American single malt whiskey remains one of the most compelling categories in spirits right now, and Copperworks Distilling has been quietly building a reputation that deserves wider attention on this side of the Atlantic. Their Farmsmith expression lands at a confident 50% ABV — bottled without an age statement, which in the American craft space typically signals a focus on flavour profile over arbitrary numbers on a label.
Copperworks operates out of Seattle, Washington, a region not traditionally associated with whiskey production but one that has proven surprisingly well-suited to it. The Pacific Northwest climate offers temperature swings that push spirit in and out of the wood with real purpose, and the craft brewing heritage of the area means these distillers often bring a brewer's obsession with grain character to their malt bills. The Farmsmith bottling leans into that identity — this is a whiskey that wants you to think about what went into the wash before it ever saw copper.
At 50% ABV, this sits at a strength that I find increasingly appealing in American single malts. It is robust enough to stand up to a drop of water without collapsing, yet not so aggressive that you lose the subtlety that good malted barley can deliver. The "single malt" designation here follows the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission standards — 100% malted barley, pot-distilled, matured in the United States. It is a category that has finally earned its formal recognition, and expressions like Farmsmith demonstrate exactly why that recognition was overdue.
Tasting Notes
I will not fabricate specific notes where my memory does not serve with precision. What I can say is that this style of American single malt — craft-distilled at a meaningful strength from quality malt — typically delivers a profile quite distinct from its Scottish cousins. Expect cereal sweetness, a certain roundness from new oak influence, and the kind of grain-forward character that speaks to provenance rather than formula. If you are accustomed to Speyside approachability but curious about what American craft distillers are doing with the same raw material, the Farmsmith sits in genuinely interesting territory.
The Verdict
At £64.95, the Farmsmith occupies a price point where it faces stiff competition from established Scottish distilleries offering age-stated single malts. That is the honest reality of the market. But what Copperworks offers here is something those bottles cannot — a genuine sense of place and a distinctly American interpretation of the single malt tradition. This is not an imitation of Scotch. It is its own thing, produced with clear intention and bottled at a strength that shows confidence in the liquid.
I score this 7.8 out of 10. It is a well-made, characterful whiskey that earns its price through craft and conviction. It may not have the decades of pedigree behind it that a Highland or Islay malt carries, but frankly, that is part of the appeal. You are buying into a category that is still defining itself, and Copperworks is one of the distilleries doing that defining. For anyone building a collection that looks beyond Scotland and Kentucky, this belongs on the shortlist.
Best Served
Pour it neat and give it five minutes in the glass before your first sip — at 50% ABV, a brief rest lets it open without losing its backbone. If you find the strength initially assertive, add no more than a teaspoon of cool, still water. This is also a whiskey that works exceptionally well in a Highball with quality soda and a twist of lemon peel — the malt character holds its ground against the dilution, and the result is something genuinely refreshing without sacrificing substance.
