Copperworks Distilling Unveils Amaro-Finished American Single Malt

Seattle’s Copperworks Distilling Company has announced a new limited-run American single malt finished in casks that once held amaro, the bitter Italian liqueur, labeled as Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey Release 17.

Actually, that’s a bit of an oversimplification, as the new expression spent its final seven months in what the distillery calls “collaboration casks”—barrels that Copperworks initially used to age their single malt, then sent to Letterpress Distilling to age their Amaro Amarino, who then sent them back to Copperworks. It’s a single-cask release that will be available at the distillery itself or at their online store, and the distillery also produced an aged gin using the same technique.

This expression is an experiment that joins some other unique concepts put forth by Copperworks, including their Single Variety Malt Whiskey, which, as we wrote earlier this year, is an expression made from “a single variety of barley grown on a single local farm in one growing season.” Copperworks is still a relatively young distillery, and it’s interesting to see the directions they’re pushing the still-nebulous American single malt category in, not unlike their longer-established Seattle competitors at Westland.

The distillery’s official tasting notes are below:

• Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey, Release 17 (Amaro Cask Finished): Aromas of orange, menthol, and peppermint, with flavors of sarsaparilla and cedar, with a bitter orange, mint finish. 750ml, 50% ABV, $76.49 (not including taxes or shipping). 290 bottles available.