A few weeks ago I was down on the outskirts of Shenandoah Valley for a hike-focused bachelor party. It was an amazing time, in part because we were able to visit the Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville, VA. We got a great tour and I was able to taste the Copper Fox Peachwood American Single Malt. I thought it was so unique I decided to buy a bottle for review.
The bottle explains the production process thusly:
“Aged with a progressive series of hand toasted, select seasoned, new and used peachwood and oak chips, inside used bourbon barrels and finished in a second used barrel.”
Product Specifics
Distillery: Copper Fox
Age: 2 years
ABV: 48% (96 proof)
Appearance
The bottle itself is beautiful. Great color scheme, and I really like the way that the product info is shown on the white strip under the product name. The whisky itself is a dark, burnt orange that comes close to red.
My only complaint, and it’s a big one, is the wax seal. Opening the bottle is fairly easy, but opening it again is a complete hassle. of the six or seven times I’ve opened the bottle so far, I’ve had to use a knife to open it each time. If I try to twist the cork off of the bottle, all I’m left with is red wax smeared on my hand. I would strongly recommend Copper Fox reconsider this element of the packaging. Whatever aesthetic benefit is added with the wax is very much outweighed by the difficulty in opening the bottle.
Nose
The nose of Copper Fox Peachwood American Single Malt contains touches of caramel, cinnamon, all balanced by moderate amounts of smoke and a subtle sulfur. Not peat smoke though. The Peach wood smoke has much more of a savory, meat-like quality, not dissimilar to barbecue. I think this smokiness is innovative and fun because it seems to capture something distinctly American. That alone makes this an interesting whisky.
Palate
Like other Copper Fox whiskies, the Peachwood American Single Malt shows its youth, with a considerable amount of ethanol burn on entry. Tasting notes include Peachwood smoke, copper, malt, and cinnamon.
Finish
The finish is moderate to long in length, with notes of copper, burnt firewood, spicy maltiness, and some salt.
Conclusion
On its merits alone, at over $50 a bottle, the Copper Fox Peachwood Single Malt is a tough sell. There are a lot of incredible whiskies in that category. However, I do think this whisky offers something new and unique to the American Single Malt market, so this is a good buy for American single malt enthusiasts.