A bottle of St George Baller No Background 1000 H

Baller American Single Malt Whiskey

Baller American Single Malt Whiskey pushes the definition of what a single malt can be. If you enjoy the crisp, bright flavors of Japanese malts and the bold swagger of American malts, you have to try Baller.

Format: 750ml
ABV: 47%
Availability: Widely available

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Over-the-top delicious.

- Bloomberg

Perhaps America's most unique single malt. Immensely drinkable

- PUNCH

This might be the best new spirit of the year, period.

- Supercall

Perfect sipped neat or on a rock or two... an intense crispness and ferocious burst of plum on the front, followed by a warm, slate-like dryness and lingering smokiness.

- Imbibe

An absolute pleasure… exactly the kind of whisk(e)y that I love and that keeps me in love with whisk(e)y.

- The Whiskey Wash

A bold, dry whiskey with subtle plum and smoky notes ideal for Japanese highballs and Scotch-style cocktails.

- Liquor.com

A meta whiskey, if there ever was one. While it has more than enough complexity to be sipped, it was made to be mixed in highballs and other cocktails.

- The Daily Beast

One of the most visionary whiskeys on the market.

- Spirited

A California take on Japanese whisky from one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious craft distillers, with a stunning label to match.

- Whisky Advocate

One of the Best New Spirits of 2016. Remarkably complex, starting off dry and a little smoky on the front of the tongue, then blooming into an explosion of fruit.

- Playboy

A category pioneer…fruity, smoky and singular

- Bon Apetit

Uniquely delicious...the depth of the palate is remarkable

- Food & Wine

The Spirit

Blending multiple distilling traditions, multiple roast levels of barley, and multiple casks for aging and finishing, Baller is a wholly unique whiskey that has to be tasted to be believed.

What’s in it?

We start with 100% American malted barley (predominately two-row pale malted barley, the remainder is lightly roasted) that is pot distilled, then aged in American and French oak casks that previously held other whiskies. After aging, we filter the whiskey through maple charcoal, lending subtle smoke, then finish it in umeshu casks to create a flavor unlike any other. What is umeshu? It’s an incredibly aromatic liqueur made from small, tart stone fruit called ume. While umeshu is native to Japan, we make the umeshu for our casks in-house, with California-grown fruit.

The Process

Why is an American distiller (who already makes a renowned single malt) doing a take on Japanese whiskey? Originally it was for our friends at Ramen Shop, an Oakland restaurant that inspires us with their California spin on venerable Japanese culinary traditions. But the response to Baller was so overwhelming, we increased production so we can share this singular whiskey with aficionados everywhere.

Master distiller Lance Winters did the art direction for the label, which re-imagines the legend of St. George as a samurai. The original watercolor on the front label is by Oakland artist Sylvia Solochek Walters, done to emulate woodcut. The calligraphy is by Eri Takase of Takase Studios.

The Experience

Baller is clean and dry on the nose with bright fruit and a hint of smoke. Tasting opens with a touch of malt sweetness and maple charcoal, then explodes into a burst of plum, mango and lychee with notes of almond and eucalyptus underneath. The smoky finish lingers and builds with each sip.

Incredible served neat and perfect for Japanese-style highballs, we also recommend Baller in a "Ballervardier," or in place of Scotch whisky in a Bobby Burns or Rob Roy.

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