Remember when everyone and his mother – well, our mother at least – when a bit doolally for Japanese whisky? It was huge for a good while, and seemed like a fad until you tried it, then you bought all you could. Well, the sort of buzz created by that is set to be surpassed by a new wave of American single malts which are disrupting the market with critically-acclaimed whiskies to match anything out there, and have a certain rugged soulful charm all their own. ‘Thoughtfully Made’ is the tagline for the leading light in this wave, Westland Distillery, and The Book of Man is proud to say we are hosting a thoughtfully curated event to celebrate the launch of Westland in the UK on 25th September.

It will feature their Master Distiller and co-founder, Matthew Hofmann, taking us through a tasting of the range – American Oak, Peated and Sherry Wood –  before sitting down with Book of Man Editor Martin Robinson to talk about Westland’s success story, the magic of the process and the new wave of American single malts. It represents a rare chance to learn more about whiskey and what it takes to be an entrepreneur in this market, from one of the best. Matt has diplomas in distilling from institutes in London and Edinburgh and is one of the founding members of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. In 2015 he became the second distiller ever to be named a Rising Star by StarChefs magazine, and was recognised by Forbes as one of America’s 30 under 30 tastemakers. In 2016 he received the American Master Distiller of the Year award by Whisky Magazine. The man has serious credentials. 

This special event will take place at the Filson store – a fellow Seattle brand – in London, and tickets are sure to go fast so don’t miss out. On the night there will be an exclusive set by DJ and Soho Radio presenter Iraina Mancini who will be treating us to some American soul classics. Oh, and did we mention the food? Food. There’s food.

Come to an evening of inspiration and community and be ahead of the curve with this new development. As Matt says, “American whiskey is booming and with Westland leading the way, the rapid growth in American Single Malt is proving that there’s more to whiskey in this country than just bourbon and rye. There are now over 130 producers of single malt in America and the category is poised to be the next big thing in whiskey.” 

Ticket link below…

Follow Westland on Instagram.