Wasmund's Whiskey

[Joe Riley]

I'm going to get to try this on Friday, and I should also have it in the store, too:

http://www.copperfox.biz/index2.html#

I'm VERY intrigued. A friend told me that it smells more like wood-aged grappa than Scotch, but that it is very smooth, and shows its 96-proof alcohol well.

[agm]

I'm going to get to try this on Friday, and I should also have it in the store, too:

http://www.copperfox.biz/index2.html#

I'm VERY intrigued. A friend told me that it smells more like wood-aged grappa than Scotch, but that it is very smooth, and shows its 96-proof alcohol well.

Looks interesting, but can a single-malt aged only six months really develop its full flavor? I'm highly skeptical. But I'll gladly buy a bottle, if you get it.

[Joe Riley]

Looks interesting, but can a single-malt aged only six months really develop its full flavor? I'm highly skeptical. But I'll gladly buy a bottle, if you get it.

I'm beginning to think that this will be a somewhat unique whiskey experience. The nice part is, it won't be terribly expensive as whiskey goes.

If you've ever had the McCarthy's whiskey from Clear Creek Distillery in Oregon, you will get some idea of just how compelling a young whiskey from this country can be. I've always thought that it was a dead-ringer for Lagavulin 16-year from Islay, and it's almost 1/2 the price. Very cool stuff.

[DanielK]

Looks interesting, but can a single-malt aged only six months really develop its full flavor? I'm highly skeptical. But I'll gladly buy a bottle, if you get it.

I'm with agm - if you get this in, say the word, and there could be an impromptu tasting going down...

[mdt]

I'm with agm - if you get this in, say the word, and there could be an impromptu tasting going down...

Yup!

[starfish]

I'm going to get to try this on Friday, and I should also have it in the store, too:

http://www.copperfox.biz/index2.html#

I'm VERY intrigued. A friend told me that it smells more like wood-aged grappa than Scotch, but that it is very smooth, and shows its 96-proof alcohol well.

i have tasted it and was extremely impressed. does it stand along side the greats from across the pond? the question is moot. it is an extremely interesting excercise for the palate, and a cheap one at that. we will proudly have it on the bar at ps 7's.

[Barbara]

i have tasted it and was extremely impressed. does it stand along side the greats from across the pond? the question is moot. it is an extremely interesting excercise for the palate, and a cheap one at that. we will proudly have it on the bar at ps 7's.

OK, OK. How does this compare with the A.J. Hirsch bourbon you poured for jparrott and myself a couple of months ago at your former place of employment? (And, yes, I know the difference between various whiskeys: anything that doesn't come from Scotland can't be called "Scotch.") That stuff was such a complete revelation to me . . .

[jparrott]

Bar, baby, that's a bit of a high bar to set for Wasmund's--to compare a smoked-malt whisky that has had six months of rather jarring barreling and infusion to soft, mellow corn mash sitting and oxidizing sixteen slow years in barrel.

I'm not a huge fan of the Copper Fox process a priori...I hope they are doing some orthodox barreling for long-term appreciation and comparison. But I admire their use of local barley and their malting/drying process (unlike some of the West Coast guys who import malt). Dare I say it, whisky terroir?

[Barbara]

Bar, baby, that's a bit of a high bar to set for Wasmund's--to compare a smoked-malt whisky that has had six months of rather jarring barreling and infusion to soft, mellow corn mash sitting and oxidizing sixteen slow years in barrel.

Well, see, that's exactly why I asked the question. I mean, I used to think that Maker's Mark was the HEIGHT of bourbon sophistication. Silly me. It all comes down to what you want to pay, doesn't it?

[Joe Riley]

I have ze whiskey in stock now. This is the last of "lot #1" and lot #2 is already bottled.

Special rate for all DR.com folks. Drop me a PM or an email and I'll reserve your bottle for you.

I got to try it today and you may color me extremely impressed. The nose reminded me more of Calvados or even Prime Uva, the Italian distillate from whole grapes, rather than grape pommace.

