For a brand with a tagline that reads American whiskey, elevated, you’d think Westward would have a hard time topping its world-renowned releases, but alas, the Portland-based distillery has done it again. The new ‘Westward Opacus Stout Cask’ brings a decidedly new flavour to the label’s portfolio thanks to a helping hand from some close friends.
Image: Westward Whiskey
Described as the “only one of its kind in the world”, the limited-release drop comes by way of Westward’s distillers and the team at Stormbreaker Brewing. The Portland locals are well-known for their specialty batch-brewed beers, part of the reason Westward turned to them for the Opacus Stout Cask. From a physiological perspective, the transformation is simple. Westward Opacus Stout Cask starts out as the award-winning Westward American Single Malt, before being finished for an additional year in a Stormbreaker Brewing Opacus Oatmeal Stout Barrel. According to Westward, this process adds layers to the whiskey, with subtle cocoa and caramel notes from the Opacus Oatmeal Stout matching with the bold and brazen taste Westward Whiskey is renowned for.
“We partnered with Stormbreaker Brewing because of their shared ethos for creating exceptional brews that are high quality, celebrating local ingredients and putting flavour at the forefront,” Miles Munroe, Lead Distiller and Blender at Westward Whiskey said. “Brewing is in our DNA at Westward, so this has been a rewarding collaboration to bring to life. There is only one barrel of The Opacus Stout Cask available in the world, and it’s expected to be snapped up quickly.”
Image: Westward Whiskey
The collaboration marks a coming together of two local titans. Using Westwards single cask whiskey, complete 100% 2-row barley, the Westward Opacus Stout Cask is a piece of Amerian ingenuity. Only 321 bottles of the global exclusive will be made available, each bottled at 50.0% ABV.
“StormBreaker, besides being the name of our brewery, is a nickname for Mt. Hood, the majestic 11,000 foot volcano that casts its shadow on Portland every sunrise,” Rob Lutz from Stormbreaker Brewer said. “We brew our beer like Mt. Hood breaks storms coming off the Pacific Ocean, head on with intensity, and we can’t wait for Australia to be able to taste this rare Westward Opacus Stout Cask. It’s a marriage of our beer and whiskey that has never been done before, and the flavours of the original beer really come through in the whiskey.”
For fans of Westward, this new limited-drop release is a welcomed addition, but it won’t be here for long. Available exclusively through The Whisky List, pre-sales for the Westward Opacus Stout Cask opened at 7.30PM on 3rd November 2021, priced at AUD$175. If you’re still lucky enough to get your hands on the Westward Opacus Stout Cask, you’re in for a treat.
Image: Westward Whiskey
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