Copper & Kings American Craft Brandy

Sampled neat from a Flaviar taster. Before I get to the review, I certainly don't recommend Flaviar. Nothing about my experience with them would convince me to join their program. The nose is sweet with some grapey notes and a solid apple profile. This smells like a wonderful jelly to put on toast in the morning. On the palate this is soft, sweet and undemanding. Not sure if this is worth having in a cocktail. I can imaging the lemon juice totally crushing it in a Sidecar. There's no way for me to be certain as the "sampler" would be a pretty depressing neat pour at most restaurants. Anyway, its inoffensive. At the going rate which seems to be about $35 I'm not sure I wouldn't opt for something like a VSOP cognac. That would mean a step down to 80 proof, but maybe a bit more interesting complexity on the palate? I rate it on a scale of 1 to 5. A competent mass-market product should land on a bell curve with the average clustered between 2 and 3. This is a competent, average brandy.

An elegant, Solera aged Brandy by Copper & Kings Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky; sourcing pot-distilled Brandy stock from various distillers crafted with a blend of grapes including: Muscat, Chenin Blanc & French Colombard & goes full "solera" on it: 90% ages in former Kentucky Bourbon barrels, while 10% reaches its maturity in new medium-char American oak casks for a minimum of 2 years. It has an aromatic birth with notes of caramel, honey, cherry wood, honeysuckle, hints of melon & a floral bouquet; while a rich & oily life adds notes of honey, toasted oak, tobacco & spices; that led to a balanced & velvety death. August 2020 / January 2021

Notes of oak with pleasant mouth feel and smooth finish. The bourbon barrel aging is present. This is a nice brandy. Stands up in a Wisconsin Old Fashioned. Would love to see straight on the label. Who knows what else is in here? Similar to Christian Brothers Sacred Bond Brandy, which is also aged in bourbon barrels and has an age statement of four years. There is no age statement on this.

This brandy is bourbon in drag. So much suggests bourbon, if you weren’t accustomed to brandy, you might be mistaken. I had heard that way back when, bourbon was created as cheap alternative to brandy. I could be wrong. This isn’t bad. It’s nice in one, fat rock. It’s sippable neat. I like what they are doing and clearly they put thought and work into this offering.

Sweet nose, with hints of vanilla and spice. Quite a bit of alcohol burn and drying from the tannins from the oak. Reminds me almost of a bourbon, which is pretty much what they aim for. I like this mixed more than neat but it is drinkable by itself, though I think it benefits from a little cold water or an ice cube to help soften it a bit.

Another taste, on a chunk o’ rock... C&K loves ice. Hue suffers, but nose opens up to effervescent grape-fest. Palate separates into distinct tasting notes with fruit in this corner; and oak in that corner. Maybe this would make an exciting Sidecar.