Hood River, Oregon-based Hood River Distillers (HRD) has continued to innovate in the American Single Malt category with the limited release of McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, aged for six years in Oregon Oak casks and finished for 4 months in Oloroso Sherry Casks.
The McCarthy’s Portfolio now includes McCarthy’s 3-year Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, McCarthy’s 6-year Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, McCarthy’s 6-year Oregon Single Malt Whiskey finished in PX Sherry Casks and McCarthy’s 6-year Oregon Single Malt Whiskey finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks.
Sourced from Spain, the finishing casks are shipped soon after draining to retain all the walnut and spice notes imparted by the wine. Oloroso Sherry is typically dry and produced by oxidative aging, allowing the slow development of sugar and flavors to build over time. The result is a blend inspired by the sherry and custom made for these casks.
“Oloroso has long been one of our favorite sherries, and we are very excited about this latest release as it pushes our familiar profile in a lighter and brinier direction than previous editions,” said Caitlin Bartlemay, Head Distiller. “Our newest distiller Garrett Trotter took inspiration from Oloroso Sherry’s renowned balsamic and nutty flavors and put together a blend that is a sunny and welcoming dram. This bottle of McCarthy’s spotlights the charm of America’s first single malt in a whole new way. With less smoke, more honey, and higher acid, this will make your summer sip memorable.”
McCarthy’s 6-year Oregon Single Malt Whiskey finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks will be available in limited quantities through retailers in Oregon, New York, Colorado, Texas, Washington state and California, as well as online.
Facts:
McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks
Age: 6 years
ABV: 56% / 112 Proof
SRP: $120 (750ml)
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cherry sawdust, warm pine pitch and marsh grass. A nose that is light and sunny. Closer to warm lakeside days than cold forest nights. The aroma hits with high summer energy and optimism making it unique compared to other McCarthy’s expressions.
Palate: Light and juicy with a good deal of burned sugar and citrus. Back flavors of salt brine and sea spray make this the whiskey version of camping on the Oregon coast. The addition of an ice cube exposes the whiskey’s sweeter tones. With a baseline of sarsaparilla root and chicory, the higher tones of toasted cereal grain, orange peel and maple syrup shine.
More than 25 years ago, founder Steve McCarthy ignited the American Single Malt Revolution, a fact that is supported by the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. In the pioneer tradition that made Oregon famous, McCarthy sourced two-row peat-malted barley from Scotland and found a local brewer to make the wash. Distilled in 60-gallon Holstein pot stills using single-pass distillation and non-chill filtration, McCarthy’s is aged in 36-month air dried Oregon Oak casks for a minimum of three years. McCarthy was the first U.S. distiller to use Oregon Oak in the early 1990s.