This whiskey is better than perfectly decent, it is a very nice local treat. Personally, this will take care of some of my Christmas shopping early

[ol_ironstomach]

Well, see, that's exactly why I asked the question. I mean, I used to think that Maker's Mark was the HEIGHT of bourbon sophistication. Silly me. It all comes down to what you want to pay, doesn't it?

Food and drink being such sensual things, one hopes that it all comes down to what you like.

Maker's Mark was the first whiskey of any sort that I actually liked. In its style, it's unapologetically fine stuff. That it's inexpensive and readily available (nowadays) is just icing on the cake!

[Barbara]

Food and drink being such sensual things, one hopes that it all comes down to what you like.

Maker's Mark was the first whiskey of any sort that I actually liked. In its style, it's unapologetically fine stuff. That it's inexpensive and readily available (nowadays) is just icing on the cake!

Actually, it was a glass of MM that turned me onto bourbon in the first place. I was clueless. The Hirsch, however, was simply ethereal. Like dessert in a glass. Too bad it costs so damn much. I hate finding that the expensive stuff is better.

[jparrott]

It's all right. It's has a very young-whiskey edge to it but has some complex aromatics. It'll be interesting to see if later bottlings are mellower.

[Barbara]

AB Liquors on Columbia Road has this in and offered me a sample taste. BLECCCHHH. Aromatic, indeed. Thanks, but no thanks.

[agm]

Finally got around to cracking open a bottle, which was eagerly sampled by a dozen or so willing volunteers. These were highland games athletes and judges, people who as a group have consumed somewhat more than their fair share of single malts. Everyone found it interesting, most commenting on the complexity of the taste, and the obvious influence of multiple woods that aren't normally used for whisky. Several people mentioned the "bite" - some negatively, others appreciatively. I didn't find it particularly aggressive, but when later switching to a traditional single malt did find that one much smoother in comparison. Some thought (including me) that they've found an interesting way of getting great flavor out of the various woods, but that perhaps the recipe needs some tinkering. For those who require a smoother whisky, this was too young. One person thought it was excessively sweet and fruity. Overall, most liked it, but not all; everyone agreed it had potential. One person originally from Newfoundland said it reminded him of the whiskies from that area, which led to a discussion of sending him back home for a shopping trip.

For me, it's a keeper. Needs work on the recipe, and I hope that they're also putting some aside for longer, more traditional aging, but I do like it, and it makes an interesting change from traditional whisky.

[Joe Riley]

*UPDATE*

Lot #4 is almost sold out, and Lot #5 has been bottled. It is REALLY lovely.

Ric Wasmund's technique has been evolving and each batch has been a slightly different animal. Adjectives escape me, but Lot #5 is the most sophisticated bottling yet, less grappa (or Calvados)-like, delicious flavor.

I love this stuff. It will top my Christmas list this year for whisky gift-giving.

Ric mentioned to me today that he's gotten a write-up in the Malt Advocate. I don't subscribe, but it's probably worth checking out.

[porcupine]

Finally got 'round to trying this stuff (lot #4), and it's... different. I mean that in a good way. I found it complex and intriguing and a little sweet. Keep in mind that I adore rye and bourbon and generally dislike Scotch. If you're looking for something off the beaten path you'll get a kick out of Wasmund's.

[porcupine]

Wasmund's Batch #4 is summed up beautifully by ol_ironstomach: sawdust and bandsaw ozone on the nose, with smoke but no peat somewhere between nose and palate. Bandsaw ozone. We are having waaaay too much fun with this tonight.

[Joe Riley]

Nice story about Wasmund's here in the Rappahannock News:

http://www.zwire.com/site/tab4.cfm?newsid=...id=506086&rfi=6

[cucas87]

Yesterday a partner in crime and I found ourselves in Sperryville, VA, enjoying the great weather, changing leaves and a lazy Sunday afternoon. And on a whim and after a few requests for directions, we found our way to the Copper Fox distillery where Wasmund's single malt whiskey is made. We stopped in and ended up getting a generous private tour (complete with tastings) from Rick Wasmund himself and we also met his mother, Helen. Now, I happen to like scotch, but I don't know a ton about it. I learned to drink it by necessity about 6 years ago when I was trying to resolve a labor dispute (read: strike) and the other side was literally blowing smoke in my face. Eventually, after the negotiations had broken down, I went to the hotel bar and ordered some scotch and promptly ran into the people I'd been hoping to avoid. I don't know if they were surprised that I hadn't ordered an umbrella drink or a white wine spritzer, but I can say that that night was a definitive step toward resolution of the issues. Since then, I've been trying to drink and taste more carefully. And after reading about Wasmund's here, I was interested in finding out more about it. All in the name of continuing education, of course.

