Kopper Kettle Virginian Whiskey

[Sweetmeats]

Anyone tried this? I'm thinking of buying a bottle. It's only 22 dollars so if it's horrible, it's not a huge setback.

"Kopper Kettle Virginian Whiskey:

Belmont Farms is proud to introduce Virginia's first original recipe which is registered and trademarked "Virginia Whiskey," KOPPER KETTLE. Kopper Kettle is a triple grain whiskey, double wood, and twice distilled. The Virginia Whiskey is first produced with grain grown on our farm (the only distillery in the U.S. that grows its own grain). It is a secret formula of corn, wheat, and barley and is mashed and fermented in our all copper fermentation tanks. Then, at just the right time, it is double distilled in our unique potstill."

http://www.virginiamoonshine.com/copperFox.html

[OscarV]

I would love to try it.

I know I'll never see it, but it does sound and look interesting.

[cowdery]

I'm often very critical of so-called micro-distillers, but these guys seem to be doing it right. My only objection, and it's a small one, is their misleading conflation of what they are doing with moonshining, furthering the misplaced romanticizing of illegal distilling.

[angelshare]

We have not tried it yet, but we are curious about how it compares to Copper Fox, which was aged only 4 months but in a very interesting manner with toasted apple wood chips in the barrel. Given that there's no mention of the apple wood chips on the website, we assume that this is aged longer but more "conventionally."

An intriguing aside - our understanding (not gospel as we've not seen it for ourselves) is that this distillery has secured the privilege of selling its products on site - unheard of the control state of VA where ABC is king. Even A. Smith Bowman (Virginia Gentleman) has never sold its products on site as far as we know.

[craigthom]

It's there, but it's pretty far down:

Kopper Kettle is then charcoal filtered and presoaked with oak and apple wood chips before it is aged in barrels for two years.

[Rughi]

I have Copper Fox and Virginia Lightning, and I've gotta say I like their white dog Virginia Lightning much better than the barely aged Copper Fox. The Fox seemed like white dog that had been flavored, not aged long enough that it had become a different creature yet.

And no, Virginia Lightning white dog is _not_ nasty, popskull stuff; it's actually sweeter and milder than the whiskey it would become with aging.

Roger

[Sweetmeats]

I'll be ordering the Virginia Lightning. I'll probably add this as well.

[NorCalBoozer]

I have Copper Fox and Virginia Lightning, and I've gotta say I like their white dog Virginia Lightning much better than the barely aged Copper Fox. The Fox seemed like white dog that had been flavored, not aged long enough that it had become a different creature yet.

And no, Virginia Lightning white dog is _not_ nasty, popskull stuff; it's actually sweeter and milder than the whiskey it would become with aging.

Roger

Roger, still have the bottle of Virginia Lightening you gave me a long time ago at one of the get togethers. I love the label. I do remember the tasting we did and how smooth it was. Thanks again. Greg.

[jspero]

Roger, still have the bottle of Virginia Lightening you gave me a long time ago at one of the get togethers. I love the label. I do remember the tasting we did and how smooth it was. Thanks again. Greg.

While I will agree that it is pretty smooth (not overly alcoholy), I found my bottle of Virginia Lightning to have a pretty nasty flavor (I posted my "wet dog and corn" tasting experience in the newbie forum). I was not sure what to expect, so maybe I was just in a bit of shock.

I planned to revisit and see if my tastes have changed. I tried Copper Fox at the same time and got the same impression so I revisit that one, too. If I can secure a bottle of Kopper Kettle, I'll try all three at the same time and compare.

Jay

[NorCalBoozer]

While I will agree that it is pretty smooth (not overly alcoholy), I found my bottle of Virginia Lightning to have a pretty nasty flavor (I posted my "wet dog and corn" tasting experience in the newbie forum). I was not sure what to expect, so maybe I was just in a bit of shock.

I planned to revisit and see if my tastes have changed. I tried Copper Fox at the same time and got the same impression so I revisit that one, too. If I can secure a bottle of Kopper Kettle, I'll try all three at the same time and compare.

Jay

I remember I was expecting some very harsh and bitter alcoholic taste(a la nail polish) and so was surprised that it was quite smooth. Maybe this is because I was remembering some bouts with everclear. I don't remember an off taste.

now you've give me reason to open this Virginia Lightning. Let me go crack it and see what I think.

nose is basically corn and alcohol. It's 100 proof but it's quite smooth, sweet sugary corn. I would say it tastes like Vodka with a corn flavor. it ends with a somewhat strong alcohol bite.

[mgilbertva]

I tried their single malt offering, Wasmund's Single Malt, and it was awful stuff. I spit it out. Based on that experience I wasn't keen to try any of their other offerings.

Like the Copper Fox, they "teabag" the Wasmund's too, which most people consider to be an inferior method of introducing whiskey to wood.

[Rughi]

I talked with Rick Wasmund last night at the Independent Spirits Fest in SF. He told me that there has been a legal dispute over who had use of the name "Copper Fox" - him or his former business associates, the Virginia Lightning people. His perspective was that he had always made the Copper Fox, but after the dispute he is now calling it Kopper Kettle. He also said that he had all those chips on hand, and used them in the Wasmund's similarly to how it was used in Copper Fox/Kopper Kettle.

He certainly believes in his product. He said he'd put his 8 month (did I really hear that right?) chipped Wasmund's up against any 12 year old single malt whisky or any 9 year old bourbon. I was surprised at how quickly his chips worked, but _really_ any whisky or whiskey????

I have no idea about the details of the dispute, so I didn't have the heart to tell him I liked his rival's white dog Virginia Lightning quite a bit, but not so much either or their short-aged chip products.

Roger

[Jake_Parrott]

I have a friend who's made a rauchbier with 40% of Wasmund's malt and 60% pale and caramel malts. It's delicious.

[angelshare]

It's there, but it's pretty far down: Kopper Kettle is then charcoal filtered and presoaked with oak and apple wood chips before it is aged in barrels for two years.

Whoops - we missed that! Thanks for pointing that out!

Rick Wasmund does indeed believe in his products. He was kind enough to allow us to come over to his distillery last year and spend the afternoon. His passion for what he's doing is obvious, and he is a very gracious host. He has a unique flavor profile he's after, and he has a unique way of getting there.

We will say that the samples he gave us straight out of the barrel were more interesting and enjoyable than the bottled version we had later, but the essence of the flavor profile was still there.