Copperworks 3 Year (2018/2019), Single Cask Nation
If you travel from Westland, further into Seattle, you might stumble across my next stop during this American Single Malt week. I followed this very path and did not stumble upon the distillery. I only realized I had been right beside it after returning from my last sojourn to the city. Copperworks produces some interesting whisky. They allow for long fermentations, often using heirloom or, at least for whisky-making, less common barley varietals. Even better, for whisky nerds who want to know everything about the whisky in front of them, they share production specifics for most of their whiskies on their website. This entry comes from the US-based independent bottler Single Cask Nation, who combined two casks, a 2018 and 2019 vintage, for this release.
Whisky: Copperworks 3 Year (2018/2019), Single Cask Nation
Country/Region: United States/Washington
ABV: 56.1%
Cask: Charred New American Oak
Age: 3 Years (Distilled Sept. 2018/Feb. 2019, Bottled Aug. 2022)
Nose: Maritime and fruity with mellow herbal and floral elements, tropical fruit, coconut oil, honeysuckle, woody pecan shells, walnut oil, black vinegar.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied, resinous, ample tropical fruit with a kiss of salt, dry grass with hints of coconut and mineral oil, oak, tobacco leaf.
Finish: Medium-length and a touch drying with tropical fruits, wood, and a kiss of salt.
Score: 7
Mental Image: Atoll Drifter and Beachcomber Extraordinaire
Narrative & Notes: The aroma was wonderfully varied, yet coherent, as it traipsed between green mango, cherimoya, and mangosteen with hints of coastal salinity— or a dash of shoyu and chili on the mango. Mild pipe smoke and cloves arrived with coconut oil and floral honeysuckle, which left the impression of smoking under the shade of thatched pandanus. Wood and earth lingered in the background with woody crushed pecan shells, slightly astringent walnut oil, and black vinegar. Medium to full-bodied with a resinous astringency and a profile full of tropical fruits and wood. Green mango and shoyu touched down first, with rambutan and mangosteen not far behind. Thatched pandanus warmed in the sun, chilled coconuts, and a mellow salinity completed the tropical scene. Oak and wood continued to develop at the end with subtle mineral oil, tobacco, and kaya jam. The finish was medium-length and a touch drying with tropical fruits, wood, and a kiss of salt.
I found this very similar to the first Copperworks I tried, a three-year bottled by SMWS (143.1 “Sea Buckthorn tea time”). Many of the tropical and maritime vibes I enjoyed about that whisky appeared on this. My notes are relatively different from those provided by Single Cask Nation; however, since there are places where we overlap, I am going to chalk this up to our different cultural experiences guiding us to describe the whisky in distinctive ways. Oddly, their description does not sound like a whisky I would like very much, but I did enjoy this quite a bit.
I thought the flavors here were unique. I have not encountered anything like Copperworks, with its very green tropical fruits, subtle floral elements, and mellow coastal salinity. I would still love to try a release with the wood toned down so more of the delicious malt can shine through, but I respect the careful balance they walk between the influence of the new oak and their malt.
Overall, a lovely whisky from one of the most intriguing operations in the American Single Malt scene.
Image Credit: Single Cask Nation