As the press and the Wasmund's website will tell you, Wasmund's malts its own barley in a traditional floor-malting method. So we got to see the barley in its various stages (including the on-the-floor stages). I had read that Wasmund's dries the barley by using apple wood, cherry wood and oak wood smoke, but until we were there, I somehow hadn't understood that they use those instead of peat. We also saw the still and the fermenter and we got a sneak peek at the secret chip-aging process. I really can understand now, having seen the distillery and talked with Rick, and tasted a bit, why each batch of Wasmund's tastes so different. Rick has a passion for distilling that is addictive. Not only did we try the whiskey through its various stages, but we sampled several batches, a few barrels in progress, and a taste of a whiskey he made without the chips. If you tried batch one, I encourage you to see how the whiskey has progressed through to batch six. Personally, I'm a fan of batch six. Not that I'm above some extensive tasting to be sure I haven't missed out on another excellent batch. I really need to sip some more to describe the taste. Damn, I should have taken notes.

[agm]

I opened up a bottle of batch #3 this weekend and drank some with some of the same people who helped me sample batch #1. It was noticeably different from the first batch, and I think I liked it a little more, which of course is highly subjective. Unfortunately, my impressions were somewhat affected by the Springbank, Bowmore and Glenmorangie Port Wood that were also opened and required sampling, so I can't give a very specific description of it. Fortunately I have half a bottle left for future tastings.

[jparrott]

Cucas, is Copper Fox committed to holding a decent quality of whiskey sans chips to allow for both a control group and an orthodox bottling a few years down the line?

[cucas87]

Cucas, is Copper Fox committed to holding a decent quality of whiskey sans chips to allow for both a control group and an orthodox bottling a few years down the line?

I do not know the answer but can try to find out!

[jparrott]

Cool. The chipping process is interesting (and necessary for a distillery that isn't trying to establish cashflow by selling white spirits), but there's no substitute for traditional aging (not to mention, it's hard to compare Wasmund's with other whiskeys given the current production methods).

Of course, I wonder if there's a way to buy futures that circumvents ridiculous VA ABC laws.

[JimRice]

I tried this today at Schneider's on Capitol Hill. I had picked up a bottle, and one of their sales minions saw and asked me if I wanted a taste. I did. After two sips, I told him it wasn't to my taste. I like most whiskies, but this just didn't go down well with me. Too harsh, and some strange flavors that didn't mesh. I think it was batch 7.

Fortunately, he took pity on me and gave me a taste of Glen Garioch 15 to clear my palate and I bought a bottle of it for $39.99 just because I wasn't buying the Wasmund's.

[jparrott]

Along with our own Joe Riley, I had a chance to meet and taste with Rick Wasmund yesterday at his distillery in Sperryville, VA. We toured the entire facility, from the one-of-a-kind floor maltings to the 104 gallon copper pot-still and the aging room where the combined barrel-and-chip process occurs.

Following the tour, we sat down to taste and discuss Rick's and other whiskies. I got a chance to probe the origins of Wasmund's flavor profile and the challenges facing the distillery.

Flavor profile: Rick's vision for the Wasmund's bottling included two key points: (1) To create a whiskey that holds its aromatics upon dilution with ice and/or water and (2) to show the effect that applewood has upon the flavor profile of a malt distillate. On both of these points, he has scored. The whiskey holds nicely (and blossoms) with the addition of some water, and still provides a concentrated (if woody) drink with a larger amount of water. And tasting two apple-chip-only samples shows the peculiar, pie-spice aspect that apple provides, which oak cannot reproduce.

