Drink Review: Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky

Wasmund’s is an American single malt whisky, made at the Copper Fox Distillery in Virginia, the malt for which is dried at the distillery using applewood and cherrywood. This has been aged for 42 months using a secret ‘chip and barrel ageing’ process, which has certainly added plenty of colour to the final product.

Wasmund’s Single Malt Review:

Nose: Upon sniffing my Wasmund’s, the first scent that hit me was kippers, literally. No, I haven’t started my breakfast yet but I find that the Wasmund’s is very aromatic and interesting, it also seems very ‘clean’ and shows no chemical properties, which is very good. There is a sweet note to Wasmund’s which, along with the oily nose, reminds me instantly of nutmeg, a dash of raspberry juice and sea air though my nostrils. It has all the sudden retained the smell of coastal living rather than of a chilly day on the beach or a popular seaside resort.

Taste: Fortunately, after the initial frisson of kipper smells, the Wasmund’s furrows into a rich and flavoursome. An excellent rich flavour, one that comes across almost like a vanilla ice cream with lots of fruit, I get mainly raspberry fruits though the sherry casks impart hints of coffee as well as toastiness to the flavour. There is a notable citrus element to this whisky, which seems to be predominantly lemon as opposed to orange or grapefruit.

Finish: The finish is sweet but not cloying, reasonably long and with an oily texture, much like the lingering aftertaste of a pint of Guinness. This is enjoyable, with sweetness and welts of citrus emanating from the back of the throat and down the gullet.

Not much here. I have drunk some whiskies that make your stomach churn and sweat pool upon your brow, Wasmund’s is certainly not one of them, in fact, I enjoyed every mouthful and thought it was a great sipping whiskey as well as being a great whisky to share with friends.

Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky is composed of 80% corn and 20% malted barley, and is bottled at a healthy 46% ABV, and I really think that this is the optimum strength. The fact that it is made from corn means it doesn’t have too much wood or caramel taste, nor is it too peaty or smoky, instead, it is very sweet and very fruity. Whilst it is a clean whisky, I am not sure that the aging process does much, except add some colour, whilst ‘chipping’ it (as they describe it) delivers a layer of flavours that would not otherwise be experienced, and this is a good thing. It may not be such a good idea to mix this whisky as it is quite fruity and sweet, I think it would take to more delicate spirits or even sparkling wine. However, I think that this is a great whisky to share amongst friends (even in small amounts!) and I’ll certainly be looking out for more.

Rating:

I rate this whisky with 4 spiralling stars, this is for the simple reason that it is such an easy drinking whisky. It is also a great whisky to pair with food, so I rate it highly for that. However, I did find that it ran out of steam on the last half a glass, so it’s a bit of a one glass wonder.

Parting Words:

I would certainly recommend trying out this whiskey if you get the chance. However, I don’t think I would be careful with it as the last 5 or 6 mouthfuls were rather dull. And I certainly wouldn’t be out and out recommending it, it’s something that you would have to steal a taste of before making a decision.

Personally, if I want a bourbon or an American whiskey, I don’t really think it will be a sought after bottle. However, it is a great introduction into American whiskey to see whether you like the sweeter side of the spectrum, and the fruity notes do make this an enjoyable dram. Definitely one to try if you can.

If you enjoyed this review, please let me know, and also if you have had the opportunity to try Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky.