Скачать или смотреть Are ASMs Better Value than Scotch? Bear Fight, Virginia Cider/Cabernet Casks, St. George Baller

Here in Chicago the sub-$40 market for Scotch malt whisky is looking pretty ugly right now. Yes, you've got some decent 40% ABV Glen Morays which are pretty okay, sometimes Benromach 10 will go on sale, basic Glenmorangie is still holding up standards (   • Glenmorangie "Original" 12yo Review; Or, W...   ). But then pickings get very slim; things do get better once you're up at $40-50 but it's still pretty spotty, and this is before tariffs have really started to hit pricing.

But if you're in the market for malt whisky at that kind of price range, you'll now find a surprising source of alternatives in the burgeoning category of American Single Malts. You'll now find quite a few in that sub-$40 range, often with reasonable presentation (i.e. 43+% bottling strength), and I've already reviewed a few: Clermont Steep (   • 5 American Single Malts: St. George, Clerm...   ), Balcones Lineage (   • American Single Malts/High Malts: Cedar Ri...   ), and Yellowstone (   • ASM Week, I: Stranahan's 10yo, Virginia Co...   ) are all very weird but totally recommendable for the adventurous. Today we're doing a couple of other options: two sub-$40 cask finishes from Virginia Distilling (previously discussed at    • ASM Week, I: Stranahan's 10yo, Virginia Co...   ) and a very mysterious option from a NC-based spirits consortium, plus a secret $50 second ASM from St. George (cf    • 5 American Single Malts: St. George, Clerm...   ) that I didn't even realize existed. Stats:

Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey (bottled by Next Century Spirits, Zebulon NC; 3+ years old, aged in "3 different types of oak," bottled circa 2025; 45% ABV), 84+/100
Virginia Distillery Co. "Cider Cask Finish" American Single Malt Whisky (Lovingston, VA; aged in ex-bourbon and then finished in ex-Calvados, ex-Laird's, and ex-Virginia cider, bottled circa 2024; 46.5% ABV), 85+/100
Virginia Distillery Co. "Cabernet Cask Select" American Single Malt Whisky (Lovingston, VA; aged in ex-bourbon and then finished in ex-Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, bottled circa 2024; 46.5% ABV), 85/100
Baller American Single Malt Whiskey (distilled at St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA; 3 years old, bottled circa 2024; 47% ABV), 85/100

I frankly think all of these are worth a grab for their price points, for different reasons. The Bear Fight, despite its weird origins, has a terrific "Ross-Shire" Balblair/unsherried Dalmore kind of profile with tons of lean juicy fruit and grain, plus a modest slap of peat on the palate that integrates a bit better with water. The so-called "Cider Finish" from VDC is probably the best thing here, although you'll have to fight it a little: initially quite austere and dominated by tea leaves and tobacco, a bit of water and time brings out an absolutely gorgeous, highly detailed little malt. The Cabernet Cask, mercifully, is not a bomb of leaves and red fruit, but rather a grainy chocolatey cigary little gem that deserves serious consideration from sherried malt fans. The Baller, like the basic St. George ASM, is special shall we say. You really have to like having a ganj-leaning Cali IPA in your finish but I certainly think it's good, to the point that I'd actually take it over that basic St. George. Good showings from all four, so plenty of options for budget-minded malt fans...

Extra special thanks to my Different Spirits on Patreon (  / differentspirits  ) -

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