155: Westward Whiskey: Brewing and Distilling American Single Malt

Our guest this week is Miles Munroe, Lead Distiller for Westward Whiskey. Westward is reimagining Single Malt and adding an American Whiskey spin to elevate the category. American Single Malt Whiskey is a growing category and Westward is one to lead the charge as the United States moves towards well-defined standards of identity for the category. Miles brings a brewer’s mentality to whiskey-making and goes above and beyond to craft high quality whiskies in Portland Oregon. Download this episode on your favorite podcast player by clicking here. 

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ABOUT WESTWARD AMERICAN SINGLE MALT WHISKEY:

Single Malt, reimagined. American whiskey, elevated. 

As the highest rated American Single Malt, Westward Whiskey began in 2004 with a vision: to make a distinctive American Single Malt inspired by the American Northwest and the culture, climate, and abundant natural resources that have earned the region such reverence and renown. From humble beginnings to its impressive footprint today, creating a bold, robust, and delicious American Single Malt has remained the team’s true passion. Helmed by founders Thomas Mooney and Christian Krogstad, Westward is a trailblazer in the American craft spirits community, a leading voice for American Single Malt, and a co-founder of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. Westward’s flagship family of whiskeys, which have earned high praise around the world (two Double Gold medals, San Francisco World Spirits Competition), are available nationwide and in select international markets, include the original Westward American Single Malt, Westward American Single Malt Stout Cask, and Westward American Single Malt Pinot Noir Cask. For more information go to www.WestwardWhiskey.com and follow @westwardwhiskey on Facebook or Instagram.

ABOUT MILES MUNROE:

Miles Munroe serves as the lead distiller of Westward Whiskey. Miles manages the distilling production team and ensures that every bottle of Westward is made to perfection. His day-to-day responsibilities include spearheading all blending sessions and supervising Westward’s rigorous quality controls by signing off on all whiskies before both barreling and  bottling.

He also oversees all operations within the Westward warehouse in Clackamas, the company’s 28,000 square foot facility that maintains an inventory of more than 3,000 barrels of aging whiskey at any given time.

Miles joined Westward Whiskey in 2013 to increase production of the company’s American Single Malt. He began as the company’s only production distiller, making up to two barrels per week. Today, Miles manages a team of six distillers who collectively produce 25 barrels per week.

Miles played an integral role in optimizing spirits manufacturing at Westward’s new distillery, a 13,000 square facility in Southeast Portland which opened in 2015 and expanded whiskey capacity six-fold. During the planning and build- out process, Miles served as a critical distilling consultant, determining equipment needs, designing the work flow, and calculating capacity for product.

Miles’ aptitude for taste plays a key role in ensuring quality while also sparking his creativity. After developing a custom flavor wheel for Westward to properly define its profile, he was inspired by his brewing experience to incorporate stout beer into a cask finish, which naturally paired well with Westward’s signature characteristics. This resulted in the brand’s first-ever stout cask finish, a four-year aged Westward resting for eight months in an Imperial Stout barrel that will launch later this year.

As all of the company’s distillers do, Miles came to Westward with a background in brewing. He attended the American Brewers Guild and graduated from the institute’s Science & Engineering of Brewing program before spending several years as a brewer in Portland, OR. It was during his time studying sensory analysis that he realized his talent for taste and flavor identification, a skill that has brought him to achieve great success as brewer and later a whiskey blender. Over the course of his career, he worked for Bridgeport Brewing, Lompoc Brewing, and Migration Brewing, all while focusing on his end goal of becoming a whiskey distiller.

Show Links:

• Westward Whiskey 
• The Club – Westward Whiskey
• Westward Whiskey (@westwardwhiskey) • Instagram photos and videos
• Maxim - Best New American Single Malt Whiskies of 2021
• Westward Whiskey Club Sends Exclusive Bottles Straight to Your Home | Get Access to Whiskeys You Can't Find Anywhere Else
• Tasting: 3 American Single Malts From Westward Whiskey - Paste
• A drink with... Thomas Mooney, Westward Whiskey - The Spirits Business
• Interview: Christian Krogstad / Founder and Master Distiller of Westward Whiskey – The Right Spirit
• Is This America's Best Single Malt Whiskey? | Man of Many
• Westward Single Malt Whiskey – Tempranillo Cask Finish – The Right Spirit
• Miles Munroe from Westward Whiskey - Cocktails Distilled
• At Westward, Making Great Whiskey Starts With Making Great Beer