American Single Malt Whiskey Commission Update
Whi l e the bu re a u c ra c y c hu rn s o n a S t and ar d o f I d e n ti ty, t h e A S M WC f o c u s e s o n e d u c a ti o n .
Wri tt e n by Margarett Wa t er b u r y
U
ntil a couple of decades ago, any bottle of whiskey sold in the United States and labeled “single malt” almost certainly came from Scotland. Then, during the early 1990s, the first signs of change began to surface. Pioneering craft distilleries like St. George and Clear Creek introduced whiskeys made not from the classic North American grains of corn, rye, and wheat, but instead concocted from 100% malted barley. Slowly, other distillers began to follow suit — quiet, malty voices in a forest of bourbon and rye. As the craft distilling movement picked up steam, those voices became louder, more numerous, and now, more organized. The American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC) was formed in 2016 as a trade group, advocacy organization, and promotional arm for American single malt whiskey producers. From just a few founding members, it now counts nearly 100 distilleries among its ranks. First order of business? Finally get a standard of identity for American Single Malt Whiskey on the books.
Can I See Some ID Please? American single malt whiskey is a burgeoning category attracting serious trade, consumer, and media attention. Yet it lacks a formal categorical definition. While the TTB defines 41 different types of whiskey, single malt is not one of them. The closest federally defined category is malt whiskey, which only needs to contain 51% malt to qualify. American producers are free to call a whiskey “single malt,” but WWW.ARTISANSPIRITMAG.COM
in the absence of a defined category, adherence to any specific standards of identity has been entirely voluntary. In 2017, the ASMWC developed a proposed set of rules for the category after extensive discussion amongst its members (see sidebar). That proposal was formally submitted to the TTB in October 2017. The commission says that last they heard, the TTB is planning on reviewing it towards the end of 2018. After that review will come a comment period, during which time anybody can file comments on the proposed regulations.
American Single Malt Whiskey • Made from 100% malted barley • Distilled entirely at one distillery • Mashed, distilled and matured in the United States of America • Matured in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 liters • Distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume) • Bottled at 80 (U.S.) proof or more (40% alcohol by volume) This definition was formulated to give distillers the ability to experiment while also creating clear definition around the category. “We all have different approaches and value the fundamental American idea of being free to pursue something in your own way,” says Matt Hofmann, master distiller at Westland and a founding member of the ASMWC. “Our definition leaves room for people to make whiskey that might not be as good,
ES T D
2016
AMERICAN SI NGL E M A LT W H I SK EY COM M I S S ION
MEMBER PRODUCERS 10th Street Distillery • Admiralty Distillery • Alltech Brewing & Distilling • Amalga Distillery • Andalusia Whiskey Co • Balcones Distilling • Bendistillery • Big Bottom Distilling, LLC • Black Heron Spirits • Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. • Bogue Sound Distillery • Boston Harbor Distillery • Bull Run Distillery • Cedar Ridge Distillery • Copper Fox Distillery • Copperworks Distilling Co • Corsair Distillery • Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co • Dark Island Spirits • Deerhammer Distilling Co • The Dampfwerk Distillery • Distillery 291 • Do Good Distillery • Dogfish Head Distillery • Fainting Goat Spirits • Few Spirits • Firestone & Robertson Distilling • French Distillers & Alchemists • Golden Moon Distillery • Great Wagon Road Distilling Co • Hamilton Distillers • Hatch Distillery • Headframe Spirits • Henerbery Spirits • High Peaks Distliing • Highway 101 Spirits • Hood River Distillers • House Spirits Distillery • Hotel Tango Distillery • Hudson Valley Distillers • Jersey Spirits Distilling Co • John Emerald Distilling Co • Kings County Distillery • Laws Whiskey House • Liberty Call Spirits • Liberty Pole Spirits • Liquid Brands Distillery • Loch & Union Distilling • Long Island Spirits • Los Angeles Distillery • Liquid Riot • Mad River Distillers • Maui Brewing Company • MB Roland • Millstone Spirits • Modisett & Sons Distillery • New Holland Spirits • Old Line Spirits • Old Route Two Spirits • Old Trestle Distillery • One Eight Distilling • Orange County Distillery • Painted Stave Distillery • Postmodern Distilling • Preservation Distillery • Rock Town Distillery • Rogue Ales And Spirits • Routt Distillery • San Diego Distillery • San Tan Brewing-Distilling • Sand Creek Distillery • Santa Fe Spirits • Seven Caves Spirits • Solar Spirits • Sonoma County Distilling • Spirits of Salt Lick • Spirits of St Louis Distillery • Stark Spirits Distillery • Stillwater Spirits/Moylan's • Stranahan's • Stumpy's Spirits Co. • Sugar House Distillery • Sugar River Distillery • Sweetgrass Distillery • Tom's Foolery Distillery • Triple Eight Distillery • Tuthilltown Spirits • Up North Distillery • Van Brunt Stillhouse • Vapor Distillery • Vaya Con Dios Distillery • Virginia Distillery Company • Wanderback Whiskey • West Fork Whiskey Co • Westland Distillery • Whiskey Acres Distilling Co • Wiggly Bridge Distillery • Witherspoon Distillery • Wood's High Mountain Distillery • XO Alambic
39