5 American Single Malts To Check Out

While America is, of course, famous for its bourbon and rye, another type of domestic whiskey is getting popular: single malt. Though the term is usually associated with Scotch, an increasing number of craft distillers across the U.S. are creating unique versions of the spirit. Here are a few to look out for.

ST. GEORGE SINGLE MALT WHISKEY ($70):
One of the first brands in the country to make a single malt, St. George is now selling the 12th release (pictured above) of its tasty malted-barley whiskey. It also just introduced 715 bottles of a special 30th Anniversary Edition ($400), which was finished in a cask that previously held Poire Williams.

UPRISING AMERICAN WHISKEY ($42):
The initial step in distilling any whiskey is to brew beer, but Sons of Liberty Spirits Company in Rhode Island takes this process even further. The base of its Uprising American Whiskey is a rich stout. (It's made from barley, but it doesn't technically fit the legal definition of malt whiskey, since some of the barrels it uses are not charred before filling.)

HUDSON SINGLE MALT WHISKEY ($45):
Upstate New York's Tuthilltown has given traditional Scotch its own spin by aging alcohol in small new American oak barrels. It's bottled at a potent 92-proof and is full of big, woody flavors.

CORSAIR TRIPLE SMOKE ($45):
Love Scotch from Islay? Then you need to try Corsair's Triple Smoke. The distillery uses, you guessed it, three different types of smoke to dry different portions of the barley. We detected hints of cherry and other grilled fruits in the spirit.

WASMUND'S SINGLE MALT WHISKY ($37):
There are unique products, and then there's this single malt from Virginia's Copper Fox Distillery. The liquor is made from barley that is hand-malted on-site and dried with a blend of apple and cherry wood smoke. And only one barrel at a time is created in the brand's copper pot still.

This story was originally published at American Single Malts. For more stories like this, subscribe to Liquor.com for the best in all things cocktails and spirits.