The story of Copper Fox is a story of passion, love for Whiskey, and mad skills. Rick Wasmund opened the distillery in 2005 in Sperryville, Virginia, after years of meticulous research. All of the barley comes from one farmer and the sort of barley they use was exclusively developed for them by Virginia Tech. What a rad origin story! Then, the grain is smoked and dried with local fruitwoods instead of peat, and – get ready for this – Copper Fox is the only distillery on the planet that matures Whiskey in toasted applewood. You can’t get ritzier than that.
This bottle brings an original American Single Malt of a rich copper color and intriguing harmony of aromas and flavors. It was distilled from 100% malt mash and spent up to 18 months in ex-Bourbon barrels and was finished with toasted applewood. It's a peerless American Whiskey that will make you ask yourself: "Where was this delight all this time?!" Well, it's here now and consider us flabbergasted.
What does Copper Fox American Single Malt Whisky taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Copper Fox American Single Malt Whisky and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
Tennessee Whiskey closely parallels Bourbon, but final filtering through sugar-maple charcoal (called the Lincoln County Process) is what some producers say differentiates them. Tennessee Whiskey’s finish is sweeter and smoother than Bourbon.
Smokey is fine... this is a weird Smokey flavor. Like firewood and a wet, mildewed towel. Not my favorite.
Greg,
Unfortunately not a fan. Although it was fun to taste it tastes and smells like a wet boot from a wildland firefighter after a brush fire. Very smokey....
Ryan,
Metallic and a caper flavor. Not for me, weird smokeyness, some might like the distinct/unique flavors. So worth a try, but not for me.
Abby,
Doesn’t have a lot of flavor. The mouth feel is pretty sterile.
Scott,
I tend to like a smokey or spicy whiskey, but this tasted almost artificial...like smelling or straight tasting a bottle of liquid smoke. There are elements under the smoke that are pleasant, but are unfortunately drowned out by the overpowering “wet campfire” (quoting previous reviews).
Kevin,
Eh, I've had better. There's an off-putting youth to the spirit - while the base spirit has potential (lightly sweet, hints of chocolate, an appealing savory undercurrent), it needs more time in the barrel to mellow out its harshness.
Nicholas,
As other reviews state, perhaps an acquired taste, but overly smoky and off putting. Like a wet campfire.
John,
A real American surprise. The smokiness stays with you in such a familiar scotch way.
Paul,
This literally tastes like I'm smoking a cigarette while I'm drinking it. I also get the green olives listed in the notes. I appreciate the oddity of it.
John,
Decent body, with enjoyable sweet notes, but a little more peaty than I like.
Daniel,
Tastes like a room would after bunch of people smoked cigars.
Ericka,
My favorite of the single malt tasting set. Nice smokiness on the nose, spice toasted flavors on the palette. Will definitely grab a bottle!
Jamie,
I thought this was really good and am surprised to see the low rating. This one has a very unique light but complex profile. The honey note offsets stronger notes like leather, olive, and toasted rye. For a Rye heavy whisky it wasn’t spicy at all.
Sean,
Never had one like it. It’s smoky but has a different flavor profile than a scotch or a Japanese whisky. Gotta admit it was a little surprising at first but ended up being enjoyable once the taste center of my brain could process it. I finally understand the “leathery” descriptor with this one!
Darren,
Strong smoke leather taste...not good!
ELIJAH,
Discovered my new favorite whiskey
Duane,
No real flavor except harsh smoke and wood. I can handle smokiness with some other notes but this had none. Thankfully I got it in tasting shipment and didn't spend money.
David,
Smoky and toasty, surely not for everyone, but a must try for smoky lovers
Dwayne,
Smoky and smooth - a bit astringent, so try it with a cigar or some steak.
Leigh,
Not for me...the leather and smoke flavor is just too overpowering. Aroma is a lot more enjoyable. If you’re after something different, this will deliver...just prepare for a smoke and leather onslaught.
Jim,
This is definitely a young whiskey, aged like a bourbon, without the softness from a good aging. Had strong tones rye and also of apple, probably from the finish aging Also a pretty harsh finish. Wouldn't seek this one out again.
Joseph,
this was a terrible whiskey. tastes like wood smoke, but not in a good way.
Paulo,
This is not a good flavor profile. The nose is harsh, overly sweet, damp leather, wood smoke, has that 'craft whiskey' funk. The palate is similar but with much less sweetness and the finish is woody, with some cocoa butter. The flavors are unbalanced and simply just don't go together. Hard pass for me.
Chris,
This tastes like a very nice leather couch and cigars. Wonderfully strong, so be careful if you prefer a smooth bite.
Matt,
Strong plastic flavor. Wet leather. Not good.
David,
The nose is fairly harsh, with a dominance of rye, leather and alcohol. The leather and grainy/woody taste was a bit aggressive and drowned out everything else.
