Made in America

A couple of Fridays ago, I received an email from Eric Felten (who writes the How's Your Drink? column for the Wall Street Journal). Eric was in the midst of writing a story* and wanted to ask my opinion on the small number of American single malt whiskies currently on - or waiting to hit - the market.

Kevin, I'm working up a column on American single malts, and thought I'd touch base with you to see what your impression of them is -- if you've tried any of them.

What do you think of the concept -- that is, does it make any sense to make Scotch-style whisky in the US when the Scots seem to be doing it pretty well already?

Is it possible to devise a malt whisky that has an American identity?

An interesting question, to which I answered:

Eric,

I have not tried any of them (aside from Anchor's Old Potrero single malt rye).

In concept - Why not?

The problem is that most Americans don't understand that "Scotch" IS whiskey or that (or how) single malts differ from blends. So will they understand that "Wasmund's" is a single malt -  like Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, but not a "Scotch" and not a Bourbon?

American single malts will have the unenviable task of differentiating themselves from Bourbon; Blends; Scotch; Irish Whiskey; Canadian Whisky; etc.

If the boutique American single malts are charging based on their cost (or aspirational pricing) as opposed to what the market will bear - they will have a really tough time.

For better or worse the whisky with an American identity is Bourbon.

In further emails Eric let me know that he was visiting Copper Fox distillery (makers of the aforementioned Wasmund's) the next day - which reminded me that Rick Wasmund and I had previously tried, unsuccessfully, to schedule a visit. With a number of trips coming up for me which would effectively put off a visit until April, I emailed Rick and arranged a visit the following Sunday.

I got in the car at 8 am and about 2 hours later I was pulling into the the small town of Sperryville nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains right next to the massive Shenandoah National Park in Northwestern Virginia. After a few turns I pulled up to the 12,000 square foot former apple warehouse that had been converted into Copper Fox Distillery. I was met at the door by Rick Wasmund, owner, master distiller, mash man, maltster and chief bottle washer.

"Smells like a distillery", I jokingly remarked upon walking through the door. We walked into a small waiting room where Rick pointed out a bootleg still he had recently acquired from a local antiques dealer. We then entered the main part of the warehouse - which serves as warehouse, blending lab, lounge...and kiln. Off to the left was the malt room - to the right, the still room and further down, the warehouse.

A sleeping mouser dozed on a pillow near a wood stove. I started towards the curled-up feline but a warning of "She's not that friendly" stopped me - I let sleeping cats lie.

Not Scotch

Copper Fox is making whisky using the standard steps of malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation - but they have taken the traditional method and adapted it to their location and resources. Referring to Wasmund's as a "Scotch-style" whisky is like saying a Cuban Sandwich and a Croque Monsieur are the same because they both start with a pig and bread. Such is not the case.

The Basics

Copper Fox has their own well which provides a good supply of calcium rich, iron free water - this single source is used to supply all of the water for steeping, mashing and dilution.

Like any single malt whisky, Wasmund's starts with a single grain - in this case - like Scotch - the grain is barley. But they utilize a distinctly American strain called "Thoroughbred" which was developed at Virginia Tech and is grown along Virginia's Northern Neck at a single farm some 130 miles away. Rick tells me:

"Virginia is a great barley growing climate not good, great - I can't believe there aren't more single malt whiskies produced here. But the farmers just don't have a barley market. When I contacted Virginia Tech they were doing back-flips because finally someone wants Virginia barley and they've been working on it for years!"

Copper Fox does 100% of their own malting - 1,200 pounds per batch on each of two floors - following a process that keeps the barley in the steep tank for 3 days, followed by 5 days on the malt floor - where Rick's mother, Helen, is in charge of raking the germinating malt.

Where Scotch whiskies (may) use peat in the malting process, Copper Fox, without ready access to  peat bogs, instead uses 3 days of smoke from two fruit woods, Cherry and Apple, to dry the green barley. Rick explains:

"I wanted to make great whisky. I didn't want to just make a whisky that just tasted like Scotch. Or like bourbon. I wanted to make whisky that was different but really good. I stumbled on the idea of using fruit woods - cherry and apple wood."

But why not just go the path of least resistance - and make bourbon?

