Rick Wasmund opened the Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville, Va., in 2005. The distillery produced its first batch in August 2006 and now distributes to 17 states. Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky recently received a gold medal from the Beverage Testing Institute.
How’d you get into the distilling business?
I tell people it wasn’t my daddy or granddaddy that decided to make whisky, it was me. I was probably an average whisky guy. I drank my fair share. But I had this idea about how to make my own whisky and thought it was worth giving it a shot. I think it was divine intervention. I learned more and more about distilling and went around talking to people in the industry, and they thought it was a good idea. It turned out to be totally unique.
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What did you do before that?
I was a certified financial planner and worked for an insurance company. I’m happy with the career change. Not going back anytime soon.
What is unique about your distilling process?
We use apple and cherry wood smoked barrels, and everyone else uses oak. We also use tea bags filled with apple wood chips to soak in the whisky, and we’re the only distillery in North America that malts its own barley, which brings out the sugar. It’s a whole different flavor. Some people were put off, but I think it tastes really good.
Is Virginia a good place to make whisky?
Virginia had the country’s first distilleries. George Washington had a distillery in the state, so there’s a lot of history. Our well has really calcium-rich, sweet water, and the area happens to be a great place to grow barley. We have one farmer who grows all our barley. It’s a decidedly Virginia product.
How you would rate D.C.’s whisky culture?
There’s a great whisky culture here. Washington has four times the per capita national average of whisky consumption. D.C. happens to be the only place in the country where we can self-distribute, so I know a lot of the bartenders and owners. I think they have good taste. Rye in particular has a pre-Prohibition buzz going with some of the cocktail guys.