The challenge for the Wasmund's bottling is to provide this unique aspect without an excess of raw wood on the finish. The batch 9 bottling that we tasted (alongside the batch 7 bottling) is showing improvement along these lines.

The future: As of right now, Rick is not holding any whiskey orthodoxly (i.e., without going through the chipping process). The reason for this is that the distillery must post a cash bond for the (significant) tax on every ounce of whiskey they produce, no matter when they intend to bottle or sell it. There is no allowance for R&D, samples, or anything else. It's a ridiculous law, but it really hits the cashflow of an artisanal product trying to enter the market. However, Rick did say that, if someone (or someones) put up the bond, plus the other raw material costs, he would gladly put aside the barrels for investigation (with, of course, further bottling and labeling costs down the line).

In the final analysis, there are two big things going on at Wasmund's. First is the malting/smoking activity, which is producing a high-quality raw distillate with wonderful flavors and aromas. Second is the incorporating of applewood into the aging process, which, while still evolving and improving, produces a notable and distinctive flavor profile. While I still hope that Rick is able to do an unchipped bottling (to show the beauty and importance of his LOCAL malting, versus the imported malt-from-a-truck that Clear Creek and St. George use for their malt whiskies), the current product is also worthy of our support as it improves, batch to batch.

[Lydia R]

An article in Friday's WSJ highlighted this new "aging" process. The article also mentioned Stephen McCarthy, Richard Pelletier and other American Whiskey makers.

The Malts of America

By ERIC FELTEN

January 13, 2007; P6

<snip>

One new distiller isn't willing to wait years to get his whiskey to market. After an apprenticeship at Scotland's Bowmore distillery, Rick Wasmund started the Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville, Va., a little over a year ago. He believes he's found a strategy for maturing whiskey in a fraction of the time required by barrel aging and, to prove it, already has bottles of his Wasmund's Single Malt Whisky in stores in Virginia, Illinois, California and Washington, D.C.

In an old warehouse along a small river, nestled in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mr. Wasmund malts his own barley and cooks, ferments and distills it in wonderfully low-tech, artisanal fashion. But that's where his fidelity to tradition ends. To avoid the costly barrel-aging wait, Mr. Wasmund employs an old trick used by home distillers and makers of bulk wine. Rather than just putting his whiskey in wood to mature, he puts wood in his whiskey. Mr. Wasmund toasts hunks of oak and fruitwood, bags them in burlap, and leaves them in the raw, young spirit to steep like a tea bag. In mere months he has a reddish whiskey in the bottle, which he sells at a premium price.

Sacrilege? Perhaps. But sometimes today's sacrilege proves to be the innovation that revolutionizes an industry. Alas, not in the case of "chipped" whiskey. When I tasted Wasmund's blind along with traditionally aged American single malts and a couple of classic Scotch whiskies, the shortcuts in Mr. Wasmund's method were all too apparent. Yes, there was plenty of wood in the whiskey, but that was the problem: It tasted of wood rather than of the deeper flavors associated with barrel aging -- vanilla, caramel, toffee. There was a lack of structure in the spirit that left Wasmund's shallow and tinny.

The most important changes that age imparts to spirits come not from addition, but from subtraction. Wood may impart certain flavors, but it is the long-term process of evaporation -- the "angel's share" that escapes from porous casks over the years -- that encourages the harsher compounds in any distillate to escape.

It's a shame that the Copper Fox Distillery isn't in a position to age its whiskey more traditionally, because the rest of Mr. Wasmund's process reflects an admirable commitment to craft. With the patience -- and financing -- to keep his whiskey in proper barrels, he could yet produce a fine single malt.

<snip>

This isn't a familiar topic for me -hopefully the article's author adds something to this thread.

[ol_ironstomach]

In the final analysis, there are two big things going on at Wasmund's. First is the malting/smoking activity, which is producing a high-quality raw distillate with wonderful flavors and aromas. Second is the incorporating of applewood into the aging process, which, while still evolving and improving, produces a notable and distinctive flavor profile.

