Kilted Tour of Copper Fox Distillery

[Mael Coluim]

It was the perfect fall day to drive MacGuinea Pig on the Virginia by-ways to the town of Sperryville at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains to meet fellow XMarkers for a tour of the Copper Fox Distillery, home of Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky. I was greeted by Odysseus who made me feel at home.



Master distiller, Sean McCaskey would take us on the tour of the distillery and explain the making of this fine single malt whisky. First stop was the see the barley in the malting process. Cooper Fox obtains its own barley from an investor’s farm in Heathsville. Sean explained the malting process.

[Mael Coluim]

Next stop was to see the room where the malted barley is dried. The barley is malted only in the fall after harvesting, but enough of it is stored to distill all year.



The dried barley is stored in these large containers waiting to be made into mash.



Next to the distilling room where Sean explained the distilling process. It was quite a learning experience.

[Mael Coluim]

The distilled spirit is then aged in bourbon casks.








Note the mini casks. You can buy them and the spirit and age them to perfection! (Or until you what a wee dram or two.)

[Mael Coluim]

After the aging, the whisky is bottled; labeled, corked, and sealed with wax. Everything at Cooper Fox is done by hand.

[Mael Coluim]

Here we pose with Rick Wasmund. Rick learned his craft at Bowmore distillery on Islay. He learned it well because this single malt whisky is indeed the water of life!


[L to R] MC, Rick Wasmund, Sir William, Elliottrohan68, MacMillan of Rathdown

After our tour, we retired to a nearby inn, the Blue Rock to enjoy the fruit of Rick and Sean’s labor. Slàinte!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

A fab afternoon's outing! Thanks for posting the "hot off the... pixels?" photos!

[Elliottrohan68]

Thanks for getting this up so fast Ern - I had a great time and look forward to the next Annual Copper Fox Tourith:

[Zardoz]

Very illuminating photos. Looks like a good time!

[BoldHighlander]

What a great (virtual) tour! Thanks for taking us along Ern.

...the only fault I can find in it is that I live clear across the country & couldn't partake!

[Highlander31]

Nice way to spend the day. Thanks for posting.