“A California take on the Japanese spin on Scotch whisky.” So says master distiller Lance Winters of this unique and inspired spirit, which was created with Japanese-style whiskey highballs in mind (hence the name Baller). The distillery starts with 100% American barley (predominantly two-row pale malted barley, the remainder is lightly roasted). After distillation in their eau de vie pot stills, the whiskey is aged in used bourbon casks and French oak wine casks, as well as filtered through maple charcoal. The whiskey is then finished in casks that had held house-made umeshu (a Japanese style of plum liqueur made entirely from California-grown ume fruit). The taste is crisp and dry, with a touch of malt sweetness. The smoky finish lingers and builds with each sip. In addition to using St. George in Japanese-style whiskey highballs, it's also recommended to try it in a Boulevardier, or in place of Scotch whisky in a Bobby Burns or Rob Roy. 47% ABV