Great update, Jake and Joe. I hope Rick manages to evolve the balance that he's looking for.

Did you happen to note what sort of "chip" size he's using? From the article Lydia quotes, it sounds like they're chunks rather than chips...but then again, the WSJ seems to be confused about harshness vs. woodiness, and whether barrel-time makes a whiskey more woody or less.

Would inner-stave wood get him enough flavor development without the woodiness, by reducing end-grain surface area? It seems to work brilliantly in Compass Box's "Spice Tree".

[jparrott]

The chips are more chunks than chips, tho not as big as the chunks you buy for smoking wood.

Apparently, according to Rick, getting structural apple stave-wood is next to impossible.

[Barbara]

I don't actually care HOW he makes his whiskey; I thought it was FOUL.

[mdt]

I don't actually care HOW he makes his whiskey; I thought it was FOUL.

What batch did you try? A glass of batch 6 with a couple of small ice cubes makes for a decent drink and is much better than the earlier batches that I tried.

[jparrott]

Sipping an iced Batch 7 right now. The malt shows nicely up front, but a spicy, coarse whack of applewood makes the finish a bit more hectic. Will report on iced Batch 9 later.

[Joe Riley]

Indeed, it was an afternoon that I'll long remember, both for Rick and his mother, Helen's, hospitality and getting to meet Rick's "partner in crime" Sean McCaskey, who is a fun guy to share whisky with.

This is the tiniest of operations, and it was very interesting to see. It is important to note that there is a PROGRESSION going on here, an evolution. If you've tasted any one batch of Wasmund's, then you really can't say that you've "had" it, as each batch really does differ from the rest. Tasting from one batch, especially an earlier one is rather like taking a photograph of a developing child - it may be a reasonable identification match for a while, but not for too long, and sure, you'll see some resemblance in the next batches, but there is distinct evolution present.

Henceforth, I will always recommend adding a few drops of filtered or bottled water to a serving of Wasmund's. Rick himself likes some at the end of the day over a few ice cubes with a little water. It does make for a compelling drink.

One other important aspect which quickly became apparent is, Wasmund's Whisky IMPROVES with exposure to air after opening. Rick served us some of the same batch, but from two different bottles: one which he just opened and another which had been open for several days and was perhaps half full (or half empty, depending upon your outlook in life...) The differences were very apparent, and the opened bottle serving was showing better.

As for the WSJ article (which we all knew was coming this weekend) I, personally, thought that it was rather unfair to Rick for, as Jake pointed out, McCarthy's and St. George both import their barley from Scotland. I love McCarthy's, and Steve McCarthy is a very good guy, but his predaliction is to make the American Lagavulin I think, as he loves Lagavulin and his whiskey bears a great resemblance to it, for almost half the price. St. George is INCREDIBLY fruity! It smells like beer, and has a taste that resembles Magic Hat #9 beer (which has apricot in it) from Vermont. I still have some Lot #2 St. George, and I wonder which Lot# the WSJ tried?

My point is, I believe the article was rather unfair to Rick because if it wasn't necessarily comparing apples and oranges, then it was at least comparing Granny Smith apples with Red Delicious, with (name a third type of apple here, besides "road"). Oh, and I don't know where the WSJ got their prices from, but I have to sell St. George for $53.99, not the $35-39(?) price that they printed.

I think that Rick is defining a new type of whisky which is uniquely Virginian, as all the important raw materials come from there. It is not "Bourbon", it is not like Tennessee Whiskey, it is not like Canadian or Irish, or Scotch. It is Virginia whisky, and I think that, while it may not yet necessarily be to everyone's taste, it is distinctive and for some, perhaps an acquired taste. It helps to make the mental paradigm shift of just what you believe that whisky is, to include one with an applewood aspect.

[jparrott]

I worry about the "Virginia Whisky" moniker, no matter how apt; "Kentucky Whiskey" is Early Times dreck and "Tennessee Whiskey" is Jack Daniels dreck. I wish he had the capability to do two bottlings, one emphasizing the applewood character and one emphasizing the malt character.

