About the Producer
Copper and Kings of Louisville, KY is one of the most prominent craft brandy producers in the US. They go after a very bourbony profile with aging in ex-bourbon barrels and new charred oak and they are even on the KY Bourbon Trail.
Copper and Kings uses exclusively pot distillation and in the past was a mix of their own distillate and sourced brandy. They told me in a recent distillery visit that they are almost exclusively using their own distillate now. For their own distillate they use California grapes and ferment in CA and have the wines shipped to KY for distillation. Their aging cellar has music pumped into it 24/7 and they claim the vibrations adds to the aging. Kind of gimmicky but it doesn’t hurt anything.
NOTE: I bought this brandy at the distillery back in 2025, It’s unlikely that there are any around.
- Made 100% from a blend of MI apples
- Aged for 9yrs, if I recall correctly, 6 in ex bourbon barrels and 3 in ex port casks
- 61.25% abv
- Double pot distilled.
- Bottled on 10/10/24
Nose
Port cask is really doing work with raisins and almonds and a syrupy sweetness. Some spicy oak, baked apples are there but in the background. Traces of honey. It’s all very balanced and has good intensity due to the proof.
Palate
Very sweet and syrupy with raisins port and honey. Can feel the alcohol a bit but less than I expected given the proof. Traces of baked apples and cinnamon. A hair tannic. Textures is syrupy and it’s full bodied, medium flavored.
Finish
Long sweet and spicy with cinnamon and red hot candies.
Rating: 6
Overall
A very good apple brandy that leans into sweet and spicy notes. It’s very port forward but I think that really works for this release.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite
10 | Perfect | Perfect