Copperworks American Single Malt (Release No. 038)

Rating: 18/23 Sweet and mature with cherry and tangerine. Some pleasant oily richness with faint tar at times. There's a moderate amount of maltiness and also some yeast. It genuinely tastes like a 15-year-old Speysider. I could rate it as low as 17, but perhaps as high as 20. I'll give it an 18.

A very strong grain aroma, but the flavor is what makes it stand out for its originality. Initially, you taste almost nothing but a very light sherry, then everything builds to an intense burst of spice and coffee at the end. The flavor development is quite fascinating.

Nose: butter pecan and chocolate ganache. Silky, baked pears and charred fruit on the palate. Peppery, hazelnut, cherry candy on the finish.