Review: Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask Single Malt Whiskey
Westward‘s first club release of 2025 (exclusive to subscription members) is this collaboration bottling, produced in cooperation with Oregon’s Fort George Brewery. Westward is no stranger to brewery collabs, and Fort George has long been a partner — though it’s never had its name on the label until now.
Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask Single Malt Whiskey is designed to “showcase the incredible character of their famously delicious Matryoshka Stout,” and here’s what that means:
To develop Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask, Master Blender Miles Munroe led a “double stouting” process, which began by aging mature Westward in freshly emptied stout beer casks before transferring the whiskey into Fort George’s freshly returned Matryoshka Stout barrels to further deepen the whiskey’s rich flavors and aromas. This exclusive Whiskey Club expression is a tribute to the perfect Northwest pairing of whiskey and stout and a celebration of the ongoing partnership between Westward and its brewing collaborators.
Master Blender Miles Munroe said, “At Westward, we continue to honor our history as ex-brewers by developing new ways to express flavors that take Stout Cask further than before. This is new territory for this expression as we focus on one distinct and beloved stout profile and raise the bottling proof to bring balance and more dynamics to the spirit.”
No age statements are on offer.
We got a bottle, so let’s give it a try.
Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask Single Malt Whiskey Review
The nose of the whiskey is certainly stoutlike, aggressive with notes of chocolate and rich malt, a sharply bready experience that slowly sinks into notes of maple syrup and raisin, much like a glass of that iconic beer. It is however something of a pungent experience, evoking lots of barrel influence and a youthfulness that feels like it’s still developing.
The palate surprises with a rush of sweetness, again building on a malty core with layers of chocolate, caramel sauce, and more raisin notes. Notes of white pepper add an immediate spiciness, followed by cloves and some dried tea leaf notes. Water is hugely helpful with this experience — which hits the bottle at 57.5% abv — tempering the spice and char notes to coax out a stronger chocolate character, here dark chocolate, layered with baking spices and a Christmassy vibe that melds gingerbread and pine needles. It’s rough and rustic around the edges, particularly on the pruny, woody conclusion, but its expressiveness more than compensates for any immaturity.
115 proof.
B+ / $100
The post Review: Westward x Fort George Brewery Stout Cask Single Malt Whiskey appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.