Review #645 - Westland Solum Edition 2
Westland distillery's Outpost Range is a collection of limited annual editions of their single malt; these whiskies are generally more experimental in nature, with the focus of that experimentation varying from barley to peat to cask combinations. Currently, there are 3 annual releases in the range: Garryana, Colere, and this Solum.
Today, we specifically have the second edition of Solum. This distinguishing factor in this whisky is the use of locally-sourced peat for smoking the malted barley, adding that classic smoky flavor to the whisky. The peat level is supposed to be relatively light; the grain itself is sourced from Skagit Valley Malting.
The total maturation time for this whisky is 53 months, or 4 years and 5 months; that aging was split between new American oak (57%) and first fill ex-bourbon casks (43%). With the cask focus all on 'clean' oak (no wine influence), we should get a chance to see the real character of the peated distillate itself.
Westland Solum Edition 2
USA - Single Malt
Price: USD 130 (2025)
Age Statement: 4 Years
Strength: 50% ABV
Cask Makeup: New American oak and first fill ex-bourbon casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled 2024; 5,212 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Widely varied across tastings - earthy, with petrichor and actual dirt; light malty notes and sweet orchard fruit of apples and pear drop candy; chocolate, dry oak, and licorice. Moss and wood smoke add interesting dimensions, and we got occasional hints of olive oil and oranges.
Palate: Sweet honey and lemon come first, then we get a medium amount of peat smoke, accented by wood smoke. The complexion is lighter overall: linen, lots of salt, green apple, and vanilla... but the background holds rotting wood funk, vegetal notes, it's a bit musty. More wood char builds with time, and the mouthfeel is medium-thick.
Finish: Yellow-orange fruits like peach and apricot, maybe even passionfruit; that fruit is mild, though, and the dirty side of this whisky takes over. Earthy, a decent amount of peat, lots of salt, lots of dirt notes, rotting wood. There's a little tingling sensation, and the aftertaste has a hint of slate; it's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: A really strange whisky - we found it inconsistent from session to session. Sometimes we found lighter, sweeter flavors, while other tastings were overwhelmed with the dirty, earthy, funky side. Lots of interesting flavor facets, but definitely a mood whisky - this isn't one we could sit down with any time and enjoy casually, but instead a bottle that we would prefer to take our time with and dig into. Good whisky, but might not be everyone's cup of tea.
Value isn't great, unfortunately - this is expensive coming directly from Westland at about $125 or $130, and when we see this bottle in a brick and mortar store in our area, the price is often between $150 and $175. We like that distilleries are willing to experiment, especially when the results are good, but $150-ish for a 4 year old single malt is just far too much.
Our Average Rating: 6.2 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 4.71
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
