Copper and Kings American Apple Brandy

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.

This is the old apple brandy from Copper and Kings although they have recently come under new ownership and have completely revamped their lineup. This is being replaced by a bottled in bond 6yr brandy that’s both older and at a higher proof. I’d be excited to try when it becomes available in my area.

Details

• Blend of MI grown apples
• NAS but supposedly aged for 4-5yrs.
• Aged in first fill ex-bourbon barrels and then some barrels are finished in new oak.
• 46% abv.
• Pot distilled.

Nose

Gingerbread and nutmeg. Lots of baking spices. Pretty dry. Apple is surprisingly subdued; what’s there is like apple pie or turnovers. Very baked goods feel. Medium intensity. Good but want more apple.

Palate

Still lots of baked goods. More apple than the nose but still not a lot. Apple pie filling, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon. Medium flavored, full bodied and dry. Texture is a hair rough which brings it down a bit.

Finish

Medium and dry with apple pie.

Rating: 5

Overall

A good brandy but one where the apples are weirdly in the background. More baked goods than anything else. I like the flavors but the textures hold it back. I’m really excited to try the new bottled in bond apple brandy since just based on the specs it should be better.

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