Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Copperworks.
Bottler: Distillery.
Region: United States/Washington Single Malt.
ABV: 49%.
Age: 3 Years. Distilled in 2016/2018. Bottled on 5 Oct. 2022.
Cask type: New American Oak, Ex-Bourbon.
Nose: Stone fruit jams with laminated wood, menthol, ginger, and a kiss of coastal salinity; faint floral notions with fresh citrus tugged at memories of antiseptic cleaning solutions; hints of earth and charred toast with sweet apricot preserves.
Palate: Medium-bodied, fruit, citrus, wood, and herbal tobacco; notions of vanilla, lemon-lime, and orange popsicles with sticky woody sticks, mentholated tobacco, mellow salty coastal wanderings with driftwood, mellow heather toward the end.
Finish: Medium-length with cocoa, dried fruits, and a kiss of salt.
Mental Image: Ghosts of a Coastal Natatorium.
Conclusion: This Copperworks release featured three casks, two of them around six years old and one just shy of four years. The combination muted some of the more eccentric qualities of the spirit but, in the process, created something more rounded, softer, and easier on the palate, especially with the slightly lower abv. I reckon this was the easiest drinking of the Copperworks I have reviewed this week and the first one that stuck with me as having a passing similarity to another distillery: Glen Scotia.
While most Glen Scotia do not have quite the same bouquet of fruit, the coastal vibes, tobacco, and hints of cocoa brought to mind a 17-year-old from SMWS (93.128). Typically, the coastal tangy fruits and tobacco of Copperworks feel wholly distinctive: a product of their attention to local malting and barley varietals. Most distilleries do not engage in that kind of experimentation— something that indeed becomes more difficult at scale but which allows Copperworks to produce some unique flavors.
Overall, a delightfully playful and summery whisky— a perfect antidote to the winter chill.
Final Score: 81.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 