Rivalist American Single Malt: Is American Single Malt the New Scotch?

Behind the Pour

American Single Malt Whiskey finally got its own formal category designation from the TTB in 2024. Made from 100% malted barley, distilled at one American distillery, the category is directly inspired by Scotch single malt but not bound by Scotch's production rules. Rivalist is an early entry in this new category. Crystal and Roger's question is the right one: does American single malt have an identity of its own, or is it just Scotch made by people who have not been to Scotland?

What You'll Discover

• The 2024 TTB category recognition: American Single Malt Whiskey became an official TTB-recognized category after years of producers making the spirit without a regulatory home. The designation requires 100% malted barley, distilled at a single US distillery, and aged in oak containers in the US.
• How American Single Malt differs from Scotch: The grain is the same — 100% malted barley — but the production rules diverge significantly. Scotch must age in used casks; American Single Malt can use new charred oak, which produces more aggressive wood extraction. American climates (most regions have far greater temperature variation than Scotland) also accelerate maturation. And American producers are not bound by the peat-and-terroir constraints that define regional Scotch identity.
• What new oak does to single malt barley: New charred oak on a barley-based spirit adds more vanilla, caramel, and coconut than used casks. The result is a spirit that can read as more bourbon-adjacent than Scotch-adjacent — which is either a problem or a feature depending on what you are looking for.
• Rivalist's specific profile: Crystal and Roger's assessment of what Rivalist delivers — where it reads as distinctly American, where it echoes the Scotch category it draws from, and whether it has developed enough identity to stand on its own.
• Is American Single Malt a category worth following: Crystal's broader verdict on whether the category has genuine potential or is still finding its voice.

A Moment of Pourspective

A new category earns its existence when the spirits in it cannot be made anywhere else and taste like the place they were made. American Single Malt is still answering that question. Rivalist is one of the early answers.

Explore the Conversation

The Rivalist episode is one of TLC's most category-forward reviews. Crystal and Roger are evaluating a spirit and a category simultaneously — which requires them to hold the individual bottle evaluation and the broader question of what American Single Malt is at the same time. The Scotch comparison is the episode's productive tension. Crystal is direct: Scotch is the reference, and the question is whether American producers are building something different or something derivative. Her answer is nuanced — she finds elements of both in Rivalist. The TTB designation context is the episode's most practically useful section for consumers trying to navigate the category. Crystal explains what the designation actually requires, what it does not require, and why the difference between the two matters at the shelf.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is American Single Malt Whiskey? A TTB-recognized category (since 2024) requiring 100% malted barley, distilled at a single US distillery, aged in US oak containers. Inspired by Scotch single malt but not bound by its production rules.
• How is it different from Scotch single malt? Scotch requires used casks; American Single Malt can use new oak. American climate generally accelerates maturation. American producers are not bound by regional terroir or peat traditions that define Scotch categories.
• What is Rivalist? Rivalist is an American Single Malt Whiskey that Crystal and Roger review as an example of the new category.
• Should I try American Single Malt if I like Scotch? Crystal's answer: yes, with managed expectations — it is adjacent but different, and the differences are shaped by the production rules and the American terroir.

Episode at a Glance

• Spirit reviewed: Rivalist American Single Malt Whiskey
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Runtime: 12 minutes, 59 seconds
• Category: Whiskey
• Topic: American Single Malt — the new TTB category and how it compares to Scotch