Review of Copperworks Distilling's Single Cask No. 97-2 American Single Malt Whiskey

 

Copperworks Distilling Co. of Seattle, Washington, was founded by Jason Parker and Micah Nutt in 2013. Both had backgrounds in craft brewing and wondered 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.

 

I’ve been reviewing Copperworks’ whiskeys for the last several years, and they’ve come up with something brand new to me with Single Cask No. 97-2, a 7.5-year-old American Single Malt Whiskey finished in French oak casks. These are the only French oak casks that Copperworks has worked with.

 

As special as that is, that’s not what makes this really, really special. Here’s the fun part: Single Cask No. 97-2 is a fill-your-own-bottle experience at the Seattle distillery. You aren’t simply using a spigot to fill the bottle from a vat; rather, the tool is a copper dipping dog, so your whiskey comes directly from the cask!

 

If that’s not something that floats your boat, don’t worry; you don’t have to do the labor because the team at Copperworks will do it for you upon request. You can also email Copperworks at Retail@CopperworksDistilling.com if you want to order it and have it shipped.

 

“This single cask will continue to mature after this distillery-exclusive experience, meaning guests are capturing a whiskey that won’t be found anywhere else and won’t taste quite the same ever again.” -Jason Parker, President and Co-Founder

Distilled from 100% single-varietal Baronesse pale malt barley harvested from Joseph’s Grainery in Colfax, Single Cask No. 97-2 is priced at $125.00 per 750mL.

 

Is this whiskey worth the excitement and hoopla? Thankfully, Copperworks has provided me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and find out!

 

• Whiskey Type: American Single Malt
• Distiller: Copperworks Distillery
• Age: 7.5 years
• Mashbill: 100% single varietal Baronesse pale malt barley
• Cooperage: Finished in French oak casks
• Alcohol Content: 62.5% ABV (125°)
• Price per 750mL: $125.00

 

Appearance: I poured Cask No. 97-2 into my Glencairn glass to experience it neat. Its sienna amber color was challenging to nail down; even holding the glass against a solid background gave a variety of hues depending on the angle. Thick, fast, comfortably spaced tears fell from a medium-thin rim.

 

Nose: After allowing the whiskey to breathe for about 15 minutes, I was ready to explore the aroma. Yet, while I was waiting, the air smelled of agave. Once I brought the glass beneath my nose and began sniffing, I discovered agave, maple sugar, malt, dried apricots, and a smidge of cherries. When I took the vapor into my mouth, I found a strong sense of agave.

 

Palate: If you would have blindfolded me and asked what I was drinking, I would have sworn this was a Mezcal, at least by the initial sip. I tried again, and this time, a medium-dense texture coated my entire palate before I had a chance to swallow. With the third, I could discern agave, grilled pineapples, and dried apricots on the front, while the mid-palate featured leather, bold malt, and nutmeg. The back tasted of French oak, cinnamon spice, and tangerine.   

 

Finish: Between the cinnamon and French oak, there’s a significant punch of spice. Tangerines, agave, and dried apricots worked hard at leveling the playing field. With a 54-second duration, I'd classify the finish as medium.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Single Cask No. 97-2 was most assuredly a different pour from much of what I’ve tried from Copperworks Distillery. It is the most Mezcal-like whiskey I’ve ever reviewed. There’s the tequila-quality along with a smokiness from the French oak. While, as a spirits judge, I’ve been more appreciative of Tequilas and Mezcals in the last year or so, they still aren’t spirits I would gravitate toward.

 

The unusualness of filling your own bottle straight from the barrel sounds fun and, as Jason Parker suggested, each bottle fill is going to be somewhat unique due to continued aging. Obviously, it also depends on how long it takes for Single Cask No. 97-2 to sell out. I’ve used dipping dogs and whiskey thieves to obtain a glass of whiskey; I’ve never used them to fill an entire bottle. These days, people enjoy paying for experiences over material things. In the case of Single Cask No. 97-2, you get both.

 

So, what’s my rating? As I said earlier, this whiskey has a profile that I wouldn’t seek out. Yet, I can easily identify the quality that Copperworks put into it. As such, I believe my Bar rating is warranted. 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.