Chemist Highland Single Malt Whiskey: When Two Asheville Makers Swap Barrels
What happens when a brewery and a distillery trade barrels? In Asheville, you get a single malt whiskey and a barrel-aged Oktoberfest beer that could only come from this mountain town.
We teamed up with our friends at Chemist Spirits on two limited releases: Chemist Highland Single Malt Whiskey and Highland Imperial Barrel-Aged Clawhammer. Together they blur the line between brewing and distilling and celebrate craftsmanship, collaboration and the creative spirit of Asheville.
What Is Chemist Highland Single Malt Whiskey?
Chemist Highland is a limited-release American single malt whiskey born from a collaboration between two Asheville makers. It brings the craft of brewing and the craft of distilling together in one uniquely local bottle.
Rich and layered, it balances toasted malt, caramel and vanilla with warm oak and a lingering depth of spice. We made it to be shared.
Tasting notes: toasted malt · caramel · vanilla · warm oak · baking spice
What Is Highland Imperial Barrel-Aged Clawhammer?
The swap goes both ways. We aged our Clawhammer Oktoberfest in Chemist Spirits whiskey barrels, and the result is a bigger and bolder take on a fall favorite.
Style: Imperial barrel-aged Oktoberfest
ABV: 8.5%
Flavor: malty, smooth and boozy
Availability: limited 500ml bottles and on draft at Highland while supplies last
If you love the toasty, malty character of a classic Oktoberfest, this is that flavor amplified by barrel aging.
Released for Clawtoberfest Weekend
The collaborations made their debut during Clawtoberfest weekend in September 2026. The weekend also featured our Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner with James Beard Award-winning chef Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farms.
About Chemist Spirits
Chemist Spirits is a female-owned and operated craft distillery at 151 Coxe Avenue in the South Slope district of downtown Asheville. Debbie Word and her daughter Danielle Donaldson, a pharmacist and chemist, launched it in 2018. The distillery pays homage to the pharmacists and chemists who legally dispensed spirits and kept distilling alive during Prohibition.
Chemist makes American Gin, Barrel Rested Gin (recognized as North Carolina’s first sipping gin), Navy Strength Gin and a lineup of American single malt whiskeys. Next door, the Antidote cocktail lounge and cafe serves craft cocktails, coffee and zero-proof drinks in a 1920s apothecary-inspired setting.
About Highland Brewing
Founded in 1994, Highland Brewing is Asheville’s original craft brewery and a pioneer of Southern craft beer. Our founder Oscar Wong started out brewing on refurbished dairy equipment in the basement of Barley’s Taproom, and his belief that great beer brings people together helped shape Asheville into the craft beer destination it is today. Learn more in our story on Oscar Wong, the Godfather of Asheville Craft Beer.
Today we are the largest independent, family-owned brewery native to the Southeast, led by Oscar’s daughter and CEO Leah Wong Ashburn. Our 40-acre East Asheville campus has been our home since 2006, and it runs on one of the largest solar arrays of any independent craft brewery in the country. Our lineup blends heritage and innovation, from classics like Cold Mountain Winter Ale and Gaelic Amber Ale to Highland Haze and AVL IPA. Explore all of our beers.
Collaborations like this one reflect who we are: absurdly people focused, rooted in Asheville and always looking for ways to honor tradition while innovating with intention. It also fits our Thirst for Good mindset of showing up for our community and the makers in it.
Where to Find Them
Chemist Highland Single Malt Whiskey: [insert retail locations and Chemist Spirits shop link]
Highland Imperial Barrel-Aged Clawhammer: our taproom at 12 Old Charlotte Highway in Asheville, on draft and in 500ml bottles [confirm retail distribution]
Both releases are limited, so stop in early. Plan your trip on our visit page, where you can also find out about our volleyball courts, disc golf course and food trucks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chemist Highland Single Malt Whiskey?
It is a limited-release single malt whiskey made through a collaboration between Highland Brewing and Chemist Spirits in Asheville, North Carolina. It has notes of toasted malt, caramel, vanilla, warm oak and baking spice.
What is Highland Imperial Barrel-Aged Clawhammer?
It is our Clawhammer Oktoberfest aged in Chemist Spirits whiskey barrels. It is 8.5% ABV, malty and smooth, and it is available in limited 500ml bottles and on draft.
Who owns Chemist Spirits?
Chemist Spirits is female-owned and operated, founded in 2018 by Debbie Word and her daughter Danielle Donaldson.
Where is Chemist Spirits located?
The distillery is at 151 Coxe Avenue in Asheville’s South Slope district.
Where is Highland Brewing located?
Our brewery campus is at 12 Old Charlotte Highway in Asheville, North Carolina.
When are these collaborations available?
Both were released for Clawtoberfest weekend and are available while supplies last.
Who is cooking at the Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner?
James Beard Award-winning chef Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farms.