As we welcome this new year, we are excited to bring you an unlikely success story from these pandemic times.
With many odds against them, Copper Sky Distillery in Longmont launched their whiskey company in early 2020, growing exponentially in their first year and set to expand their space in 2022. Copper Sky was founded by Mike Root, a veteran and impassioned entrepreneur who started his first company at just 24.
“I have always been an entrepreneur at heart, and I absolutely love building companies and teams,” Mike says. “I took my newfound passion for whiskey and bourbon and coupled it with my desire to build another company and boom! Copper Sky Distillery was born."
Drawn to the laid-back and close-knit community of Longmont and the surrounding area, Mike knew this would be home for him and his new ventures. What he's created is a comfortable space in which neighbors and friends can imbibe handcrafted whiskey. Utilizing a copper column with six hand-crafted sight glasses that offer a unique taste in every spirit, the brand’s award-winning whiskeys include a Wheated Bourbon Whiskey, a 7-Year Bourbon Whiskey and a 13-Year Light Whiskey. Their popular 5-Year Wheat Bourbon is described as smooth with subtle caramel and vanilla notes under a soft oak layer, paired with a hint of earthiness and greens.
Due to insufficient equipment in their early days, they couldn’t make their own whiskey, and so they instead had to lean into the art of blending that they have since become celebrated for. And when the government told them they couldn't open the tasting room, they “flipped the playbook on its head and focused on distribution,” Mike shared. This ability to creatively respond to challenges continues to drive their success.
His experience spans 10 years in the Air Force, including a year in Pakistan, and has shaped him into an inclusive community member who holds a strong desire to bring people together. No matter your creed, culture, language or lived experience, Mike promises there is a space for you at Copper Sky. Their staff mirrors this ethos of diversity, which includes their very first hire, Director of Mixology Oliver Capece, a young New Yorker who learned from some of the best mixologists in the world, and whose craft cocktails were recently canned and will be sold on shelves soon. Head Blender/Distiller Isaac Haefner is a master of crafting together unexpected whiskies into an inspired sip. And Kya Courson, their Director of Sales and Mixologist, hails from South Canada, where she spent years bartending. These are just some of the faces that make up Copper Sky’s staff and the essential board of tasters who discuss every new batch—with brutal honesty.
“Since founding the distillery, I have surrounded myself with the best team in the business, with most of the staff being retained since day one. We take care of each other on and off the clock, ensuring the company succeeds as a part of our shared legacy,” says Mike.
With charity at the heart of the company, Copper Sky has developed two special releases, the 9/11 20th Anniversary commemorative set and the Fallen Hero bottle, in which all proceeds went to the Longmont police, fire unions and fallen police officers in Colorado.
Collaborations are also a core value at Copper Sky, tapping the minds—and barrels—of industry connections.
“My favorite is the Bonnie and Clyde bottle we made with my good friend Richard from Art of the Spirits Whiskey,” Mike says. “We took a barrel of each of our whiskeys, added in some special whiskey from a third barrel, and blended it. Next, we put that whiskey into a sauvignon blanc barrel to finish.”
A photoshoot stemmed from the project; a recreation of the most iconic scenes from the film, which forged a connection to Mike’s distant relative, the gangster Clyde Barrow.
Copper Sky will be debuting a new facility in downtown Longmont this year, which will be nearly three times the size of their current space, complete with two warehouses, two tasting rooms and an intimate speakeasy in the back that is available by reservation or invite-only. For spirit savants, they offer a private barrel program, allowing members to visit the distillery, sample barrels and then get one bottled especially for them.
To experience Copper Sky’s selection of whiskies yourself, head down to their Longmont tasting room where barrels are stacked ceiling-high, their master mixologist stands by, and the welcoming warmth from their team (and the whiskey) awaits you.
CopperSkyDistillery.com
Sidebar: Straight-Up or Mixed? The Team’s Favorite Picks.
Mike: I drink my whiskey neat, sometimes with a little water, but always with friends
Justin: Smokey Old Fashioned with wheat whiskey
Kya: Manhattan with rye bourbon
Tori: Cherry Vanilla Old Fashioned with wheat whiskey