Copperworks Distilling Company

I’ve tried to get my head around the burgeoning distillery scene in the Seattle area, or maybe I should expand that to read in the state of Washington. Every time I make a teeny dent in it there’s another surge of new options – either places that I’m just hearing about or those that have recently begun producing. A few years ago my friends decided we should do a hard liquor tasting tour – like a wine tasting tour – but at the time tasting rooms were few and far between so our plans didn’t make it off the ground. Now, however, you could actually choose a distillery “region” and taste several distiller’s spirits in rather close proximity. I really need to get on it.

In the meantime, I was invited to a tasting at Copperworks Distilling Company. You’ll find Copperworks along the Seattle waterfront, near the aquarium, in one of the buildings next to the viaduct. The tasting room opened in early October on the day they bottled their first gin. They are currently offering vodka and gin. In a few years, once it has aged, they’ll also bottle and offer whiskey but for now it’s sitting in barrels mellowing and acquiring character.

On the night of our tasting they offered the gin in a cocktail and also in a standard gin and tonic. While the cocktail was good, I loved the gin and tonic.  Great flavor and crisp like you want a gin.  Their gin is London-Dry style, generally considered the best style for classic martinis, gin and tonics, and other cocktails where drier is better.

Copperworks makes two style of vodka: All-Malt Vodka, which is a limited edition barley vodka; and their Copperworks Vodka which is lighter and meant for mixing. We sampled the Copperworks Vodka and I loved the viscous mouth-feel.

My favorite part of the event though, was meeting the people of Copperworks. Warm, friendly and knowledgeable. It’s the sort of company you want to support just because you like the people so much – although it doesn’t hurt that they are on their way to creating a great line of products, too!

Copperworks Distilling Company is currently open for tours and tastings Wednesday and Thursday from 2:00pm – 6:00pm; Friday and Saturday from noon – 7:00pm; and Sunday from noon – 5:00pm. More information regarding tours is on their website.

Copperworks Distilling Company
1250 Alaskan Way
Seattle
206.504.7604

If some of the appetizers in the photos look familiar there’s good reason. All the food was provided by Elliott’s Oyster House!