Copper Fox Distillery

Copper Fox Distillery is a distillery that produces American whiskey in Sperryville, Virginia and Williamsburg, VA. The owner and operator of Copper Fox Distillery is Rick Wasmund.

View of the Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, VA

History

Before starting Copper Fox, Wasmund apprenticed for six weeks at the Bowmore distillery on the Isle of Islay, learning the art of floor malting.[1] Copper Fox was licensed to begin distilling by the Virginia ABC board in 2005 as a limited distiller (<5,000 gallons), and that year Copper Fox opened its first distillery in Sperryville, VA, in a converted apple packaging plant.[2] Pursuing an additional location, Copper Fox purchased the historic Lord Paget Motor Inn in Williamsburg, VA, in 2015. They opened their second distillery location in July 2016, and both are operational today.

Process
Barrels aging at the Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, VA

Copper Fox uses barley bred specifically for the distillery and grown in Virginia, and Copper Fox is the only distiller in the United States to do 100% of its own malting.[3] During the malt drying process, fruitwood (including applewood and cherrywood) smokes the grain, similar to peat smoke use in Scotch whiskies. All the wood used for the smoke comes from local orchards.[4] In addition to malting for their own products, Copper Fox sells a portion of their malt to breweries, who use it to make beer.[5]

Copper Fox whisky is distilled in a copper pot still and aged in used bourbon barrels (from another Virginia distillery, A. Smith Bowman, maker of Virginia Gentleman bourbon). Copper Fox utilizes 'chipping' in the aging of their whisky, adding a sachet of small chunks or 'chips' of charred wood to the aging barrel.[6] Using this accelerated technique, Copper Fox whiskies are aged at a minimum of twelve months, compared to the 3 year minimum for Scotch Whisky. In addition to single malt whiskies, Copper Fox produces whiskies made from rye, clear spirits, and a botanical gin. They also plan on releasing a bourbon in the future. All bottles of alcohol produced at Copper Fox are filled and labelled by hand.[4]

Products
  • Wasmund's Single Malt Whisky
  • Copper Fox Rye
  • Copper Fox Peachwood Single Malt Whisky
  • Vir Gin
  • Wasmund's Single Malt Blue Top
  • Wasmund's Single Malt Green Top
  • Copper Fox Rye Blue Top
  • Wasmund's Single Malt Spirit
  • Wasmund's Rye Spirit
  • Wasmund's Bourbon Mash Spirit
  • Barrels, for aging spirits

Awards
  • Wasmund's Single Malt Whisky
    • 92 points (Exceptional), Beverage Testing Institute[7]
    • Gold Medal, International Review of Spirits, Beverage Testing Institute[7]
    • Best in Class (Class: Malt Whiskey - Un-aged), American Distilling Institute 2011 Judging[8]
  • Copper Fox Rye
    • 94 points (Exceptional), Beverage Testing Institute[9]
    • Gold Medal, International Review of Spirits, Beverage Testing Institute[9]
    • Bronze (Class: Rye - Un-aged), American Distilling Institute 2011 Judging[8]

References
  1. "Copper Fox Distillery Official Website". Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  2. "Copper Fox Distillery Licence". Virginia ABC Board. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  3. McAteer, M.J. (14 February 2007). "Creating a Buzz in Virginia". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  4. "Pioneering Whisky at Copper Fox Distillery". Proof66.com. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  5. "Copper Fox Distillery: Meet Virginia Makers." The Virginia Distillers Association - Virginia Spirits Home, Virginia Spirits, 9 Jan. 2018
  6. Erison, Jay; Lew Bryson (January 2009). "Small Stills, Big Whiskeys". Malt Advocate.
  7. "Wasmund's Single Malt Whisky". Beverage Testing Institute. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  8. "American Distilling Institute 2011 Winners". American Distilling Institute. Archived from the original on 1 May 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  9. "Wasmund's Copper Fox Rye Whisky". Beverage Testing Institute. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2011.

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