By Richard Thomas
Rating: B+
(Credit: Richard Thomas)
Something I say a lot in connection to The Whiskey Reviewer is we’re a whiskey media site, so it’s not necessarily just about bottles of whisk(e)y, but what we do must have a whiskey connection. This is why we have made a habit of writing up whiskey barrel-aged beers and wines from time to time, and now brandy.
This is not just any brandy, though, but brandy made in the very heart of Bourbon Country. Copper & Kings is a hip distillery with a skillful cocktails program, located in Louisville’s Butchertown. When the distillery opened up, they socked away some of the first brandies they sourced (not their native production), all of it aging in ex-bourbon barrels. They hung on to it until this year, releasing it in late summer 2019 to commemorate their fifth anniversary. The brandy in question is said to come from seven different American distilleries and ranges in age from eight to eighteen years in question. It was bottled at 100 proof.
The Brandy
I don’t know whether it’s the eau de vie or the rather long period of aging in ex-bourbon barrels, but the liquor came out looking truly like a brown spirit at the end. This is so much so that on the basis of looks alone, one would probably guess it was bourbon. Not rye or Scotch or any other type of whiskey, which all tend to be lighter in color, but a light amber-colored bourbon. Coating the inside of the glass put a solid sheen on it, one that stubbornly refused to drop legs or form anything but the scantiest crown.
The nose rested on a base of raisins, golden raisins and sultanas, this overlaid heavily by an herbal tree-like scent that I was almost like someone filled a cedar-lined box with freshly cut mint. Just a hint of vanilla floated around this.
The first sip was so thick with caramel that I got nothing else from it initially, but it opened up as time progressed. The bourbon-driven, caramel flavor continued to occupy the most space on my palate throughout, but the raisins came up on stage at the second sip, along with a touch of dry and oaky spiciness. The finish ran on that last note, going into dry wood.
The Price
Seeing as how this limited edition release was just three and a half months ago, I still see bottles around in my local area and online. It officially retails for $35.