In celebration of 40 years of artisan distillation, we are proud to share the 40th Anniversary Edition of St. George Single Malt Whiskey. This highly limited bottling brings together decades of craftsmanship and our ever-growing collection of unique and varied finishing casks to create a singular spirit that is a true collector’s item for connoisseurs of American single malt.
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Format: 750ml
ABV: 48%
Availability: Limited to just 1982 bottles
In preparation for this one-time-only release, head distiller/blender Dave Smith spent months meticulously working through our library of casks. Of the 600+ we sampled, only 30 made the initial cut, and we ultimately selected a mere 14 casks to create the whiskey that went into bottle.
In the words of master distiller Lance Winters: “Our 40th Anniversary Edition Single Malt Whiskey represents the cumulative experience of 40 years of boundary-pushing distillation, as well as our decades-long love affair with making single malt. It's the pure essence of passionate self-expression—and it's also delicious.” Not that he’s biased.
The mash bill for the 40th Anniversary single malt is the same one we have used since we started laying down barrels in 1997: 100% two-row barley at five precise roast levels: pale malt, crystal malt, chocolate malt, black patent malt, and alder/beechwood-smoked malt that we get from Bamburg, Germany. What sets this whiskey apart from our annual Lot series releases is the special quality of the casks we used to make it. For more on that, read on.
The hallmark of our single malt cooperage has always been ex-bourbon barrels, which we prize for their ability to showcase the delicate flavors we coax off the still. While we use some French oak as well, the signature of our aging is the way it stays out of the way—befitting a distillery that began as an eau de vie house. That said, we love what finishing can do to a whiskey, and for this 40th Anniversary release, we’ve amplified the fruit notes that have always been part of our whiskey with Cognac, apple brandy, and umeshu barrels. Port and sherry casks add even more fruit notes, along with depth and richness, while the California Sauternes-style casks that we began using with our 35th Anniversary release pull the diverse flavors together with a weighty, unctuous quality that delivers a long finish.
This is the first time we’ve used umeshu casks in our Lot series, and it was an important decision. According to head distiller/blender Dave Smith “We were inspired to finish a portion of our anniversary single malt in umeshu cask as we discovered that our Lot Series mash bill married perfectly with the stone fruit tones of umeshu and brought balance to the rich weight of Lance’s house-made tawny port casks.”
Nose: Opens with vibrant cola over dark chocolate and lager. Over time, creamy notes of brown butter and salted caramel emerge laced with fennel and sandalwood. Patience reveals candied berry and sweet coconut.
Palate: The initial hit is classic St. George made deeper: dark chocolate goes to walnut fudge and latte. Amber malt mingles with buttered waffle. Then, the coconut arrives and the spice notes begin to reveal themselves. Cinnamon and clove are amplified by candied ginger. Stone fruit appears, then takes on more tropical undertones. Sherry notes turn to tawny port, then fig preserves, before finishing with soft smoke.
