We reported on the official recognition of the American Single Malt Whiskey category by the TTB last week, and Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery is already increasing exports to the UK and Europe by 22%.
Limestone Branch Distillery represents seven generations of distilling experience and its current Master Distiller Stephen Beam a descendant of the legendary Beam and Dant whiskey families. Now part of Luxco’s branded portfolio, Limestone Branch is shipping extra bottles of its Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey (54% ABV) throughout January to meet growing consumer demand, following the TTB ruling.
As of January 19, 2025, American Single Malt Whiskey is a U.S. Government recognized and protected style, which brings some cache to this new category.
“The TTB ruling is a golden moment for American Single Malt,” says Greg Mefford, Managing Director of International Business at Luxco. “It’s grabbed the attention of whisky enthusiasts around the world and is driving curiosity. We’ve already seen a surge in interest of Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey since news of the ruling broke last month and expect awareness to grow as knowledge builds around the new category’s official standards.”
American Single Malt controversy?
The rich history of Scotch makes single malt one of the world’s most renowned whisky styles, and any new take on this expression tends to create a reaction. In this case, the drawn-out debate in recent years for establishing the American Single Malt category has fueled greater interest.
“People want to know what all the fuss is about, and this is driving sales in the UK and Europe,” Mefford says.
“The TTB’s official provisions provide a positive framework for raising benchmarks and the ruling signals a new era for growing the category’s popularity in well-established single malt whisky markets such as the UK, Germany, Italy and France,” noted Stephen Beam, Master Distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery. “This official designation isn’t about pitching American Single Malts against Scottish counterparts, or single malts from any other country for that matter. It’s about appreciating another chapter in America’s rich history of whiskey making and I think many people who are new to the category will be pleasantly surprised by what they find.”
Yellowstone Single Malt Whiskey overview
Limestone Branch Distillery released Yellowstone Single Malt Whiskey in February 2023. It complies with TTB standards for the newly established American Single Malt Whiskey category, including:
- A whiskey must be made from a fermented mash of 100% malted barley produced in the US
- It must have a distillation proof of 160 (80% ABV) or less
- An American Single Malt Whiskey must be distilled at the same distillery in the US and the whiskey must be stored in used, charred new, or uncharred new oak barrels, with a 700-litre maximum capacity and only stored in the US
- No neutral spirits permitted; and no allowable colouring, flavouring, or blending materials permitted except caramel colouring that must be disclosed on the label
- A straight American Single Malt Whiskey must be aged for a minimum of two years
Yellowstone American Single Malt is made from 100% malted barley and aged for four years in new charred American Oak barrels. The 108 proof whiskey offers a nose of cereal malt and honey, with a sweet, medium body that carries notes of honey, pear, stone fruit and dates. The finish contains notes of oak, with hints of cinnamon and English walnuts.
Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey is a unique departure from the distillery’s flagship bourbon, Yellowstone Select, which features a blend of four-year-old and seven-year-old Kentucky straight bourbons, each chosen to provide a taste that celebrates the family’s deep distilling roots.
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