High West Releases American Single Grain Whiskey
By Richard Thomas
High West, the Utah distillery and bottler acclaimed among whiskey geeks for their transparency and blending prowess, has released a new limited edition in the form of their 14 Year Old Light Whiskey. The new product will be available only through the distillery and its associated saloon.
Light whiskey refers to a grain spirit that has been distilled at a higher proof than a straight whiskey — between 80-95% alcohol by volume (ABV) versus less than 80% ABV typically required. It’s used as a component in about 95% of the world’s blended whiskeys. In the Scotch and Irish whiskey sectors, what they call grain whiskey is essentially the same thing as American light whiskey.
“This whiskey was distilled at a higher proof on the still, which reduces the heaviness of the flavors, and reveals more floral and fruit subtleties,” said High West master distiller Brendan Coyle. “It was aged in used barrels, as opposed to first-use charred barrels, which lends more elegant complexities with a spirit-forward character.”
High West came into possession of 100 barrels of light whiskey from Indiana’s MGP, made from corn and distilled between 1999 and 2001, then aged in second-fill barrels. The whole process makes this Light Whiskey, in essence, American single grain whisky. That wood aging imparted a traditionally light spirit with lovely vanilla and white chocolate notes, and an intriguing Concord grape overlay—to anything but typical results.
The 14-Year Light Whiskey will retail for $99.95.
