When we released Lot 1 of our single malt whiskey in 2000, there were only two other single malts being made in the U.S. Oregon’s Steve McCarthy had debuted his eponymous whiskey the year before, and Jim Busattil had released a single malt under the St. James label in southern California the year prior to that. Jörg Rupf, our founder, assisted both men in setting up their operations, so we take some pride in the rapid rise of American Single Malts over the past two decades.

In Distiller last month, Jake Emen wrote a piece about how quickly the category is growing, and he was kind enough to include us in his list of single malt whiskies you should try. We’re fans of Jake’s work. He has written eloquently about everything from sherry production in West Texas to the inevitable BS in craft spirits marketing. We appreciate him not including us in that piece.

Unlike other whiskey brands, which seek to maintain a consistent flavor profile in their spirit year after year, our Lot Series changes with each release as we draw upon older stocks and ever-more-varied barrel finishes. We aren’t content to keep doing the same thing. We want to keep pushing ourselves and our craft, and we’re thrilled to see that the US has become a wellspring for creative approaches to turning malted barley into something worth writing about. Without further ado, here is Jake Emen on the state of American single malt for Distiller.