This review brings together notes from multiple pours across the life of the bottle rather than a single sitting, which feels fitting because this whisky evolved nicely while staying consistently impressive throughout.
Bottle details
Distillery: Westland
Expression: Peat Week Augustus Mashoff (2026 bottling)
ABV: 50%
Volume: 700 ml
Price paid: $99
Filtration: Non-chill filtered
Coloring: Natural color
From my distillery tour notes, this is a peated American single malt built on Westland’s house style with additional peated malt layered in. The bottle notes also indicate 6 years of total maturation, including 2 years in Oloroso sherry casks. That combination definitely shows up in the glass.
Color: The color is a burnished, dark copper with a rich glow that immediately gives the impression of a serious dram rather than a youthful peat bomb. It consistently looked oily in the glass, with long, thick legs that hinted at the dense texture to come. Across tastings, the presentation always felt full, mature, and inviting.
Nose: The nose is peaty right away, but not in a blunt or overly aggressive way. This comes across more as sweet smoke than raw intensity. At various points it reminded me of Lagavulin and other classic Islay profiles, with a faintly Laphroaig-like edge at times, though it never really turns heavily medicinal. What stood out most was the way the smoke, fruit, and spice stayed in balance. There is sweet peat, campfire smoke, peppery spice, and a bit of ABV punch on first approach, but that quickly opens into red fruit, berries, plum, and darker dried fruit from the sherry influence. At moments I also got some apple and faint herbal notes. It is layered, expressive, and very enjoyable to keep revisiting.
Palate: The palate is medium to full-bodied, oily, and nicely mouth-coating. It opens with gentle baking spice and earthy peat, then steadily expands into something richer and more complex. Across pours I consistently found clove, nutmeg, pepper, campfire ash, earthy smoke, and dark fruit, especially plum. There is also a sherry-driven sweetness that builds gradually rather than arriving all at once, along with a slight caramelized edge and more visible oak after swirling. The peat is assertive and unmistakable, but it is not harsh. It tingles and spreads rather than burns, and it wraps around the palate in a way that feels satisfying and controlled. The sherry influence adds depth and fruit without turning the whisky overly rich or jammy.
Finish: The finish is long, warm, smooth, and one of the strongest parts of the experience. This was remarkably consistent across tastings. The smoke lingers with a nice gentle sweetness, while clove, pepper, and cinnamon-like warmth carry through the throat. It dries slightly toward the end, but never feels sharp or thin. What I especially liked is that it leaves behind warmth in the throat and a sweeter aftertaste on the tongue rather than any unpleasant heat. It is the kind of finish that makes you want to go back for another sip almost immediately.
Balance / overall thoughts: This is a seriously well-balanced dram for peat lovers. It absolutely scratches that smoky, peaty Islay itch, but it does so through Westland’s American single malt lens. The sherry cask influence is clearly present, though I would describe it as supportive rather than dominant. It brings fruit, sweetness, and extra depth without overwhelming the smoke or taking the whisky in a syrupy direction. What impressed me most is how consistently good it was at every stage. It made a strong first impression, stayed compelling through the middle of the bottle, and was still excellent toward the end. That kind of consistency matters, and this bottle had it.
Peat / sweetness / sherry-fruit impression
Peat: 5/5
Sweetness: 4/5
Sherry fruit: 3/5
Average score across tastings
Color: 10/10
Nose: 23/25
Palate: 23/25
Finish: 24/25
Balance: 13/15
Total: 93/100
Final verdict: If you like peated whisky with real body, warming spice, oily texture, and enough sherry influence to add fruit without softening the smoke too much, this is a fantastic bottle. It feels closer in spirit to a smoky, peaty Islay dram than I expected, while still keeping its own identity as a Westland. I liked this bottle enough that I’m buying another one tomorrow. It’s that good.