"I like bourbon well enough, but I typically like Scotch whiskies better. I think that malted barley makes a better spirit - and there are constraints you have in making bourbon - I mean you can't use any wood other than oak - and I'm all about Apple wood.

I wouldn't say I wouldn't like the challenge - I guess I could make a bourbon with an Apple wood/Cherry wood malt and boost up the malt barley percentage to 40% - would that be interesting? Yeah, but I'd have to wait 4 years and the economics of that have to be considered. In the end, how different would it be? If I'm saying that the wood would have an impact on the flavor - then why not just make single malt?"

Why make a Bourbon? Retail considerations.

An American single malt is unexpected - as a result it will probably be quite a while before your local liquor store has an "American Single Malt" section. For now, Wasmund's is generally shelved in the "Bourbon" section - there's no where else to put it; while looking at the Virginia ABC web site finds Wasmund's listed not on the "Bourbon" page, but instead on the "Blended Whiskey" page.

Mashing & Fermentation

In a standard mashing process, hot water is added to barley grist in a mash tun - the "mash" is then stirred, allowed to sit and then the water drained off. This process is repeated two or three times in an attempt to extract all fermentable sugars from the grain. The sugary water (wort) from the repeated mashings is then moved to a wash back, where yeast is added to begin the fermentation process.

Because of equipment constraints, Copper Fox is doing their mashing a bit differently - adding only "one water" and moving the solids to the fermenters (wash backs) along with the wort.

"We have to stir a little bit more in process. We have to stir our fermenters - It's a bit more work, but it's not that bad."

Distillation

Copper Fox uses a dual still set up which includes a 500 gallon stainless steel wash still - which led a previously life producing coffee liqueur. The second distillation takes place in a new, hand-made 104 gallon copper spirit pot still acquired from Portugal.

REALLY Not Scotch

The use of fruit woods during malting is quite interesting - but it is the final step in the production of Wasmund's production, maturation, that is SO different that it ensures that Wasmund's will never legally be sold in Scotland. First of all, Copper Fox ages the spirit for only 4 months.

Four months? Are they even allowed to call it whisky?

Yes, at least in the United States. According to the Code of Federal Regulation Title 27: PART 5; Labeling and advertising of distilled spirits; Subpart C: Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits:

(b) Class 2; whisky. “Whisky” is an alcoholic distillate from a fermented mash of grain produced at less than 190° proof in such manner that the distillate possesses the taste, aroma, and characteristics generally attributed to whisky, stored in oak containers (except that corn whisky need not be so stored), and bottled at not less than 80° proof, and also includes mixtures of such distillates for which no specific standards of identity are prescribed.

Please note that there is no mention of any requirements for length of maturation. Further into the regulation there IS a mention of age - as it pertains to the use of the term "Straight" - a silly part of the regulation that has caused much confusion among the general public:

(iii) Whiskies conforming to the standards prescribed in paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, which have been stored in the type of oak containers prescribed, for a period of 2 years or more shall be further designated as “straight”; for example, “straight bourbon whisky”, “straight corn whisky”, and whisky conforming to the standards prescribed in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, except that it was produced from a fermented mash of less than 51 percent of any one type of grain, and stored for a period of 2 years or more in charred new oak containers shall be designated merely as “straight whisky”. No other whiskies may be designated “straight”. “Straight whisky” includes mixtures of straight whiskies of the same type produced in the same State.

So, think of it as a loop-hole - if you don't care about calling a whisky "Straight" (and why should you, since no one knows what it means) then there is no requirement in the United States for a whisky to be aged for any minimum amount of time. Label requirements (§ 5.40 - Statements of age and percentage) DO dictate that if a whisky is less than 4 years old, an age statement must be included.

How do they get color and flavor after only 4 months?

Copper Fox does something sure to make Scotch purists apoplectic. In order to accelerate maturation, they add tea-bag-like sacks, filled with pieces of toasted Cherry wood, Apple wood and American oak, and place them directly into the maturation barrels. This "maturation acceleration" process gives a jump start to flavor and color, but will do little for removing some of the less desirable elements from a spirit.

