Copper Fox Peachwood American Single Malt Review
“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.”
“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.”
A few years ago, we did a wonderful whiskey education event at Cielo Bar in Times Square featuring our whiskey up for review today. At the event, we actually tasted both the McKenzie Bourbon and Rye. This bottle has been sitting on my shelf since then, waiting to be opened and reviewed.
The Whiskey Jug reports that this whiskey is aged first in new oak barrels, and then moved to large ex-Chardonnay casks. I didn’t find this information on the Finger Lakes Distilling website, but it does explain some of the nuances of this bourbon that I enjoy.
In the glass, this bourbon is a golden, corn yellow. The bottle itself doesn’t scream for attention – it has some classy branding but is ultimately understated.
The nose is assertive, bright, and complex. Possibly a result of it’s relatively low age, possibly as a result of the substantial rye content. Notes of kitchen spices, fresh grapes, and some caramel.
On entry, this whiskey is full of zest, with caramel, lots of fruits (green apples and plums, which I take as the influence of the Chardonnay finish), and oak. Very enjoyable.
Sweet and long, with notes of spice and banana bread.
Though this whiskey hasn’t received rave reviews by other bloggers, I absolutely think this whiskey is deserving of at least one bottle purchase. Though this whiskey is by no means new to the market, it does offer something unique that bourbon fans will enjoy and possibly even bring into their lineup.
Since the whiskey boom of 2008, the craft whiskey industry has seen its growth almost exponential in the number of new and interesting craft distilleries that are opening up shop. Not to take anything away from the classics we should always pay tribute to like Michters, Pappy, Buffalo Trace, even Westland, there are a number of amazing distilleries whom you’ve probably never even heard of. I am here today to give you a sneak peek into some great American made whiskey. Let’s start off with number 5 and work our way down to the Top American Dram by our standards.
Number 5: Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch
Priced at around $43, this dram is quite sensational in both its nose, palate and finish. On the nose you’ll find light oak, green apples and hints of sweet caramel. The taste leads way into caramel crisps, brown sugar and a touch of cinnamon, with undertones of wet wood laying in the background, giving subtle notice to its oak flavors. It finishes up pretty short, but has a nice richness and spice that lingers for a few minutes .
Number 4: Virginia Highland Single Malt
Priced at about $65, this dram is a little more on an expensive side, because of the way it’s made. It arrives to the distillery as a six year old malt whisky from the Highlands of Scotland and is cask finished on-site. The distillery works with a variety of Virginia port-style wine partners to source the finishing casks. It starts off with hints of brown sugar and nutmeg. As you sip your first sip, it transitions to notes of dark chocolate, butter and leathery tobacco. It’s very strong to the tongue. The port finish gives it a nice sherry like cask finish. The finish is quite long and lingers on the tongue with sweet cinnamon sherry spices.
Number 3: Henebery Whiskey
– Priced at $35, it’s a steal of a dram. The Henebery Whiskey is a Rye based whiskey that has a small infusion after the aging process that really respects and compliments what the American Oak does throughout aging. The fragrance brings cinnamon and spice, butter and dried fruits to the forefront. The palate is more of bitter orange, cinnamon and citrus. The finish is quite light but it has a nice bite to it. Overall, pretty interesting dram, if you’re looking for something a bit different.
Number 2: Thistle Finch Whiskey
Priced at around $35, it’s a modest yet affordable whiskey, that’s worth looking into. This dram is composed of 60% rye, 30% wheat, and 10% malted barley. This mix gives it a nice tasting profile for an unaged whiskey. The nose brings forth cereal and outdoor floral notes. It has a nice layer of complexity on the palate with butterscotch, toffee, lemons and citrus. It finishes up with florals, that has its own layers of complexity. Beautiful dram worth checking out.
Number 1: Heritage Distilling BSB Duel Barrel Bourbon
Priced at around $32 it’s def a steal. Duel Barrel collection is aged in new charred oak barrels and then rests again in premium used barrels that held pure vanilla extract. The nose gives way to sweet caramel and cinnamon sweetness, with vanilla creamy buttery notes. The palate leads us into toffee and spices layered with complexity and smoothness of cedar and buttery goodness. There are hints of caramel and nutmeg present as well. The finish is dry and medium with light spices. Beautiful and extremely affordable dram.
These 5 drams should be sought out if possible, because big things are coming from the distilleries behind them.