[mdt]

I worry about the "Virginia Whisky" moniker, no matter how apt; "Kentucky Whiskey" is Early Times dreck and "Tennessee Whiskey" is Jack Daniels dreck. I wish he had the capability to do two bottlings, one emphasizing the applewood character and one emphasizing the malt character.

What is the tax burden on a barrel of whiskey?

[jparrott]

The bond is almost $2K.

[Hannah]

I worry about the "Virginia Whisky" moniker, no matter how apt; "Kentucky Whiskey" is Early Times dreck and "Tennessee Whiskey" is Jack Daniels dreck. I wish he had the capability to do two bottlings, one emphasizing the applewood character and one emphasizing the malt character.

Actually, regardless of how you feel about the products in question *ahem*, "Tennessee whiskey" denotes not only where it was produced, but the charcoal mellowing process that both Daniel's and Dickel use. You can make whiskey in Tennessee with or without that process, but without it you technically can't call it "Tennessee whiskey" - and if I remember rightly, that's set by state statute.

Presumably Wasmund's doesn't have that kind of statutory restriction on the process, so theoretically they could call it "Virginia malt" or "Virginia applewood" or "Virginia someotherthing" without it being either illegal or inaccurate.

[jparrott]

Actually, regardless of how you feel about the products in question *ahem*, "Tennessee whiskey" denotes not only where it was produced, but the charcoal mellowing process that both Daniel's and Dickel use. You can make whiskey in Tennessee with or without that process, but without it you technically can't call it "Tennessee whiskey" - and if I remember rightly, that's set by state statute.

True. But since there are no statutory issues here, the issue is purely marketing.

[Barbara]

Oh, my goodness. Silly me. I took time out to cook dinner for Dame Edna and myself (it was my turn this evening) and therefore couldn't keep up with this thread.

I speak as someone whose eyes light up at the sight of a bottle of A.H. Hirsch, something I NEVER heard of until that glorious night at Notte Bianchi with jparrott and when "Starfish" was still the manager. What a revelation! That jpschurst had some of this at his bourbon tasting the other night has nothing to do with this. Not. (My limited ability to drink the hard stuff made sure that my first taste of the whiskey on offer was some of this, well . . . )

I was lucky enough to have a free taste of the Waslund (at $36+ per 750 ml bottle) at my local go-to liquor store, and just HATED it.

I am very happy to support local people who create anything. However, I stand by previous opinion that this stuff is VILE. And, I'm certainly not going to buy it at any price, eventhough Joe Riley has offered it a significant discount from the usual perveyors. It is just not worth drinking.

So sue me.

[Joe Riley]

I was lucky enough to have a free taste of the Waslund (at $36+ per 750 ml bottle) at my local go-to liquor store, and just HATED it.

I am very happy to support local people who create anything. However, I stand by previous opinion that this stuff is VILE. And, I'm certainly not going to buy it at any price, eventhough Joe Riley has offered it a significant discount from the usual perveyors. It is just not worth drinking.

So sue me.

No litigation necessary, Barbara As I'm so fond of saying, "This is why Baskin-Robbins has 31 Flavors, something for everyone." Personally, I'm pleased that you were willing to try it and keep an open mind. Maybe someday, I'll try you on a newer batch from a bottle that's been open a while, and with some water (maybe even an ice cube or two) in your glass. It was quite a revelation to me, as I tend to drink most whiskies neat, just to see what they are all about by themselves.

[agm]

Maybe someday, I'll try you on a newer batch from a bottle that's been open a while, and with some water (maybe even an ice cube or two) in your glass. It was quite a revelation to me, as I tend to drink most whiskies neat, just to see what they are all about by themselves.

I'll second that. I drink most whisky neat, but if I have a new bottle I'll generally try at least one glass with water. It occasionally improves things, especially with cask-strength stuff. But when I tried Wasmund's (which I liked neat) with a small amount of water, it was transformed. The various flavors mellowed and blended beautifully, and it was difficult to believe that it came out of the same bottle.

[Joe Riley]

The Washington Post wishes Rick Wasmund a Happy Valentine's Day

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7021300277.html

Check out the lovely photo essay that accompanies the article. Those are very flattering photos of the distillery and of Monsieur Wasmund hisself.