The maturation process is an important part of whisky making - it's not just about adding color - or even flavor to the maturing spirit - no, the wood has chemical interactions with the spirit which deeply affect the final product. From the February 3rd 2006 The Scotch Blog story Into the Wood:

Oak has three broad effects on the spirit:

1. Additive - Adds organoleptically (a $0.50 word meaning the taste and aroma properties of a food or chemical) desirable elements from the cask.  For example: vanillin, Oak lactone (coconut, bourbon character), toastiness, wood sugars and color.
2. Subtractive - Removes undesirable elements from new make spirit. For example: sulphur compounds and immaturity.
3. Interactive - Adds extractive wood elements from the cask and converts them to organoleptically desirable elements. For example: change tannins to acetals; change acetic acid to fruity esthers.

The process of maturation actually removes some of the less desirable flavors from the spirit while introducing desirable flavors. But this process takes time - it is not a process that can easily be accelerated. Several Scottish whisky producers have experimented with affecting maturation through the use of smaller casks, casks made of different woods, inner staves, or even the use of virgin wood casks - many with interesting results - but this is generally after a period of traditional maturation.

Rick is unapologetic about "chipping" the whisky - it is, after all, completely legal in the United States.

"Way back in 2000, when I was coming up with this idea, I considered having someone make casks of Cherry wood. I had someone at Blue Grass cooperage who was going to make a Cherry wood barrel for us. No one was sure it would hold liquid - and someone said - 'How do you know it will be any good?'"

So instead I toasted a piece of Cherry wood; put it in a mason jar along with some Everclear which had been cut to 125 proof - And I started doing some experiments. And I got results. I got results really fast. I knew it was good. I knew we could get flavor out of this and it was good. I knew that if I could malt my own barley and do some different things with smoke that I would create something that would be different and good.

I thought it was a worthy experiment. I tried chips made of all sorts of fruit woods - peach and pear and apple and cherry - and I knew there are a hundred different unique whiskies that I could make, but I decided to settle on a single formula.

It is chipped until we think it is ready, the most we've ever done with the chips is 3 months, and then we switch it into an aging barrel - a fresh ex-bourbon barrel from Virginia Gentleman or Buffalo Trace.

The label says 4 months, because that's the minimum for my formula. The actual stuff going into the bottle is 5 - 7 months."

Price Point

One of the realities that Copper Fox must face is their pricing. I point out that $40 is not cheap - didn't he have a fear that $40 for a 4 month-labeled whisky would be a barrier for purchasers?

"I'm not everybody's whisky. I can't make enough to be everybody's whisky. We have way more labor than your average whisky. I think we are pretty fairly priced."

Tasting Notes

Of course you are wondering what it tastes like...here are my opinions. Your thoughts will be different. Your thoughts are just as valid (if not more so, than mine). Make your own decisions.

Color: In the four short months Wasmund's takes on a very nice color reminiscent of apple cider.

Nose: The nose is sweet with bright dried fruits (golden raisins/sultanas and prunes), but the woodiness dominates and overwhelms. The sweeter scents of the Apple and Cherry wood used in both the malting and maturation certainly come through, but this results in more wood. An empty glass smells strongly of sawdust.

Taste: There's a lot of wood on the palate as well - but only slightly more even than the nose - and unfortunately still overwhelming. I detect some strong bitter chocolate - yet the zing of a very young spirit dominates. The vanilla and caramel one expects from the bourbon casks is noticeably absent. A peculiar sweetness from the combination of fruit woods gives me a hint that this could really be something interesting were it allowed to mature longer.

Finish: The finish is long, with a good amount of underlying cold lozenge sweetness - a little bit bitter and again woody. But it is when the the bitterness begins to fade that a tiny inkling that Copper Fox may be on to something interesting again begins to take shape - the flavors of the fruit wood begin to blossom.

Diluted: A little water subdues the woody notes on the nose - becoming more cedar chest-like. And water also helps to tame the palate - bringing more malt, chocolate and pine flavors and some (completely unexpected) salt undertones. Unfortunately, the water also mutes much of the finish without removing (and in effect, enhancing) the woody bitterness - but also highlights the fruit wood flavors.

It also seems to benefit from aeration - and allowing the whisky to sit for a while softened some of the harsher flavors.

Conclusion

It's apparent that Wasmund's is getting all the good stuff from the wood - but I don't think enough time is passing to allow the wood to work its magic to pull out the bad stuff...and mellow the spirit.