Steven,
Yuk! Received this in a tasting sampler. It’s the only time we’ve thrown out over 90% of the sample. Like chewing on smoky leather.
Bobby,
Absolutely magnificent
Chad,
Rich flavors, excellent nose. Such a great combination.
Alex,
Smoke hits hard, almost has a mezcal sense to it, with a more noticeable sweetness. Taste right up front is that same smoke, maybe a touch of vanilla, suede or leather is definitely there like the profile says. This grew on me the more of it I had. I found adding a few drops of water really helped smooth out the bite in the back end. It has a substantially long finish.
Teraesa,
Was not a fan of Copper Fox. If you get it in the tasting box, taste it last. Otherwise the leathery, almost plastic flavor is really cloying and overwhelms the tasting. I wound up mixing it into a Manhattan that mellowed it out to a nice caraway flavor.
Mark,
Unique flavor with toasted rye and dried fruits. Smooth
Nicholas,
Apparently I’m not a single malt guy. Did not enjoy this.
Steve,
Fascinating! I am literally drinking what we used to feed the cows during winter! Silage. Having said that, it is a truly novel taste. Highly recommended on those nights where you choose to have a third dram and don't want to waste the good stuff (but you're not settling for JW Black or some sh!t).
Antti,
It is an intense, American Single Malt Whisky that has an aromatic birth; while a complex life leads to a long & spicy death with hints of marmalade, apple, root beer & rye toast.
Zach,
Overall ok, but too smoky for my tastes.
Jay,
Love this one. The toasted flavor is so smooth and the finish that I love I attribute to the leather description but not sure if that is technically correct. I love this whiskey and will buy it.
Brian,
I'll give it credit for being smooth but to me it was a hot mess. Not for me.
Chad,
This was ok for me. Smoke hits me first, but it does have a smooth finish.
Joel,
Extremely smokey and prominent leather flavor. Honestly tastes like a burnt shoe.
rich,
Not a fan. Too smokey with an unpleasant aftertaste. Moving on.
Ryan,
Not for me
Richard,
A bit too much at first, but extremely smooth with an ice cube...leathery-spice the whole way through with a sweet finish. Not bad at all.
Carlos,
Pepper taste is not big on preferred favorites.
Matthew,
Smoke from the moment you take your first sniff and continues over to the taste. Great if you love a smokey whiskey with some fruitiness.
Jim,
Too smokey for my taste
James,
One of the best that I've tried. Smokey flavor mixes well in my old fashioned.
Sunni,
Tobacco, leather, olive oil. Just not my favorite flavor combo and it’s hot going down.
ross,
Leathery taste good for after your pallet set.something more unique.
Candice,
Love! Good amount of spice, leather?
Chris,
For me the nose smelled strongly of tobacco and leather. The nose was encouraging, but the flavor was a bit of a let down. It seems kind of fruit forward but then there are undertones of basically a workboot, rubber and leather.
Wouldn't buy again.
John,
Well... smelled better than it tasted. Olives were way to strong for me, I like smoke, but this combined with the olives and leather (suede) were overpowering. After reading other reviews I tried adding a little frozen water to cool it and see what it did for the flavors. Bad decision, the tanned leather chemical flavor was way too much. I’m glad others like it, it just shows we all have different tastes and preferences. Oh, but I love the name! Cooper Fox, it was my first choice of samples this round.
Dj,
Toasted/smokey on the initial taste. sweetness with light fruit and major leather throughout. I can appreciate this but don't know if i would buy a bottle.
Jonathan,
Smoke overwhelmed the flavor. Not good with cheesecake.
Courtney,
While it’s always great to try something with a unique flavor. It’s just not a combination of flavors for me.
Kerry,
Very Smokey. Almost spicy. I’m not typically a Scotch gal, but if I were, I would love it. I didn’t smell/taste any other notes than smoke & olive.
Vijaya,
A very good finish... Smokey in a very nice way... don’t like Smokey smell... then it is not for you...
Lamonte,
Love the taste
Ronald,
Nice mellow nose , Tased honey , rye , dry fruit.
Over all I really lick it alot
John,
Smoke, gasoline, floral, dark chocolate, licorice
Cristina,
Hint of sweetness with great smoke. Enjoyed it
mark,
The apples are there, but the smoke and bite make it difficult to find without some water. It is really, really young and that stand out. With some age to it, this would be an outstanding whisky
Michael,
Way too smoky for me. I had to add ice to get through a single pour. Maybe I can mix it with something.
Eric,
Has a bit of a metallic taste on the back end, even with some water, but otherwise smooth and somewhat flavorful.
Raymond,
Very bad after taste, do not like
Christopher,
There’s an interesting smell to it that I can’t quite put my finger on. It tastes better than it smells, but the nose is hard to get past.
Mark,
Burnt toast flavor was over powering....
Christian,
Two of the most dominant flavor profiles are "Toasted" and "Olive" so not so surprisingly, this taste like a Spanish tapenade scotch. The Olive and Leather overwhelm any other effort toward flavor with the exception of a lingering rye sting. Very disappointing.