[jparrott]

Watch this space...

Oh, and batch 10 is quite a bit softer/more balanced.

[MadAussieInUSA]

I quite like Wasmunds. I have some batch#9 and for only sitting for 2 or 4 months (I forget what my label says), I was blown away. I thought it was quite good stuff. Normally I only drink Lagavulin (Ive had some good/bad with Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Caol Ila) which has given me the most consistent experience.

Whatever is going down here at the Copper Fox, I like it. It wont replace my Lagavulin (which is a right pain to get sometimes at the VA ABC stores). I know its experimental but I'd like to see some consistency in batches.

Joe, if McCarthy's is making "American Lagavulin" as you say, I need to check it out, Ive not heard of this before (only been in the states 2 years).

Apple trees don't grow very fast, so be interesting to see how long applewood supplies last.

Id like to taste some stuff that has say longer in the barrel but I understand you need to make money to keep on distilling and running the business.

jparrot, nice to see another hammers fan

They tried distilling whisky in Australia a few years back and it was nothing but paint thinner.

Wasmunds gets my thumbs up!

[Joe Riley]

I quite like Wasmunds. I have some batch#9 and for only sitting for 2 or 4 months (I forget what my label says), I was blown away. I thought it was quite good stuff. Normally I only drink Lagavulin (Ive had some good/bad with Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Caol Ila) which has given me the most consistent experience.

Hey, MadAussie, welcome. The Wasmunds was 4 months old, by the way.

Whatever is going down here at the Copper Fox, I like it. It wont replace my Lagavulin (which is a right pain to get sometimes at the VA ABC stores). I know its experimental but I'd like to see some consistency in batches.

Let me know the next time you're visiting Washington, D.C. and I'll load you up on the Lagavulin

Joe, if McCarthy's is making "American Lagavulin" as you say, I need to check it out, Ive not heard of this before (only been in the states 2 years).

Steve McCarthy's favorite Scotch whisky is Lagavulin, and it shows in this effort of his. It's MUCH younger, of course, nowhere near the 16 years of Lagavulin, but darned tasty stuff.

Apple trees don't grow very fast, so be interesting to see how long applewood supplies last.

Rick buys it from someone in Virginia. Probably has plentiful sources available.

Id like to taste some stuff that has say longer in the barrel but I understand you need to make money to keep on distilling and running the business.

You 'ain't kidding. Rick has to post a $2,000 bond with the State of Virginia PER BARREL before he even distills one drop. It's extremely capital-intensive. He WANTS to put aside barrels for extended aging, but this is going to take a while.

They tried distilling whisky in Australia a few years back and it was nothing but paint thinner.

The Australian distilled spirits industry's loss is the Australian rocket programs gain.

Wasmunds gets my thumbs up!

Welcome to the club!

[Sthitch]

You 'ain't kidding. Rick has to post a $2,000 bond with the State of Virginia PER BARREL before he even distills one drop. It's extremely capital-intensive. He WANTS to put aside barrels for extended aging, but this is going to take a while.

I wonder if he would be interested in investors to cover the bond for either a cut of the action, or even better figuring out a way to navigate through the complex and often idiotic liquor laws of various areas for an appropriate amount of well aged whiskey.

[Joe Riley]

I wonder if he would be interested in investors to cover the bond for either a cut of the action, or even better figuring out a way to navigate through the complex and often idiotic liquor laws of various areas for an appropriate amount of well aged whiskey.

I honestly feel that it is the only way that Rick will be able to expand and lay-aside barrels for extended aging. I might be wrong, but I'm sure that no reasonable offer would be refused.

[ol_ironstomach]

It's been a while since I've tasted a Wasmund's, so when Rick offered to unseal and pour a bottle of the current batch #24, I was pleasantly surprised to find a dramatic decrease in that wet sawmill character that characterized the earlier batches. It's still not a style that I know how to relate to other whiskeys, but now the malt sweetness shows through the wood much better.

