Westward Whiskey celebrates its 20th anniversary with the release of Westward Whiskey Milestone Edition No. 2 – A Discovery of Spice. As a follow-on to last year’s inaugural release, Edition No. 2 reflects an unrivaled expression of spice, one that highlights Westward’s journey thus far while setting the tone for many iterations to follow.
Westward has invested two decades now pushing the traditional boundaries of whiskey making to constantly elevate what American Whiskey can be. Milestone™ is the pinnacle of this effort. By reimagining Old World winemaking and distilling techniques through the lens of its American Whiskey, Milestone is the direct expression of Verum Factum, their ‘maker’s knowledge’ gleaned over two decades as whiskey makers.
Milestone is raised from whiskey personally drawn by Master Blender Miles Munroe from a twenty-one barrel Solera system created exclusively for this annual offering. Used for centuries by European wine makers, the meticulous Solera method allows Westward to continuously age and blend some of its oldest and most precious whiskies with rare cask types, creating even more complex flavors in the process.
Each year, Westward draws just a small fraction of the whiskey for the Milestone release, replacing it with another unique whiskey from the barrel house. Much like the coveted idea of an Infinity Bottle, introducing new, exceptional whiskies into the Solera system while continuously blending small amounts of whiskey from one barrel into another creates an always evolving yet infinite palette of deep, complex Westward flavors.
The result of this special approach to whiskey making is that no two Milestone releases will ever be the same. With each release year, Westward’s Master Blender captures a set of unique flavors that only exist in the moment and can never be reproduced. This time capsule in a bottle reflects a distinct moment in the Westward story, one that can never be told again.
By far the most ambitious, limited, and exclusive whiskey they will ever craft, Milestone is an intricately complex and evolving expression of Westward’s experience as a pioneering craft whiskey maker and a new pinnacle for American whiskey.
A DISCOVERY OF SPICE (2024)
Inspired by a visit to Taiwan and a transformative street food pairing he experienced with each of Westward’s flagship expressions, Master Blender Miles Munroe embarked on an expedition to take the American Single Malt producer’s signature spice notes to unparalleled heights by incorporating new, exotic woods to amplify the characteristics from their iconic and innovative cask finishes – including Stout, Pinot Noir, and Rum. The result is a whiskey worthy of the journey, one that strikes a distinct balance between Westward’s signature style and previously undiscovered aromas and flavors.
PACKAGING
For this 20th anniversary bottling, Milestone is artfully packaged in a new custom glass bottle designed to reflect the company’s Northwest Heritage and echo the iconic landscape of its hot, dry and rugged terrain. The botte accompanies a weighted closure sculpted with the company’s iconic blackbird. Each bottle is individually numbered and placed in a premium gift box inspired by our Northwest heritage. The closure is sculpted with our iconic blackbird.
Thomas Mooney, Founder & CEO, Westward Whiskey says, “For twenty years, we have pushed the boundaries to elevate American whiskey. Harnessing this maker’s knowledge, we challenged ourselves to explore what the ultimate expression of Westward Whiskey could be. Milestone is our masterpiece – a truly special whiskey that celebrates the legacy of our past and the promise of our future.”
Miles Munroe, Master Blender, Westward Whiskey adds, “With Milestone, we have selected our most distinctive whiskeys and crafted a 21-barrel Solera system of slow-proofed spirit that will continue to evolve over time to ensure our story and vision will also progress into the future. Pulling from the archives, we have integrated some of our oldest whiskeys with a selection of beautiful wine and wood finishes, both from our home near in Willamette Valley and from coveted winemaking regions around the world.”
Westward Whiskey Milestone is bottled at 48.5% ABV (97 proof) and offered at $249.95 for 750ml. It is available to the general public today (October 1), both online at www.westwardwhiskey.com and via limited retail throughout the U.S.
Tasting Notes:
Aroma: Honeysuckle, dried cherry, mocha & rich raisin, toasted almond
Palate: Peach streusel, rum raisin, coconut flake, apple pie
Finish: Fig jam, vanilla bean, stewed orchard fruit, cinnamon roll