Westland Colere American Single Malt Whiskey 2nd Edition
Westland Colere 2nd Edition is a 100-proof (50% ABV) American single malt whiskey distilled in Seattle, Washington, released in May 2022 in a run of just 3,000 bottles. The second release in Westland's Outpost Range, Colere is built entirely around a single barley variety — 100% Talisman, a two-row winter barley descended from Maris Otter, bred for flavor over yield in partnership with Washington State University's Bread Lab. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 50% (100 proof)
- Size: 700mL (EU/UK format; 750mL in the US)
- Age: no age statement; minimum published maturation 4 years, 357 days
- Origin: distilled at Westland Distillery, Seattle, Washington
- Grain: 100% Talisman two-row winter barley; Belgian brewer's yeast; unpeated
- Casks: 58% first-fill ex-bourbon, 42% second-fill ISC Cooper's Reserve; non-chill filtered
An American Single Malt Built on One Barley
Most single malts blend barley varieties; Colere stakes its identity on one. Westland partnered with WSU's Bread Lab to grow Talisman barley specifically for flavor, then matured the spirit in a grain-focused cask regime — first-fill ex-bourbon for sweetness and second-fill ISC Cooper's Reserve barrels built to let the grain speak. The result is the profile that earned Edition 2 a 90-point Whisky Advocate review: a citrus-and-chocolate-led American malt that tastes like no Scotch. Collectors of American whiskey will find this a milestone bottle from the distillery that put Seattle on the single-malt map.
Tasting Notes
The official notes open with lemon curd, soft woody vanilla, raspberry coulis, and citrus peels on the nose. The palate brings orange marmalade, bittersweet dark chocolate, forest fruits, and brown-sugar sweetness, finishing on lingering orange chocolate. Whisky Advocate's review adds candied pears, clementine, marzipan, pistachio, and white pepper, with a finish evoking black-and-white cookies.
How to Enjoy
Pour neat at room temperature to let the barley character and citrus-oak interplay show; a few drops of water open the chocolate and forest-fruit notes. This is a contemplative sipper — serve it alongside other international whiskies in a side-by-side tasting of world single malts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Colere" mean and what is the Outpost Range?
Colere is part of Westland's Outpost Range, the distillery's series of concept-driven single malts exploring barley, peat, and cask influence. Only 3,000 bottles of the 2nd Edition were released in May 2022.
Is Westland Colere peated?
No — Colere is unpeated. Its character comes from the Talisman barley and the first-/second-fill cask program, not smoke.
How is American single malt different from Scotch?
American single malt follows the same single-distillery, 100%-malted-barley definition, but US producers like Westland use different barley varieties, yeasts, and new-or-first-fill cask regimes, producing a bolder, often more bourbon-adjacent profile.
Explore more Westland American single malts and the full whisky collection. With only 3,000 bottles released, remaining stock won't last — order Westland Colere 2nd Edition online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.