If you’ve never heard of Copperworks Distilling Company, now is the time to get on the proverbial bandwagon. Opened in 2013, this distillery is located in downtown Seattle. But, even with a tasting room and gift shop, it’s more than just a tourist destination. This award-winning outfit is well-known for its series of gins, vodka, and its small batch American single malt whiskey.
Its prowess in crafting American single malt whiskey is what we find most exciting. That’s why we were very interested to hear that the distillery was releasing not one, not two, but three new single malt whiskeys. They are Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey Single Cask No. 22-2 as well as Release 049 and Release 050.
The whiskeys
The first of the new releases is Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey Single Cask No. 22-2. It’s produced using the brand’s five malt recipe which consists of a blend of pale malt and four caramelized malts. It was distilled in 2016 and spent seven years aging in previously used, re-fill American single malt whiskey casks. The distillers believe using re-fill casks allows the whiskey itself to take center stage instead of the charred wood.
Release 049 and Release 050 don’t use the same five malt recipe. Instead, they are made with the Fritz varietal of barley sourced from Washington State’s Skagit Valley. The two do differ in the barley used, though. Release 049 was made with pale malted Fritz barley, and Release 050 was made with Vienna malted Fritz barley. Instead of seven years of aging, these two released spent a minimum of three years in charred new American oak barrels.
What do they taste like?
Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey Single Cask No. 22-2 is the more complex of the three. It’s known for its nose of candied orange peels, vanilla, grass, and aloe vera. The palate centers on shortbread, vanilla, orange peel, spices, and an herbal tea flavor. The finish is warming and loaded with vanilla, citrus, and oaky wood flavors.
Released 049 begins with a nose of orange peels, berries, ginger candy, and marzipan. The palate is a mixture of vanilla cake, orange peels, honey, herbal tea, and warming, spicy cinnamon at the very finish. Release 050 is described as having a nose of fresh leather, caramelized sugar, vanilla cake, and a hint of wildflowers. Sipping it reveals notes of orchard fruits, candied orange peels, ginger, toasted coconut, vanilla, and candied pecans.
Where can you buy them?
All three bottles only have a limited release. Cask 22-2 only consists of a total of 203 bottles, making it by far the rarest of the three. This 120-proof single malt retails for a suggested price of $89.99. 1,9991 bottles of the 100-proof Release 049 are available at a suggested retail price of $69.99. Only 1,879 bottles of the 100-proof Release 050 are available for a suggested retail price of $69.99. If you want to get your hand on one or all of these expressions, you can purchase them online at store.copperworksdistilling.com or Copperworks Seattle Distillery & Tasting Room in Seattle and Copperworks Kenmore in Kenmore, Washington.
