasted nuts. It is robust on the palate, showcasing flavors of dark chocolate, vanilla, honey, coconut, caramel, and wood spices. The finish is long and sweet with lingering notes of dried fruits and a hint of toasted almond.
Balcones Distilling, located in Waco, Texas, is a pioneer in the American craft whiskey movement. The Mirador expression stands out for being aged exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels, diverging from the distillery's typical reliance on new oak. This approach allows the nuanced flavors of the malted barley to shine, resulting in a profile that bridges the gap between traditional Scotch and the bold flavors of Texas whiskey.
The whiskey is floral and fruity on the nose, featuring floral potpourri, stone and tropical fruits, herbaceous notes of fresh hay, and a slight candied sweetness. It is rich and creamy on the palate, showcasing lemon cream, chocolate, stewed red berries, subtle herbaceous notes, and shortbread. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering floral, fruity, and herbal notes.
For an in-depth look at Balcones, Mirador, see Jared Himstedt On The State of American Single Malt Whiskey.
The World Whiskey Society, based in Georgia, pays homage to iconic figures from American frontier history through its limited-edition releases. The Wyatt Earp Small Batch is a tribute to the legendary lawman of the American West. Distilled in Oklahoma, the whisky is presented in a distinctive bottle adorned with a U.S. Marshal badge and silver bullet topper, reflecting Earp's storied legacy.
The whisky is rich and aromatic on the nose, featuring dark chocolate, candied citrus zest, vanilla, caramel, and a malty/cooked cereal sweetness reminiscent of raisin bread. The palate is flavorful and creamy, with an oily, viscous mouthfeel, showcasing notes of dark chocolate, fig, raisin, white pepper, and a hint of mint. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering notes of dried fruit.
Whiskey and Ice
Stranahan's Distillery, established in Denver, Colorado, in 2004, is a trailblazer in American single malt whiskey. The Mountain Angel 12 Year is their oldest release to date. It's aged in new American oak barrels at high altitude with pronounced diurnal and seasonal temperature variations, resulting in a significant "angel's share" evaporation and a heavily extracted, flavorful whisky that exhibits substantial wood influence. This extended maturation, coupled with a finish in Port wine casks, imparts a depth and complexity reminiscent of well-aged Scotch.
The nose is fruity and aromatic, showcasing stewed and roasted stone fruits, particularly nectarine and dried apricot, fig jam, and lavender potpourri. The whiskey is rich and creamy on the palate, highlighting fruity notes of blueberry jam, raspberry syrup, lemon cream, candied ginger, dried dark berries, fig jam, caramel, wood spices, and seasoned oak.
The finish is long, sweet, and silky with lingering notes of dried fruit, wood spices, and a hint of smoke.
The annual Stranahan's Snowflake release is a highly anticipated event, with enthusiasts camping overnight at the Denver distillery for a chance to purchase this limited-edition whiskey. Each Snowflake expression is unique, crafted by marrying various cask-finished single malts, including barrels that previously held wines, sherry, port, tequila, rum, and other spirits. This innovative blending produces a complex, layered whiskey, featuring a nuanced and ever-evolving flavor profile.
The whiskey is fruity and aromatic on the nose, featuring orange zest, peach, nectarine, dried apricot, and a hint of cherry syrup. It is smooth and creamy on the palate, showcasing fruity notes of prune, peach, apricot, cinnamon, and a hint of clove. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering notes of dried fruit, cinnamon, and seasoned oak.
These American single malt whiskeys are all exceptional. If you enjoy Scotch whisky, you will likely appreciate these finalists. They remain true to their Scottish and Irish roots while showcasing their whiskeys through an American lens.
Unlike Ireland or Scotland, the U.S. offers a wide range of maturation environments, allowing American single malt whiskey to display a far broader array of expressions and a spectrum of aroma and taste profiles found nowhere else in the world. The golden age of American single malt whiskey is just beginning, and these five finalists are a great place to start your exploration.