Copperworks American Single Malt Review (Batch 44)

By Kenrick Thurston-Wilcox

Rating: C+

Established in 2013, Copperworks was founded by 2 men, Jason Parker and Micah Nutt. Both possessing a background in craft brewing, they decided to try their hand at distilling once it became legal in Washington state.

They chose to start with a craft beer wash instead of a normal distillers wash, still a novel practice at that time. This is done by using brewers yeast (which adds more flavor to the wash) rather then distillers yeast (which is engineered to maximize ABV). The result means they get less output in the final product, but more interesting and unique flavors overall.

Their idea seems to be working so far, as they are now on batches 44 and 45 of their Single Malt releases, and show no sign of slowing down. They are also founding members of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission, which on the cusp of making American Single Malts a federal category of spirits, just like bourbon or rye.

This batch is distilled from Great Western Malting Pale Malt and Baronesse Barley from WA, aged for a minimum of 45 months in charred, new American Oak barrels, then bottled at 50% ABV. The final product also includes one barrel from a Queens Run distillation.

The Whiskey
This whiskey has a nice amber color, once poured. The nose is very bright and stings a little, but overall starts out fruity. Nice crisp apples up front, followed by orange and citrus. Toast comes in near the back, supporting the fruity flavors, and helping to bring down the perceived sweetness from the fruits. You can also smell the Queens Cut coming in slightly as well, giving the whiskey a small chemical smell. Not unpleasant but does make the whiskey sharp your first time nosing the glass.

Again on the first sip the liquid is harsh, and a little overwhelming at first, but nice and oily, keeping the flavors in your mouth while the abrasiveness disappears. The overall experience is still fruity, though this time candied, tasting a little sweeter then the nose. Cherry rears its head up front, giving some depth, followed by orange citrus and apple. The chemical taste is a little more pronounced here then on the nose, but again not unpleasant. Some malty grain notes near the end, followed lastly by cocoa. The finish does a complete 180, throwing away any fruit that was there before. Burnt coffee and toast blend together very well, reminding me of a morning breakfast. Also nice and long, allowing you to savor the experience. Overall the finish is very pleasant.

This batch is a little harsh at first glance, but once you push through that initial reaction, there’s some good things happening underneath, that may pique your curiosity.

The Price
This batch of American Single Malt is $70 and can be picked up either online or in person at Copperworks tasting room.