This article is a guest post by Gene Kizhnerman, Managing Partner at TasteTheDRAM. Read more of Gene’s expert reviews here.
I happened across a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch 10 Year Triple Grain (called “Johnnie Walker 10 year Triple Grain” for the remainder of the review–too much of a mouthful) at my local liquor store and was intrigued enough to pick it up. I’m glad I did.
Interestingly, as of my writing of this article (2/14/2017), there’s almost zero information about this product available online. The whisky isn’t even listed on the Johnnie Walker website under the “Limited Edition” category. Either way, the bottle came with a bit of information. This whisky is a blend of 10 year whiskies from the Port Dundas, Mortlach, and Cardhu distilleries. The bottle’s “Blender Notes” includes this description:
“Three Grain whiskies using wheat, barley and corn – blended with select Malts. Sweet and creamy with fresh fruits and gentle, spicy smoke. Aged 10 years in American oak casks.”
On with the review…
The nose is gentle, but complex, with hints of fresh-sliced bananas, vanilla, sweet maltiness, all rounded off with a touch of sea-salt.
On entry, this scotch tingles the tip of my tongue. As the liquid expands in my mouth, the flavor is complex and balanced, with sweet spiciness, hints of vanilla, caramel, touches of smoke, charcoal, and salt.
The finish is long and pleasing, with cereal and sweet maltiness followed by hints of sea salt and light smokiness.
Other blogs will surely go into much more detail about the origins and innovations of Johnnie Walker 10 Year Triple Grain. As for your humble servant, this is a scotch I recommend. It has most all that I look for in a quality offering: complexity, balance of competing flavors, and a mix of sweetness, spice, and smoke.
If my local liquor store wasn’t currently closed, I’d be walking over now to pick up at least another bottle. At $33/bottle, I could see this bottle being a standard on my shelf, alongside my other standards at this price point (Monkey Shoulder and Tomatin 12 year to name two).
A-
It isn’t often that I get to review a whiskey from my home, the Pacific Northwest. From what I can tell, Oregon and Washington have been just as affected by the craft whiskey fever going on, and I’m thankful for it. The Northwest has a rich tradition of craftsmanship. You could even call us the original hipsters (step aside Brooklyn). That isn’t to say every whiskey produced in the NW is amazing, but I have to say there are only a few other states that I’ve been as impressed with as Oregon and Washington.
Ok. /endrant. On to Westland Whiskey. In my conversations in the New York City whiskey community, the name had simply come up too often as a recommendation for me to turn down. So when I saw a bottle of this Westland American Single Malt Whiskey (also known as Westland American Oak Whiskey) off of my subway stop on 30th Ave in Astoria, I knew the time was right. And now, months later, I’ve opened the bottle and am working my way through for this review.
Shall we?
Product Specifics
Distillery: Westland Distillery
Origin: Seattle, Washington
ABV: 46% (92 proof)
Casks: Cooper’s Select New American Oak, Cooper’s Reserve New American Oak, First Fill Ex-Bourbon
Price: ~$70
To start with, I’m a big fan of the way that Westland has branded themselves. Unlike many American whiskey companies that continue to play off of the (rather tired) “wild west” motif, Westland blends a number of aesthetics: a straightforward American-esque typeface, a great slogan (“Thoughtfully Made”), and a label design that speaks not only to the Northwest but — and I know I’m reaching here — is also reminiscent of the tribes native to the Pacific Northwest.
The whiskey itself is a deep golden honey color. When I swirl the whiskey in my glass, the legs are long and thick, which prepares me for the medium to full bodied texture I’m about to sip.
On the nose, I pick up malty notes along with oak, balanced fruitiness (fresh-sliced apples and oranges), and hints of caramel.
As indicated on the nose, this whiskey is medium-full bodied in texture, yet the finish is still remarkably clean. Flavor notes include vanilla, baking spices, oak, sweet maltiness, light pepper, and a buttery finish.
Surprisingly, for all of the rave reviews I’ve heard of Westland in conversation with whiskey lovers and even the guys at Park Ave Spirits, I’ve seen somewhat underwhelmed reviews at some popular whiskey websites. Now, it is true that this whiskey retails for about $70, which compared to many other American Whiskeys is high. But this whiskey is unique because it combines the charisma and dynamism of American whiskey with the craftsmanship and balance of the Scottish. Strongly recommended.