Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Copperworks.
Bottler: Distillery.
Region: United States/Washington Single Malt.
ABV: 65.6%. Cask Strength
Age: 6 Years. Distilled on 5 July 2016. Bottled on 7 June 2023.
Cask type: 2nd Fill American Oak.
Nose: Lightly salted caramel and fudge amongst a bouquet of fruits— peaches, kiwis, mangosteen— summer stone fruits and more exotic fare drifted in with vanilla bean, balsa wood, and craft store supplies.
Palate: Medium-bodied, oily and peppery at first, exotic and tropical fruits arrived with lacquered wood and tobacco, a fine hardwood bowl of mangosteen, mango, kiwi, and creamy cherimoya; vanilla and slightly floral smoked tea, hints of quinine bitterness, tangerines and oranges toward the end with sea buckthorn, aged white tea, and mellow salinity.
Finish: Medium to long with cured citrus ring, tea, and mellow coastal brine.
Mental Image: Tonic and Tea at the Officer’s Club.
Conclusion: Refill cask matured American Single Malt? Gosh, if I have been asking for anything from American Single Malt producers, it is more whisky that shows off the inherent qualities of the malt over just big, bold, brash casks. Sometimes distilleries strike a perfect balance between the two, and perhaps that is the ideal situation, but I have longed for more releases in which the oak takes a back seat to the beautiful distillate. Copperworks came out swinging with this cask, their oldest single release at the time, allowing the exotic fruits and mellow coastal qualities of their beautiful malt and long fermentation times (19 days and 15 days for two of the brews in this cask) to shine bright.
Despite the flammable abv, this was incredibly drinkable at cask strength. A few drops of water did unlock more fruits while further diminishing the lacquered woods and antiques on the palate. I loved the interplay of salt, bitter medicine, floral tea, and exotic fruit— there was so much going on, and the flavors were incredibly polite and well-structured. The wife found it more vegetal at first, with fruity notions of almond float coming on only later.
Overall, wonderful— a testament to why I remain high on Copperworks.
Final Score: 83.
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 