Copper & Cask 9-Year Double Oak Bourbon WS-12
The Stats
- Producer: Copper & Cask Spirits
- Location: Rhode Island
- Type: Double Oak Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Batch: Private Batch WS-12
- Age: 9 Years
- Proof: 120.8 (60.4% ABV)
- Distilled By: MGP, Indiana
- Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
- Batch Size: 18 Barrels
- Finish: 9–12 Months in New #1 Char Oak Barrels
- Price: $55–$60
Double oak bourbon has become one of those categories where it feels like everyone has one. And honestly, we get it.
Take mature bourbon, put it into another new oak barrel, and you have a pretty reliable way to turn up the caramel, vanilla, spice, and oak. The danger is that you can also turn everything up a little too far.
Copper & Cask had a pretty good starting point here. Private Batch WS-12 begins with 9-year-old MGP bourbon, then gets another nine months to a year in fresh oak before being bottled at 120.8 proof.
That is a lot of time in a barrel. The result is big, sweet, spicy, and very clearly double-oaked. It can get a little aggressive at times, but at around $55–$60, you also get a whole lot of whiskey in this bottle.
The Whiskey Behind the Bottle
Copper & Cask is an independent bottler that launched in 2021, focusing on sourcing mature whiskey and releasing it through single barrels and limited batches. The company later expanded into blending and cask finishing, and intentionally operates without a permanent flagship bottle. Most releases are limited, cask-strength whiskeys built around specific barrels, batches, and finishes.
WS-12 is a private batch selected by Wine & Spirits Guild and is made from 18 hand-selected barrels of 9-year-old bourbon distilled at MGP in Indiana.
The mash bill is 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, MGP's familiar low-rye bourbon recipe. The whiskey matured primarily in Indiana and Kentucky before moving to Copper & Cask in Rhode Island. That is where things get more interesting.
Copper & Cask transferred the whiskey into new Char #1 oak barrels for another nine months to one year, then blended everything together and bottled it at cask strength at 120.8 proof. This isn't really a quick second-barrel finishing pass.
Nearly another year in fresh oak gives that second barrel plenty of opportunity to change the whiskey, and you can taste it.
Tasting Notes
Aroma
Cinnamon and baking spice show up first, followed by caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and a sweeter apple-pie note.
There is plenty of sweetness here, but it isn't the soft, syrupy nose we sometimes get from double oak bourbon. The spice and proof already signal they plan to be part of the conversation.
Taste
Vanilla, caramel, and burnt sugar lead the palate, followed by clove, cinnamon, toasted oak, and peppery spice. Scott found more toffee and apple cinnamon, while Arthur picked up darker molasses and heavier baking spice. The second barrel adds plenty of concentration, though the proof and fresh oak can make it feel a little sharp at times.
Finish
Long, warm, and spicy, with burnt sugar, caramel, cinnamon, pepper, and toasted oak lingering through the finish. Despite the age and extra time in new oak, it can still come across as a little rougher and younger than expected.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
7.5 / 10 - Good
Copper & Cask Double Oak WS-12 has a lot going for it. You are starting with legitimately mature MGP bourbon, adding nearly another year in a fresh oak barrel, and bottling the whole thing at cask strength. Unsurprisingly, the result has plenty of flavor.
Scott landed at an 8, finding more of the caramel, toffee, apple, vanilla, and burnt-sugar sweetness.
Arthur gave it a 7. There was still plenty to enjoy, but the whiskey came across a little hotter and rougher, with more molasses, baking spice, and oak showing through.
That difference actually sums this bottle up pretty well. If you like big, high-proof, heavily flavored double oak bourbon, there is a good chance you will land closer to Scott. If you prefer a little more balance and polish, the second barrel and proof can occasionally push things too far.
But one other part of this review matters. The price.
Buy or Skip:
Buy
At roughly $55–$60, Copper & Cask Double Oak WS-12 is an easy bottle for us to recommend.
It runs a little hot, and the oak can get aggressive, but you are still getting 9-year MGP bourbon, nearly another year in new oak, and 120.8 proof for around sixty bucks. That is a lot of whiskey for the money.
If you like big, spicy double-oak bourbon and see one near that price, grab it.
Where Does It Rank?
Every whiskey we review is scored using the same 10-point scale, making it easy to compare bottles across styles, distilleries, and price points. Explore our complete whiskey rankings to see how every bottle stacks up.
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