Arizona Distilling Copper City Bourbon Whiskey
Arizona Distilling Copper City Bourbon Whiskey is a 90-proof (45% ABV) small-batch bourbon from Arizona Distilling Company in Tempe, Arizona — the desert's answer to Kentucky. The name honors the Copper City Brewing Company's 1915 protest against Prohibition, and the bourbon carries the same defiant streak: the first legally distilled bourbon in the Phoenix area in more than 80 years, made entirely in-house by founders Jason Grossmiller, Jonathan Eagan, and Rodney Hu. Aged in white American oak, it drinks approachable and warm — ripe pear and crisp apple on the nose, caramel and vanilla with cinnamon, pepper, and a touch of tobacco on the palate. This 750mL bottle is craft bourbon with a real Arizona story. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof)
- Size: 750mL — small-batch
- Aging: White American oak barrels
- Origin: Arizona Distilling Company, Tempe, Arizona
- Name: Honors the Copper City Brewing Company's 1915 stand against Prohibition
Desert Bourbon With a Defiant Streak
Phoenix didn't have a legal bourbon distillery for most of a century — Copper City changed that. Everything at Arizona Distilling is made in-house in small batches, and the bourbon reflects its home: the intense Arizona heat works the barrels hard, pulling caramel and vanilla from the oak fast. The result is a balanced, easy-drinking 90-proofer that plays as well on the rocks as it does in a whiskey sour. Explore more craft bourbon in our bourbon whiskey collection or see the Arizona Distilling Co lineup.
Tasting Notes
Light golden-amber in the glass. Aroma: ripe pear, crisp apple, and gentle sweetness. Palate: caramel and vanilla layered with cinnamon, pepper, and a touch of tobacco. Finish: balanced and approachable — smooth without going soft.
How to Enjoy
On the rocks or neat — it's built for easy sipping. The caramel-vanilla profile also makes it a natural in an Old Fashioned or a highball with a big ice cube.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Copper City Bourbon?
It's named for the Copper City Brewing Company's 1915 protest against Prohibition — a nod to Arizona's defiant brewing and distilling history.
Where is Copper City Bourbon made?
Arizona Distilling Company in Tempe, Arizona — everything is made in-house in small batches.
What is the proof of Copper City Bourbon?
90 proof (45% ABV). Note: a separate 118-proof cabernet-cask-finished edition exists — this is the standard expression.
Southwest bourbon fans can order Arizona Distilling Copper City Bourbon online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — 750mL of small-batch Tempe bourbon.