Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch 40%

A copper dog was a home-made tube that distillery workers dropped into casks to smuggle whisky out in a trouser pocket. The name is a nod to that small crime.

Expert description

Copper Dog is a Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky built from eight distilleries and bottled at 40%.

All eight distilleries sit in Speyside, and the whisky is conceived as a distillation of the region's style rather than a portrait of one house. Copper Dog was developed at the bar of the Craigellachie Hotel, which is also where the name comes from — distillery workers used a small copper tube to draw an unauthorised sample from a cask. Diageo is behind the bottling.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fruit-driven and light. Apple, pear and honey first, then a lightly spiced note over a warm malted base.

Palate

Soft and round. Honey, ripe fruit and pale vanilla, with a touch of cinnamon and malt. There are no edges here — it is built to go down easily.

Finish

Short to medium, malty and lightly sweet, with a mild spiced warmth at the end.

Specifications

Name: Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch 40%
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Copper Dog
EAN no.: 5000267165493

Flavour profile

Soft · Fruity · Honeyed · Malty · Unpeated

Did you know?

The Copper Dog Bar at the Craigellachie Hotel gave the bottle its name, and the hotel sits in the middle of Speyside with eight distilleries within reasonable walking distance. It is no accident that exactly eight malts ended up in the recipe.

See our full range of Copper Dog Whisky

Frequently asked questions about Copper Dog

What does the name Copper Dog mean?

It is the name of a small copper tube distillery workers used to draw whisky out of casks. The tube went into a trouser pocket, and the practice was common enough to earn its own name.

What is a blended malt?

A mixture made purely of malt whisky from several distilleries, with no grain whisky. Here there are eight Speyside malts. See more of the type in our Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.

Is it peated?

No. Speyside mostly makes unpeated whisky, and Copper Dog is no exception. Fruit, honey and malt fill the whole picture.

Does it work in cocktails?

Yes, it is almost made for it. The sweetness and modest strength make it easy to work with in a highball or a whisky sour without it disappearing.

Is it good for a beginner?

Very. No sharp edges, no smoke and no high strength, and the fruit-sweet profile is easy to like. It is also a fine first meeting with the Speyside style.

Which distilleries are in it?

Eight Speyside distilleries, not named individually on the label. That is common for blended malts, where the whole is the point rather than the individual sources.