Copperworks Distilling Co: Craft Month 2025 & Amaro Cask Finish Whiskey Reviews

 

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 utilizing traditional, hand-hammered copper stills from Scotland, Copperworks is a leader in the American Single Malt Whiskey movement, driven by innovation, sustainability, and the pursuit of flavors from the Pacific Northwest.

 

If you’re new to the scene of American Single Malt Whiskey, you may wonder how it differentiates itself from other whiskeys. Just this past January, it became a legally defined category of whiskey with the following requirements:

 

• 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 either new or vintage, charred or uncharred oak casks of 700 liters or less in volume.
• It must be distilled at 80% ABV (160°) or less.
• It must be packaged at 40% ABV (80°) or more; and
• The only allowed additive aside from water is caramel coloring, which must be disclosed on the label.

 

That leads us to the subjects of today’s reviews: Craft Malt Month 2025 and Amaro Cask Finish American Single Malts. Copperworks was kind enough to provide me with samples of each in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what they’re all about!

 

Craft Malt Month 2025

 

Courtesy of Copperworks Distilling Co

 

• Whiskey Type: American Single Malt Whiskey
• Distiller: Copperworks Distilling
• Age: 4 years, 9 months
• Mashbill: 100% malted Baronesse barley
• Cooperage: 53-gallon, #3 charred oak from Kelvin Cooperage
• Alcohol Content: 62.95% ABV (125.9°)
• Price per 700mL: $89.99 (168 bottle yield)

 

“In celebration of Craft Malt Month this September, Copperworks Distilling Co. is proud to release a special bottling-- Craft Malt Month 2025 American Single Malt Whiskey. Copperworks will donate $10 from every bottle sold to the Craft Maltsters Guild, supporting its mission to sustain and promote craft malting traditions across North America. The Guild created Craft Malt Month to spotlight the connection between local agriculture and craft beverages, an ethos fully embodied in this limited Copperworks release.” – Copperworks Distilling Co.

 

Appearance: I explored this whiskey poured neat into my Glencairn glass. Its color was a rich, dark topaz. The liquid formed a thin rim with thick, tightly packed, fast tears.

 

Nose: I gave Craft Malt Month about ten minutes to acclimate before bringing the glass beneath my nostrils. As I began sniffing, I smelled raspberry pie. It had the fruit, the gelatin, and the crust all together. It made my eyes roll back. I inhaled again, and yeah, that was the entire nose (and that’s not a complaint). Breathing the vapor in through my lips brought more notes of raspberries.    

 

Palate: As the whiskey crossed my lips and tongue, its texture was velvety. There was a mild palate shock of black pepper. With the second sip, I tasted candied orange slices, dark cherries, and plums on the front of my palate. Flavors of vanilla, lemon curd, and new leather arrived at my mid-palate. The back featured candied ginger, sweet oak, and pink peppercorn.

 

Finish: The longer, sweet finish included ripe plums, dark cherries, ginger, and pink peppercorn. It started even, then slowly ramped in intensity, yet never got hot. The duration ran a very long, lingering 2:16.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: While quite common, it is always strange to smell something so prominent and have none of it show up on the palate. I expected raspberry pie somewhere, anywhere; yet there was plenty of other fruity goodness to go around. I enjoyed how the palate transitioned from sweeter fruits to tart lemon, then leather and spices.

 

Craft Malt Month drank way below its stated proof, probably by about 15 or 20 points. It was a fantastic journey, and I commend Copperworks for making something so mesmerizing. It earns every bit of my Bottle rating.

 

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Amaro Cask Finish

 

Courtesy of Copperworks Distilling Co.

• Whiskey Type: American Single Malt Whiskey
• Distiller: Copperworks Distilling
• Age: 7 years, 8 months
• Mashbill: Queen’s Run of 100% malted barley
• Cooperage: 53-gallon charred oak barrel, then finished in a 53-gallon oak barrel that previously held Amaro Amorino Riserva from Letterpress Distilling for three years.
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 700mL: $89.99 (Available exclusively to Copperworks Whiskey Club members. Details can be found at https://www.copperworksdistilling.com/whiskey-club.)

 

You might wonder what a “Queen’s Run” refers to, as that’s not an everyday term. During a distilling run, Copperworks keeps the heads and tails after the hearts are harvested. The hearts become whiskey; occasionally, enough heads and tails remain from a single run to do a re-distillation (or Queen’s) run.

 

Appearance: I poured this whiskey neat into my Glencairn glass. Inside, it looked like liquid gold. A massive rim produced somewhat crazed, thicker tears.

 

Nose: Considering the finishing cask, I let the whiskey rest for about 15 minutes. It smelled very bitter, and apparently, my face showed displeasure, which was entertaining for Mrs. Whiskeyfellow. She then suggested that Amaro isn’t something you want to shove your schnozz into. As such, I held the glass further away than usual and encountered a lovely medley of orange, lemon, and lime zests, floral notes, and vanilla. When I took the air into my mouth, there was a taste of orange peel.

 

Palate: With the first sip, I experienced a silky mouthfeel along with an herbal palate shock. Once that passed, I found grapefruit, hops, and orange peel on the front, with orange bitters, menthol, and cardamom at the mid-palate. The back included dark roasted coffee, clove, and sweet milk chocolate.

 

Finish: Cardamom, menthol, bitters, hops, and grapefruit shut out everything else, then each battled for attention. Hops won this show of strength. It was an even finish, lasting only a minute, yet it seemed longer.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ve never had Amaro before, and based upon a bit of education from Mrs. Whiskeyfellow, it isn’t something on my bucket list. For folks who crave bittersweet, herbal, tangy flavors, Copperworks Amaro Cask Finish is going to be right up your alley. I’m a bit shocked at how quickly the Amaro dominated the American Single Malt.

 

Copperworks Amaro Cask Finish is one of those polarizing whiskeys; you’ll either love it or hate it. It is truly something unique and special, and I believe my Bar rating is warranted.  

 

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Final Thoughts: These American Single Malts couldn’t be more different. It showcases the creativity and talent that Copperworks Distilling Co. possesses. Even though I wasn't a fan of the Amaro Cask Finish, that doesn’t mean it is a bad pour. The quality is there; I just don’t prefer overly herbal characteristics. 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.