American

Whiskey Review: Copper Fox Rye

We review Copper Fox Rye, aged in two different barrel types and treated with a "progressive series" of fruit wood chips.

OVERALL RATING

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Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
Deep copper
Nose:
This smells nice! Lots of dry, crisp notes of rye grain – pumpernickel bread crust, cracked black pepper, and cinnamon stick. The smoke comes through as a clean, crackling campfire built out of dry, slightly resinous wood.
Palate:
Also yummy. Lots of cinnamon, but without that false, Atomic Fireball kind of cinnamon quality found in many craft ryes. The malted barley is definitely detectable, and a bit raw tasting, but instead of reading as musty it provides a nice sweet background for the rye to play against. The finish is subtly herbaceous, with a peppery snap and ginger heat. Sweet char emerges in the somewhat hot and ashy finish. Final Thoughts: This is an interesting thing to taste. The wood from the chip-intensive aging procedure is less pronounced than in their single malt (perhaps it’s just better matched by a more robust rye mash bill), but again, I can’t shake the feeling that they might have been better served by just putting it in a regular barrel for 17 months. Score: 82/100 [SHOP FOR A BOTTLE OF COPPER FOX RYE]
Finish:
Comments:

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Margarett Waterbury

Margarett Waterbury is the author of "Scotch: A Complete Introduction to Scotland's Whiskies" and a full-time freelance writer and editor specializing in the beverage industry. Her work has graced the pages of numerous publications, including Whisky Advocate, Food and Wine, Spirited Magazine, Artisan Spirit, Edible Seattle, Sip Northwest, Civil Eats, Travel Oregon, and many others. She also boasts editorial experience as the former managing editor of Edible Portland and as a co-founder and former managing editor of The Whiskey Wash. In recognition of her talent, Margarett received the Alan Lodge Young Drinks Writer of the Year award in 2017 and was awarded fellowships for the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers in 2017 and 2019.

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