Copperworks Distilling Co. Single Cask No. 472 American Single Malt Whiskey Review

 

Copperworks Distilling Co. of Seattle, Washington, was founded by Jason Parker and Micah Nutt in 2013. Both had backgrounds in craft brewing and were curious about what would happen if they distilled high-quality craft beer into spirits. While using traditional hand-hammered copper stills from Scotland, Copperworks is a leader in the American Single Malt Whiskey movement and is driven by innovation, sustainability, and the pursuit of flavors from the Pacific Northwest.

 

Copperworks was named the 2018 Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute. It offers American Single Malts, vodka, and gins. Everything it produces comes from malted barley. I’ve reviewed several of its whiskeys; one even took my annual Whiskfellow Best Of Awards. Its accolades are well-deserved (or, at least, I believe so).

 

If you’re new to the scene of American Single Malt Whiskey, you may wonder how it differentiates itself from other whiskeys. We’re literally on the cusp of the TTB approving it as a legally defined category. The proposed and mostly-agreed upon rules are as follows:

 

• It must be made from 100% malted barley;
• It must be entirely a product of one distillery;
• It must be mashed, distilled, and aged entirely in the United States;
• It must be aged in oak casks of 700 liters or less;
• It must be distilled at 80% ABV (160°) or less; and
• It must be packaged at 40% ABV (80°) or more.

 

Today, I’m delving into Single Cask No. 472, which is distilled from Copperworks’ five-malt recipe. However, instead of the usual process of being aged in used cooperage, Copperworks had it mature in new, charred oak barrels for 44 months. Packaged at 60.4% ABV (120.8°), the 215 - 750ml bottles carry a $89.99 price and can be purchased in-person at the distillery or online from its website.

 

“Copperworks’ single cask whiskey releases have been flying off the shelves! Fortunately, we keep discovering exceptional casks at the distillery that meet our rigorous standards, and this is our latest release.” – Jeff Kanof, Vice President and Co-Owner

 

Before I #DrinkCurious, I must thank Copperworks for providing me with a sample of this whiskey in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: I poured this American Single Malt into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. It had a reddish hue that reminded me of newly-formed rust. A thinner rim failed to stop wide tears from racing down the glass.

 

Nose: The aroma included smells of caramel, candied orange slices, fresh leather, and charred oak. When I drew that air through my lips, my mouth filled with the taste of shredded tobacco.

 

Palate: I encountered a warm whiskey with a creamy texture. Flavors of tangerine, tobacco, and leather hit the front of my palate. I found bold cocoa powder, torched vanilla, and cinnamon as it continued to the middle. The back consisted of ginger spice, barrel char, and heavy clove.

 

Finish: That warming sensation from the palate ramped up, leaving a slight sizzle on my tongue. It was hoppy and featured clove, ginger spice, brown sugar, and tangerines. Its duration ran 1:53, making it very long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I do not enjoy hops, yet with Cask No. 472, it worked. The ginger spice dominated, and I’d suggest this American Single Malt drank a bit above its stated proof, as evidenced by its tongue-tingling potential. Copperworks delivered a fascinating whiskey that was attention-grabbing and memorable; I’ve had plenty of American Single Malts, and none were similar. Cask No. 472 is worthy of your money, and I recommend picking up a Bottle. 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.

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