Copperworks Distilling's Cask No. 410 American Single Malt Whiskey Review & Tasting Notes

 

American Single Malt Whiskey is coming into its own. We’re almost at the point where it will be legally defined, and many distilleries already abide by the proposed rules.

 

From my experience, this whiskey category is heavily influenced by terroir - much more than Bourbon or American Rye. It also seems to mature faster; some lovely American Single Malts spent only a year (or less) in oak. The Pacific Northwest has many distilleries that produce American Single Malts that truly shine.

 

One such distillery is Copperworks Distilling Co, located in Seattle. Founded in 2013, Copperworks was named the 2018 Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute. It also produces vodka and gins. Everything is derived from malted barley. I’ve reviewed several of its whiskeys; its accolades are well-deserved.

 

“Since day one, Copperworks has sought to explore flavor possibilities by using barley grown in and around Washington to produce our American Single Malt whiskey. Thanks to the Pacific Northwest’s varying climates (from wet and cool, to hot and dry) and soil types (from rich and deep, to sandy and shallow), there are numerous barley varieties we can use to craft our whiskeys. We’ve partnered with local farms and malthouses to do just that.” – Jason Parker, President, Co-Founder, and Co-Owner

 

Today I’m sipping on Copperworks Cask No. 410, which began its journey with a single variety of malted barley called Fritz. Fritz is a two-row barley developed by Washington State University for dry-land farming in the eastern part of the state. When grown on the state's west side, the barley provided fuller flavor. The intent was to have barley with less haziness and more clarity while brewing beer.

 

Once distilled, it slept for over three years in a new, #2-charred American oak cask made by Canton Cooperage. The barrel utilized staves that were seasoned for 24 months. Cask No. 410 is packaged at cask strength at 60.35% ABV (120.7°) with a suggested price of $89.99. The yield was 211 - 750ml bottles.

 

Before I get to my tasting notes, I must thank Copperworks Distilling Co for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and explore what this American Single Malt is all about.

 

Appearance: I drank this neat from my Glencairn glass. Inside, the color was deep, rich copper. Try as I might, a rim never really formed; instead, a thick curtain of tears fell immediately.

 

Nose: The aroma was comprised of apples, pears, cherries, citrus, pastry, and floral notes. When I drew the air through my lips, it felt oily and tasted of orange peel.

 

Palate: The first sip was crazy. There was so much going on that it was overwhelming, but the one thing that stood out was the orange marmalade. After the palate shock subsided, the medium-bodied whiskey introduced me to cherry pie filling, orange marmalade, and malt on the front of my palate. Midway through, I tasted fresh pastry, dates, and figs. The back featured nutmeg, charred oak, and leather.

 

Finish: I could best describe the finish as l-o-n-g and l-i-n-g-e-r-i-n-g. It was even-toned but hung around forever, with wood spice, orange marmalade, figs, dates, and pastry.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Some whiskeys taste like dessert. Copperworks Cask No. 410 was sweet and rich and drank at about its stated proof. If you like fruity whiskeys, you’ll get lost in all this one offers. My favorite had been Release No. 042, which was a peated offering. That’s now been replaced by Cask No. 410. Buy a Bottle; you won’t be disappointed, I promise. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.