Paul,
Leather accent overwhelms the other flavors in it
John,
I don't care for this one. It tastes like leather & fire
Geoffrey,
Not a fan. A very strong leather taste to me. I coul see using it in a mixed drink, but not interested in drinking neat again. It was out of a sample box, so not enough to experiment with, I could see a smoker finding the flavor to their taste.
Kelly,
Overwhelmingly peaty and bitter. Much like a smokier Laphroaig, but with a wetter herbal flavor. I like Laphroaig, though. This is almost undrinkable.
Carl,
Smokey
Mehmet,
Nice tobacco flavor on the nose, with a pleasant leather forward note, with a decent finish.
Julien,
Smooth finish
Michael,
Very medicinal nose, sharp taste. Perfect example of why I've moved on to more aged single malts.
Nikki,
Of the three in the tasting box this was my least favorite. It has a very weak smoky flavor to it and not much else for tasting notes. Not smooth at all.
Scott,
I really like it! It’s very unique and enjoyable. My first impression was of hay or grass, especially when nosing. The first big flavor is fruitiness which fades to a pleasant dry sweetness. I’m very impressed. If you’re expecting something like a single malt you may be shocked but if you have an open mind you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Sylvia,
It had a very sharp initial nose, but the flavor was overly honeyed. I tried it neat and with ice and didn’t care for it much either way.
Homer,
Love it, the Olive is unique in flavor and very tasty.
Amy,
Leather is gross. Yuck!
Tripp,
Oak flavor
Matt,
Medicinal with burnt caramel notes, stringent finish on the tongue. Floral aroma
Ron,
Good aroma. Flavors kept changing during the tasting; some were good, some were not as good. I'm very divided on this one. Interesting fruit flavors, possibly apple. Noticeable amount of smoke but not too much for a scotch. At times there are other flavors that I didn't like.
WILLIAM,
Wow... very loooong finish. Orange peel, light peat, hint of vanilla, & honey stick around on the palate for the longest finish I’ve experienced with any whiskey.
I plan to purchase a bottle & pair this with a cigar. The peat smoke is subtle enough (compared to some heavily peated scotch I keep on the shelf) that it begs for a cigar to round it’s toasted smokiness out properly.
I can definitely see how this might be a like it or don’t like it for people. For me, it’s intriguing... I keep smacking the roof of my mouth after each sip, surprised at how long the flavors stick around, mellow, and how different flavors take turns coming forward on the finish.
The initial flavors are bold enough to stand up to cigar pairing, they’ll “cleanse” between draws, and the long finish will compliment the right cigar.
Did I say “cigar” too much? Cigar.
Chris,
This one was just ok in my tasting box. To me this was a whiskey pretending to be a scotch. I know, all scotch is whiskey but “not all whiskeys are scotch”. I didn’t get any of the fruit notes as I enjoyed this and tasted a very Smokey burnt taste to it. That must have been the leather and toasted notes over powering everything else. I’ve had better whiskeys and scotches.
Karen,
Very strong from the start. Can’t it past the leather taste, not a fan.
Jacob,
Peaty.
Robert,
A little alcohol forward. A touch of water brings out the flavor, but I still wasn’t excited.
Michael,
Loved the aroma, but proved to be a little sharp for me
Stacey,
Really delightful! I would never have guessed a 1 yr old whiskey could taste so smooth! It’s “comfy chair next to the fireplace” kind of sipping whiskey.
Victor,
Interesting nose where I could smell the smoked fruitwood. Not a fan of the olive flavor and a little harsh.
Daniel,
Ok, a little hard to drink.
Chris,
Not my favorite very smoky & peppery aroma and taste. Long finish
and the after taste is not pleasant at all.
Doug,
A friend and I thought this was by far the best combination of flavor and spice in the Single Malt taste box.
Christopher,
Just can’t get into this one
Daniel,
Aromatic pipe tobacco... 👍🏻
Daniel,
It goes down alright, not my favorite, but the aftertaste is revolting.
Alex,
Unfortunately, too fruity and sweet for me. It’s cool to hear about the story of distillery and all the unique things they’re doing, but I can’t say I enjoyed it. It tastes like fruity syrup...hopefully their other whiskies are better...
Bruce,
Sharp on the nose. Smoke and Pete mix with some subtle rye notes. There is some sweetness but that is muddled by the other flavors.
Chris,
Strong peaty flavor. Okay sipper.
Rex,
Flavor of whiskey mixed with a campfire. Liked it at first but not sure I can finish the bottle. This is definitely a slow supper.
Matthew,
8.75 ~ beautiful flavor
Mr.,
Decent drink. Sweet with hints of olive. Th finish burns a little much for my taste
chris,
i definitely taste the olive, i almost thought this was a peaty scotch
Oliver,
Nice smooth start, personally really don’t like the finish