Arizona Whiskey Born in the Sonoran Desert
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We talk about, and highlight, brands focused on terroir often here on the site, and we're excited to continue with Whiskey Del Bac's line of American Single Malts - a flavor profile that is firmly rooted in the desert, a distinctly Southwestern take on the worldwide tradition of peated whiskies.
It was one of those cool desert nights in 2006 where Elaine and Stephen Paul sat outside on their patio, barbecuing over a mesquite fire and enjoying a glass of Scotch. Elaine had an idea — “What if you made single malt whiskey with ‘mesquited’ malt instead of peated malt?”
Stephen began learning everything he could about how the Scots make their whiskies. While learning how to floor-malt barley, he began with the recipe for Classic, modeled after the unpeated style of Speyside Scotches. If he could nail down a clean-finishing American Single Malt Whiskey that rivaled Scotland’s finest, then he could take the recipe and put a Southwest spin on it — which is how their mesquited (not peated) Dorado was born.
Whiskey Del Bac has grown from two American Single Malts – Classic and Dorado – to multiple Distiller’s Cut releases, and has even launched annual limited releases like Frontera and Normandie in the Global Cask Collection in 2022.
If you are like us and continuing to explore the world of American Single Malts, don't miss the uniqueness of Whiskey Del Bac.
Classic American Single Malt
The nose is undoubtedly American single malt: creamy, bright, stone fruits, chocolate ganache, and light caramel.
The palate is bright and clean with sweet orchard fruits, warm custard, subtle cherry pie and chocolate mousse.
The finish is creamy and a touch spiced, like a subtly smokey peach cobbler with a bit of grapefruit and lingering oak.
Dorado American Single Malt
The nose on this pour is my jam - heavy chocolate, oak, and tobacco.
Think of the palate as a beautiful blend of peated Scotches and heavily toasted or double oaked bourbons. Big campfire vibes up front yet pulls back to creamy vanilla and toffee notes.
The finish trails thick with chocolatey and heavily toasted oak. That said, it leaves you with a kiss of vanilla sweetness trailing before a long and smokey finish.
Normandie Single Malt Finished in French Calvados
Rich and inviting, this nose is full of caramel dipped apples. coffee cake, and vanilla custard.
The palate is much brighter than the classic, giving both botanical pops of walking through a fresh flower shop and also malty green apple and pear more akin to a Scotch. All the while, heavy citrus lifts the sip.
The finish is a bit of a roller coaster. At first it is long and dry, then lingering with dried cherries before a creamy vanilla bean sweetness and ultimately ending with clove and subtle smoke.
