Copper Fox Distillery
Smoke, no mirrors
At Copper Fox Distillery, the magic begins long before the first drop is distilled. It starts in the fields of Virginia’s Northern Neck, where farmer Billy Dawson cultivated the barley that became the heart of Copper Fox’s whiskies. This isn’t just any grain – it’s Virginia six-row Thoroughbred barley, the result of research by Virginia Tech into grains that thrive in the Commonwealth.
Copper Fox doesn’t stop at sourcing local. They also malt their grains in-house. That hands-on approach was inspired decades ago, when a young Rick Wasmund became fascinated by the way different woods influenced the flavors of grilled food. Later, his passion deepened into an appreciation for peated Scotch whisky and the smoky complexity imparted by traditional methods.
Wasmund took that curiosity across the Atlantic to Scotland, where he interned at Bowmore Distillery and learned the time-honored technique of floor malting. When he returned to Virginia and opened Copper Fox Distillery, he brought that knowledge with him, along with a vision to make something entirely his own.
Today, all Copper Fox whiskies are made with malted barley that’s smoked over fruitwoods – apple, cherry, and peach – creating bold, distinctive spirits that speak of place and process.
Visitors to the distillery’s Williamsburg location can see this unique approach in action. Housed in a repurposed two-story motel, one wing has been transformed into a malting and smoking facility. There, moistened barley is coaxed into sprouting before being dried with aromatic wood smoke that drifts through the grain, infusing it with layers of flavor.
Even in the aging process, Copper Fox leans into its wood-forward philosophy. In addition to traditional barrel aging, they introduce heavily toasted wood chips to enhance flavor development.
Copper Fox Distillery products
- Original Single Malt Whisky is made from 100% malted Virginia barley, dried with apple and cherry wood smoke, and matured in bourbon barrels with toasted apple wood and oak chips.
- Peachwood Single Malt uses peachwood in the smoking and aging process, for floral and fruity notes.
- Original Rye Whisky starts with 2/3 rye and 1/3 smoked barley malt, aged in bourbon barrels with toasted apple and oak wood chips.
- Dawson’s Reserve Bourbon begins with 60% corn, 20% wheat, and 20% peachwood smoked malted barley. The spirit is aged in new oak barrels for over four years.
- Chestnut American Whisky uses Virginia oats and corn, with infusions of chestnut wood in the aging.
- Sassy Rye uses single malt rye, lightly toasted and dried with a big of sassafras smoke.
Other products available from Copper Fox include Amaro Y Arroyo, an herbal liqueur made with 100% Virginia grain and 25 different botanicals; unaged rye, bourbon mash, and single malt; 10 Squared Vodka; and Cinnamon Whisky.
Sip for yourself
Copper Fox spirits are available through Virginia ABC stores, online, and at the tasting rooms in Sperryville and Williamsburg.
Both locations also offer tours and tastings – in flights or cocktails – and bar snacks.
From grain to glass, Copper Fox reflects a dedication to craft, creativity, and local character. The whiskey tells a story that mixes with the pleasure of the drink.
Copper Fox Distillery, Sperryville and Williamsburg, Virginia
FEATURE PHOTO CAPTION, TOP: A cocktail and an emptied flight at the Copper Fox Distillery Williamsburg tasting room. Credit: Annie Tobey
