This rye is one sly Copper Fox.
If you blended together bourbon, scotch, and rye then you would arrive at something like Copper Fox’s Original Rye Whiskey. Sound a little crazy? Well maybe not once you learn that Copper Fox was founded by a former Bowmore Scotch Distillery employee: Rick Wasmund. And the Scotch influence certainly shows at Copper Fox.
Rick Wasmund and his distillery first got the attention of the whiskey world with the American Single Malt Whisky. In the Scotch world, “Single Malt” refers to any Scotch that’s produced from one distillery who uses only malted barley and water to create it. But for his Single Malt, Wasmund was set on a hand malted barley – a traditional and labor intensive practice that dates back to the Romans. That same practice carried into the grains chosen for the rye whiskies.
Copper Fox partnered with a Virginia farmer to create their own blend of locally-grown rye and barley. Those special grains are then kiln-dried with two different types of wood chips: cherrywood and applewood. Then, just when you think they’ve done enough, the distillery finishes their product in used bourbon barrels alongside more of those wood chips. So with rye grains, bourbon barrels, and a scotch process, Copper Fox ends up making a pretty special whiskey.
Copper Fox’s Original Rye Whiskey begins with a mash bill of one-third barley and two-thirds rye, which, don’t forget, is eventually smoked with cherry and applewood chips. Both steps may seem flashy, but they definitely pay off. Strong cherry and earthy, woody smells lure you in before launching into a full bonanza of pepper, allspice, and clove. The finale is a peppery, sweet fruit finish that showcases the distillery’s special smoking.
With roots all the way in Scotland, we were surprised to find this Copper Fox in our backyard. But with a unique appreciation and approach for all things whiskey, we can’t wait to try the entire pack of the distillery’s offerings.
STATS: Copper Fox’s Original Rye Whiskey
- Price for us: $41 for 750 mL
- Proof: 90
- Aged: NAS
- Distillery: Copper Fox Distillery
- Recommendation: Neat
