Short Path New England Single Malt

Short Path's New England Single Malt is a Massachusetts-made single malt whiskey bottled at 43% ABV. That puts it a few points below the 45 to 46% range some craft single malts use, so it has a bit less heat on the nose and is easy to approach neat. Single malt means a grain bill of malted barley, and styles like this usually show biscuit, toasted cereal and malt sweetness first. Depending on the casks used, expect oak, vanilla and a little baking spice behind that. The bottle details don't list the cask type, age statement or mash bill, so treat those notes as what the style typically offers, not a measured profile of this whiskey. For a first pour, try it neat in a Glencairn. The tulip shape holds the malt and oak aromas close to the rim, which suits a barley-driven whiskey. If the alcohol feels sharp at first, add a few drops of room-temperature water. Water loosens the grain and fruit notes without much dilution, and at 43% you will not need more than a small splash. A single large ice cube in a rocks glass is a good second option. It slows the dilution, softens the spice and works for longer sipping, though it will mute some of the finer malt aromas as it chills. In cocktails, a malt-forward whiskey like this suits drinks where the base spirit is meant to be tasted. An Old Fashioned made with a sugar cube, two dashes of Angostura and an orange peel tends to bring out cereal sweetness and oak instead of the heavy caramel you get from high-corn bourbon. In a Manhattan, use sweet vermouth and a cherry. Expect a rounder, less peppery drink than the same recipe made with rye. A Whiskey Sour with fresh lemon works too, since the malt body holds up against the acid. For a Highball, pour two ounces over plenty of ice, top with cold soda water and finish with a lemon twist. That gives a dry, lightly grainy long drink and shows off the malt without sugar in the way. At the table, a malt-forward whiskey at this strength goes well with aged cheddar, roasted nuts, dark chocolate or a plain oatmeal cookie. Serve it at cool room temperature, since over-chilling closes up the grain character.