How a Seattle Distillery Bottled History Across Two Continents
There are whiskeys, and then there are whiskeys with a story worth sitting down for. The latest release from Copperworks Distilling Co. out of Seattle falls firmly in the second category — and it might just be one of the more interesting American single malts to come along in a while.
Copperworks has announced the newest addition to its Whiskey Club lineup: the Copperworks Scotch Cask American Single Malt Whiskey. The release brings together Pacific Northwest grain, Scottish malting traditions, and a cask with more history behind it than most whiskeys ever get to claim.
Where It All Started
The story of this whiskey goes back to 2019, starting at Joseph's Grainery in Colfax, Washington — the same farm that supplied the grain for Copperworks' acclaimed Farmsmith release. From that starting point, the distillery worked with single varietal Baronesse barley, pale malted at LINC Malting, before distilling it and putting it to rest in a very particular kind of wood.
The cask in question didn't come from just anywhere. It came from Auchroisk, a Speyside distillery in the Banffshire region of Scotland with a serious reputation. Auchroisk was built in 1972 and didn't release its first single malt bottles until 1986 — forty years ago — and in the decades since, it's built a name for itself producing non-peated Scotch in the Speyside style, a region known for smooth, fruit-forward, approachable whisky.
That's a lot of heritage wrapped up in one oak cask.
Seven Years in the Making
After being filled in 2019, the whiskey sat for seven years and two months before Copperworks decided it was ready. That's a patient timeline for any American craft distillery, and the results speak for themselves.
The tasting notes describe something genuinely layered: Thai basil and frosted lemon pound cake on the nose, moving into a palate of rich spice cake and sweet barley with candied citrus and roasted pine nut. The finish goes earthy, with white chocolate, white pepper, and toasted grains closing things out. That's not a simple whiskey. That's a whiskey that rewards attention.
The Speyside Influence in the Bottle
Copperworks Co-Owner and Vice President Jeff Kanof explained what made the Auchroisk cask such a compelling choice for this project.
"Auchroisk has a rich history of producing non-peated Scotch whiskies in the Speyside region, which is known for smooth and approachable characteristics often in the fruity and floral spectrum," Kanof said. "Its unique distillation process is particularly known to produce a honeyed cereal quality that we are pleased to say has translated wonderfully in our new Scotch Cask release."
That honeyed cereal note is something Speyside fans will recognize immediately. It's one of the defining characteristics of the region's output, and the fact that it carried over into an American single malt aged in a previously used Speyside cask says a lot about how much character those barrels can hold onto over time.
A Long-Standing Connection to Scotland
For Copperworks President and Co-Founder Jason Parker, this release wasn't just about a flavor profile — it was the natural result of a philosophy the distillery has held since its earliest days.
"From the earliest days of Copperworks Distilling, we have looked to Scottish Single Malt Whisky distillers to learn and grow from, and our decision to commission custom copper stills from Forsyths of Scotland did not take long to make," Parker said. "Finding ways to collaborate and create something new with inspiration from traditional methods has been a dream, and we couldn't be more pleased to present this new release to the world."
Forsyths of Scotland is not a name that gets dropped casually. They are one of the most respected still manufacturers in the world, supplying copper pot stills to some of the most legendary distilleries in Scotland. Commissioning custom stills from them is a meaningful declaration of where a distillery's priorities lie, and it tells you everything about the seriousness with which Copperworks has approached the craft from day one.
The Numbers Behind the Bottle
This is a limited release in the truest sense of the word. Only 297 bottles were produced, each at 700ml and bottled at 50% ABV — or 100 proof — which puts it squarely in the range where whiskey drinkers who want to taste what a spirit is really made of tend to be most comfortable. The price is $89.99 before tax and shipping.
By the time this article circulates, that number may already be lower. The distillery notes the whiskey is nearly sold out.
Only for Whiskey Club Members — But Membership Is Still Open
Here's the catch, and it's worth understanding clearly: this bottle is only available to members of the Copperworks Whiskey Club. It is not available through standard retail channels. To get one, a membership is required — and as of now, memberships are still available.
Anyone signing up before Wednesday, May 20th, should be in line to receive this release as it ships out shortly after. The distillery is encouraging people not to wait.
What Club Membership Actually Gets You
For those unfamiliar with how the Copperworks Whiskey Club works, the structure is built around exclusive quarterly releases of the distillery's most innovative whiskeys delivered directly to members' doors. But the benefits go beyond just the bottles.
New members receive 25% off a single order as a sign-up bonus, which must be used within the first 30 days. Club members also get early access to special releases that come out throughout the year outside of the quarterly schedule — which matters a great deal given how quickly limited bottles like this one tend to disappear. Members receive free tastings for themselves and a guest, and the first shipment includes a club-exclusive Glencairn glass.
The Glencairn glass is a small detail but a meaningful one for anyone who takes their whiskey seriously. Its tulip shape is designed specifically to concentrate a whiskey's aromas at the rim, making the nosing experience noticeably richer than drinking from a standard tumbler. For a whiskey as nuanced on the nose as this Scotch Cask release reportedly is, that glass is not just a freebie — it's the right tool for the job.
Why This Release Stands Apart
American single malt as a category has grown considerably over the past decade, with craft distilleries across the country making a serious case that great single malt doesn't have to come from Scotland or Japan. But within that growing field, the number of releases that can genuinely claim a direct material connection to Speyside heritage — through a cask that actually held Scotch whisky at an established Scottish distillery — remains relatively small.
This is not a whiskey that borrowed an idea from Scotland. It's a whiskey that was literally shaped by Scotland, at the molecular level, over the course of seven-plus years. The Auchroisk cask didn't just lend flavor notes — it transferred decades of institutional knowledge embedded in the wood grain itself.
Combined with Copperworks' use of Forsyths stills, their commitment to single varietal Washington State barley, and their patience in letting the spirit develop on its own timeline, the Scotch Cask release represents something that can't be rushed or replicated easily.
The Bottom Line
For the whiskey drinker who has worked his way through enough bottles to know what he likes — and who appreciates the craftsmanship behind what he's drinking — the Copperworks Scotch Cask American Single Malt Whiskey is the kind of release worth paying attention to. A serious proof point, a well-documented provenance, a distinctive flavor profile, and a supply of less than 300 bottles create the conditions for something genuinely special.
The window to get it is narrow. The membership enrollment page is live at copperworksdistilling.com, and the May 20th deadline is the date to keep in mind.
After that, this one's gone.
