McCarthy’s 6-Year is a pioneering American single malt that brings Islay-style smoke to the Pacific Northwest, poured at Grappa in Queen Anne, Seattle. It is a characterful, smoky pour with a distinctly forested, inland personality all its own.

About the Distillery

McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt is the creation of Clear Creek Distillery, founded by Stephen McCarthy in Oregon and now produced in Hood River. McCarthy set out to make an American whiskey in the spirit of Islay Scotch but with a local accent, and in doing so helped pioneer the American single malt category. The whisky is distilled in a pot still from peated barley malted in Scotland, then matured in air-dried Oregon oak, a regional signature that sets it apart from its Scottish inspirations.

Style & Region

This is an American single malt from Oregon, built in the peated, Islay-inspired tradition. The barley is peated in Scotland, but the maturation in local Oregon oak gives the whisky an earthy, woodsy character that is firmly Pacific Northwest. This 6-Year expression is further finished in sherry oak casks, which layer dried-fruit sweetness over the smoke. The result trades the briny, coastal edge of Islay for something more forested and inland, smoke wrapped in warm, sweet wood.

Tasting Notes

Expect a wood-smoke aroma layered with green apple, honey, and a whiff of campfire embers. The palate brings earthy peat and charcoal alongside sweet barley, orchard fruit, and the dried-fruit richness of the sherry finishing. The finish is warm and smoky, with lingering wood and gentle sweetness. It evokes a picnic in the forest rather than a beach bonfire, an inland twist on the peated tradition.

What to Pair It With

McCarthy’s woodsy smoke is a fine match for our fresh oysters and our Spaniard octopus, where peat meets the sea. It also pairs beautifully with a charcuterie board. Browse the full dine-in menu.

How It’s Served at Grappa

We pour McCarthy’s 6-Year neat at $22. We recommend it neat to enjoy its forested smoke and sherried sweetness.

FAQ

Where is it from?

McCarthy’s is an Oregon single malt from Clear Creek Distillery, produced in Hood River, Oregon. It is distilled from Scottish peated barley and matured in Oregon oak.

What does it taste like?

It is smoky and earthy, with wood smoke and charcoal alongside green apple, honey, sweet barley, and the dried-fruit richness of its sherry-cask finishing.

Is it peated or smoky?

Yes. McCarthy’s is a peated single malt in the Islay tradition, though its Oregon-oak maturation gives it a more forested, inland smoke than coastal Scotch.

To enjoy McCarthy’s 6-Year with us, book a table, browse the cocktail & spirits list, and the dine-in menu.