I try not to compare Wasmund's to Scotch - because it is different in so many ways - however, the buying public will invariably make the comparison, and Copper Fox will rise or fall based on whether that comparison is favorable. In the end, although the comparison is unfair - it is unavoidable.

Copper Fox has created the DNA for a very interesting and distinctly American single malt whisky - I personally think that Wasmund's would really benefit from some more time in good oak; with less time with wood chips or perhaps added a little later in the maturation process.

In the meantime, Rick wants you to try his whisky:

"I hope people will support us just because it is good whisky - but I also hope they will want to support the dream of a little guy who can go into an industry of giants and do something with a creative idea."

---

Copper Fox Distillery
Wasmund's Single Malt Whisky
$37
48% ABV
No Artificial Color
Non Chill-filtered
Currently for sale in Virginia, Washington DC, Rhode Island, Illinois, California

---

*Eric's story The Malts of America hit the stands on Saturday, January 13, 2007.

Comments

[Phil]

Wow, great post. Growing up, we always drove through Sperryville on the way to see the grandparents. Living on the West Coast now, small, adventurous craft brewers and distillers are everywhere. It's good to see Virginia starting to get more of them.

The Va ABC website has it listed for $17.90. Is this wrong?

[Kevin Erskine]

Thanks Phil.
Where do you find it at that price?
http://www.abc.virginia.gov/Pricelist/BLENDED_WHISKEY.html
shows the price at $37.35

[Luke D]

I'd also suggest a mention of the McCarthy's Oregon Single malt. It's made just outside of Portland Oregon and, for a 3 year old expression from outside of the Scotland, it's actually quite good. I have a bottle in the back of my cabinet which I occasionally take a dram of. It can't hold a candle to good Islay whisky, but I would suggest it's in a style of a very young Ardbeg or Laphroig. If you see it in your local store, it's certainly worth a taste.

http://www.whiskymag.com/whisky/brand/mccarthys/whisky179.html

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw10302005/taste.html

Cheers!

[Phil]

Ah, I see. I was looking at "Copper Fox Whiskey" here:
http://www.abc.virginia.gov/Pricelist/WHISKEY.html
From the other things on this list, it seems like a "we don't know what it is" category.

A listserv post here
http://homedistiller.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=10350&sid=e2a2d0608d0e858d87b3b40f240129b2
states:
"Eventually, he located an existing distillery in Culpeper that was for sale."

"Wasmund has turned the apple warehouse in Sperryville into a sprawling antiques store. At a bar area, he offers samples of his whiskey. But he can't sell it on site. Copper Fox whiskey is available at 40 of Virginia's state-run ABC liquor stores. A 750 ml. bottle is $19.60."

So, perhaps Cooper Fox Distillery used to make cheap liquor and this is the leftover VaABC entry, or this was an early test run Wasmund's.

[Kevin Erskine]

Phil,
Rick was involved with Copper Fox whisky which is a blend, but had a falling out of some sort with his partner.

I understand the use of Copper Fox in the name of the whisky is currently being settled in court.

I've invited Rick to give a clarification if he likes.

Luke,
I did try one small dram of the McCarthy's.
I'd like to give it a second chance, but I found it to be very peaty with no complexity and no finish. I had it after trying a number of other whiskies, so I reserve judgement.

I understand that McCarthy's uses barley imported from Scotland (Port Ellen Maltings) and has the barley mashed and fermented at Widmer Brothers. So the only thing they are doing is the actual distilling.

It is aged 3 years.

[sku]

Kevin, good article. I'm interested in the burgeoning American malt whisky movement.

On a recent trip to Colorado, I picked up a bottle of Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey, which I understand is also a malt (though I couldn't get many details about its production) and is only available in Colorado right now.

[Rick Wasmund]

Re: Copper Fox whisky. I started that product under a different preexisting license in 2002. I had a contract to buy the distillery.
The product was a three grain (no malt) mash, primarily corn and was to my knowledge the first apple wood aged whisky in the world. I learned a lot about practical aging results and the product was well received.
After a delayed closing on the contract and surprising success of the whisky in terms of sales, the seller tried to raise the price and get an ownership interest in Copper Fox Distillery Enterprises.
Neither were agreeable to me. . . so now we are due in court this spring to dissolve the joint venture. Original price was 19.60 in VA and after my separation the price was lowered to its current level. It was a frustrating time for me and I felt betrayed. However the Single Malt was always in my plan and where my heart was. . . so I just kept moving forward and looking back we are much better off now than we would be had we closed the deal.

