Midshelved it sits, lest you find it too soon,
Is the Copper Fox Rye as a ruby-red rune.

Nah. There’s nothing poetic here. Let’s try something else.

It was just past the edge of midnight. With this, it was all but certain that the sun would rise and we would be found alive. If not for the near empty bottle of Copper Fox Rye, all resident hope would have been lost already. Still, there were hours to go and we were all but spent.

Hmm. No. Not feeling it. How about this?

It was Walt Whitman who pondered, “I accept reality and dare not question it.” The reality is that I find a story in nearly every whisky I try. Usually there’s a hidden bit of inspiration revealed at some point during the tasting—whether it be a narrative of culture, a story relative to my family, or a lesson learned along the way in any given day—it’s almost always there.

Not this time. Sorry. But let that be a forewarning of my words regarding the Copper Fox Rye Whiskey. I could find neither love nor hate for this edition. It was a mid-mood producer; nowhere near the level of Scoresby, and yet something I’d surely set out for friends unashamed.

There is a prominent fruit cocktail of apples and cherries in the nosing. For a frat boy set upon getting his date drunk, this (as well as the price) may be an enticement. For me, it was concerning. It smells like flavored whiskey, and thus far in my travels, flavored whiskey is anathema to me.

But then the experience changes slightly.

The palate is the whiskey’s savior, and it almost certainly shuts down the college predation event, thereby saving the young girl, too. There’s the sense of smoldering cedar and a light smoke that only a true whiskey lover would find enjoyable. But there’s also something reminiscent of Elmer’s glue. All of these combine to form a flavor that no college girl anywhere would find enjoyable—no matter how emptied of self-esteem she may be. Nice try, Chet.

The medium finish sees the young girl regain her senses, ask for a glass of water, and thank Chet for a nice evening. There’s sour applesauce, the watery syrup from a can of Del Monte pears, and a little bit of oak ash seasoning.

Well, look at that! There was a story hiding in this one. I get the feeling that the Copper Fox and Chet are in cahoots.