Even more fascinating are the young whiskeys he's just now releasing...an unaged rye made from 2/3 rye and 1/3 barley malts, and an unaged 100% barley whiskey (the latter distilled, bottled and datestamped just last Friday...Rick's personal Repeal Day celebration). There's a new label design that announces these distiller's limited editions, a handsome white rectangle that evokes a laboratory label. If unaged corn whiskey is proto-bourbon, then here we have a proto-gin and a proto-well-it-still-wouldn't-be-Scotch. Maybe we should think of them as proto-cocktails - these unchipped distillates will almost certainly be turning up next year as bases for infusions, macerations and/or DIY cask aging experiments in DC's finer bars. They should be available from DC's specialty liquor retailers shortly.

[aaronsinger]

It's been a while since I've tasted a Wasmund's, so when Rick offered to unseal and pour a bottle of the current batch #24, I was pleasantly surprised to find a dramatic decrease in that wet sawmill character that characterized the earlier batches. It's still not a style that I know how to relate to other whiskeys, but now the malt sweetness shows through the wood much better.

Even more fascinating are the young whiskeys he's just now releasing...an unaged rye made from 2/3 rye and 1/3 barley malts, and an unaged 100% barley whiskey (the latter distilled, bottled and datestamped just last Friday...Rick's personal Repeal Day celebration). There's a new label design that announces these distiller's limited editions, a handsome white rectangle that evokes a laboratory label. If unaged corn whiskey is proto-bourbon, then here we have a proto-gin and a proto-well-it-still-wouldn't-be-Scotch. Maybe we should think of them as proto-cocktails - these unchipped distillates will almost certainly be turning up next year as bases for infusions, macerations and/or DIY cask aging experiments in DC's finer bars. They should be available from DC's specialty liquor retailers shortly.

I took a tour recently on a saturday after an exhausting [well, in my shape, anyway] hike; Rick seemed a very nice guy. I was intrigued by the whiskey and liked it, without anything to really compare it to [i'm a bourbon drinker, but have had scotch maybe once in my life]. I liked their single malt, but don't really know where to pick it up [local ABC store certainly didn't have it, perhaps a trip across the Potomac is needed], as the wonderful VA liquor laws meant I couldn't buy where they make it.

[SeanMike]

It's been a while since I've tasted a Wasmund's, so when Rick offered to unseal and pour a bottle of the current batch #24, I was pleasantly surprised to find a dramatic decrease in that wet sawmill character that characterized the earlier batches. It's still not a style that I know how to relate to other whiskeys, but now the malt sweetness shows through the wood much better.

When we visited a few months ago, I was surprised by how much better the latest batch (21 at the time) was over the batch I'd picked up a while before (15).

Rick showed us the "do it yourself" aging kits then, and had some of a close batch to what I had at home (14 vs. the 15 I have) that he'd aged in a small barrel and it was also notably improved, I thought.

Even more fascinating are the young whiskeys he's just now releasing...an unaged rye made from 2/3 rye and 1/3 barley malts, and an unaged 100% barley whiskey (the latter distilled, bottled and datestamped just last Friday...Rick's personal Repeal Day celebration). There's a new label design that announces these distiller's limited editions, a handsome white rectangle that evokes a laboratory label. If unaged corn whiskey is proto-bourbon, then here we have a proto-gin and a proto-well-it-still-wouldn't-be-Scotch. Maybe we should think of them as proto-cocktails - these unchipped distillates will almost certainly be turning up next year as bases for infusions, macerations and/or DIY cask aging experiments in DC's finer bars. They should be available from DC's specialty liquor retailers shortly.

The rye that I tasted was quite good, I thought, maybe not a sipper but definitely a fun mixing rye.

I'm definitely interested in the unchipped distillates but I'm going to wait a bit to see (not helped by the sheer lack of room that I have).

For aaronsinger: VA ABC does carry it, but it depends on the store. Or you can go over to Ace. I'd highly suggest checking the batch number before buying. Given ol_ironstomach's notes on the #24, and my experiences with the #21, I'd suggest at least in the 20s.

But Rick is a pretty good guy, and the tour I took there was fun - it was the first time I'd visited a distillery!