[Jeff]

I was in the ABC store a few weeks ago doing a little Christmas shopping when I stumbled upon the Wasmund's in the "high end" shelves. Being a big supporter of "local product", I couldn't resist a Virginia-made single malt, tossed a bottle in the cart (hesitating briefly at the ~$40 price) and headed home. When I got home and scrutinized the bottle and found the not-so-prominent "4 months old" statement on the label (tucked next to the UPC barcode and the "booze and pregnancy don't mix" warning), I began to think I'd been had. After uncorking the bottle and trying a little, first without, then with water, I'd wished I had held out on the impulse buy. With all due respect to the labors of Mr. Wasmund, I couldn't find anything I liked about this stuff, despite wanting to like it. To each his own. I'm guessing that when you fire up a new distillery, you need to start generating some revenue sooner rather than a few years down the road. The 4 months of "tea bagging" appeared to me to be an acceleration of the whisky making process that didn't bring about the maturity or finesse that I would hope to see in a $40 single malt. I genuinely wish him the best and don't expect world class stuff out of a new venture, but I'd wait a couple years and try it by the glass next time.

[docholiday]

I agree with Kevin about McCarthy's but I'm a little more harsh and decided on how I feel about it. I read about it in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible who gave it rave reviews. As a single malt fanatic (the peaty Islay's included), I was excited to try it. I went out picked up a bottle but what a huge disappointment. I couldn't even finish a dram. I don't know if a few more years (or decades) of maturation will help it but it was the first time I had to dump out a dram of whisky - nasty stuff. Oh well.

[Chris Doxzen]

Kevin, this is not only my first foray onto a blog site but also my first "experience" with savoring great, really great whiskey, so I speak with genuine innocence and a fresh, wide eyed appreciation. I am, I think, a whiskey distiller's testing dream - without knowledge, without preexisting preferences and biases.. simply judging based on taste and appreciation. Rick Wasamunds' whiskey is highly unusual - and it depends upon the batch..part of the charm..of the nine batches to date - only one proved raw and premature, at least in my estimation. the others "sang" and each batch was different but equally delicious - richly textured, luxorious, laying heavy on the tongue, smooth and thick - delicious and begging for a cigar accompaniment. Rick's methods may be unorthodox in the eyes of some in that he challenges traditions and may not "age" his whiskey but the reality is that he learned from the Masters in Scotland, he learned from the best and is applying their techniques's here and it works, it really works.. so let's not over analyze. I foxhunt with three flasks. two of which are filled with what I call my "manly man drinks.."- Ricks' Whiskey... at the end of a hunt I always return with two empty flasks.. His whiskey is my choice. It's great and has phenomenal potential .. I only wish I'd been in on the investor side early on.. for now.. I'm simply happy to enjoy and share with my friends.

[Ron Griffis]

I had the pleasure of meeting Rick Wasmund and tasting his whiskey just a few days ago. My fiancee and I were at a bridal show (of all places) in Palm Beach. I asked the bartender (Jason Savino of Potions in Motion) what brands of scotch he had on hand, hoping for a Glenmorangie, and he offered me a Wasmund's. Jason then introduced me to Rick, who was in the area promoting his whiskey.

I believe the ealier post about the variation in the batches must be correct, because what I tasted was one of the best glasses of whiskey I have ever had... and I am very fussy about my whiskey. I was stunned when he told me how young it was. My fiancee put aside her cocktail and finished my glass of Wasmund's, forcing me to ask for another... and a third... a fourth... ;)

Rick Wasmund seems to be a terrific guy and I am very impressed with his product. I intend to keep my home permanently stocked with Wasmund's. A couple of friends might even get Wasmund's for Christmas. Thank you Rick!

[Kevin Erskine]

Jason Savino is a poor bartender since he doesn't know that Wasmund's is not "scotch".

But glad you liked it. Rick is a nice guy, and I look forward to my random encounters with him.