Today, we share the second
post in a three-part series featuring products from Coppercraft Distillery.
Each post features tasting notes from three different reviewers - none of whom
were in communication with each other while performing the reviews. The result
is a series of tasting notes and observations that are unique to each reviewer
and help to illustrate the difference in how even experienced whiskey drinkers
interpret and rate a whiskey. We hope you find this multi-review series
interesting and informative. And, of course, if you've tried any of the
whiskeys reviewed, please chime in the comments with your own tasting notes and
opinions.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER:
Undisclosed, produced by Coppercraft Distillery
- MASH BILL:
Undisclosed
- AGE: A blend
of 4+ and 10+ year old Bourbons.
- YEAR: 2018
- PROOF: 100
(50% ABV)
- MSRP: $42.95
JARROD'S NOTES
NOSE: Old
Wood | Caramel | Musty Rope | Corn
TASTE: Dark
Bread | Malt | Caramel | Allspice | Prunes
FINISH: Softer
than the Straight Bourbon, but rounder and more flavorful. The old wood and
vanillas stood out, with a nice warming spice lying underneath.
SHARE WITH: As a
scotch drinker myself, I think this is a bourbon fellow scotch fans could learn
to enjoy. It has this malty-ness to it that reminds me of something akin to
Famous Grouse. Those who enjoy bourbon cocktails would likely enjoy it as well.
While I didn’t get a chance to mix it into a cocktail yet, I’m looking forward
to giving it a go in something like an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan.
WORTH THE PRICE: At
$42.95, it seems a bit steep for a mixin’ whiskey. That being said, it does
contain some well aged spirits and is quite flavorful; it should really hold up
well in a cocktail. I rather enjoyed this one neat and would not hesitate to
try it over ice either. If you
appreciate the versatility of being able to drink it on its own, as well as its
use in bold bourbon cocktails, it could be worth the few extra bucks.
BOTTLE, BAR, OR BUST: Much
like the Straight Bourbon, availability could be an issue for those outside of
Michigan, (at least for now) but if you happened to run across this in a Bar,
try it! It has a pretty unique taste compared to other bourbons I’ve had. If
you’re able to find it in a bar, and it’s to your liking, a bottle is the next
logical step.
OVERALL: As
mentioned in the Straight Bourbon review, I sampled the two bourbons side by
side to get a direct comparison. While any coloring differences between the two
whiskies were hard to determine, that’s where the similarities ended.
Immediately after pouring both samples, the nose appeared to be quite similar
as well, but in a matter of a few minutes, the stark differences became
increasingly apparent.
This Blended Straight
Bourbon is ‘duller’ on the nose, but at the same time, much deeper. Despite the
slightly higher ABV, the alcohol vapors were not as prevalent and I was able to
more easily pick up the bold notes of chewy molasses and robust baking spices.
The overall profile is much richer, earthier, and rounder without all the
overpowering alcohol notes.
Even though I was enjoying
this one neat, to keep things equal I added the same amount of water to both
samples. In this case, while it did slightly sweeten the pot, it also dampened
the overall profile and I preferred it sans water. It was still tasty, and
seemed to add a touch of unsweetened chocolate and a sprinkle of ash, which was
nice, but it also had a mellowing effect and increased the breadiness, which
wasn’t worth the tradeoff to me.
MATT'S NOTES
NOSE: Vanilla
| Dried Cherries | Soft Leather
TASTE: Pepper
Spice | Caramel | Dark Fruit | Faint Vanilla
FINISH: An
inviting spice starts at the front of the mouth and makes its way to the back
of my tongue and then hangs out around the back of my mouth as the finish
pleasantly lingers around for a little while. However, the natural bourbon
flavors seemed to depart long before the spice faded; coming across as a little
thin.
SHARE WITH: Folks
that like a bit more spice kick and a proof that reaches triple digits. I think
this could serve well in a Manhattan.
WORTH THE PRICE: This
would make a good gift for friends that have a stocked collection and are
looking for something new. See if you can sample back a dram and then decide
whether you’d drop the $42.95 on yourself.
JEFF'S NOTES
NOSE: Toasted
Oak |
Floral | Berry
TASTE:
Corn |
Peanuts | Rye Spice
| Caramel
FINISH: Pepper
that builds for several minutes with a return of berries.
SHARE WITH: Ginger
ale, muddled fruit, perhaps an olive or two.
WORTH THE PRICE: No.
BOTTLE, BAR, OR BUST: This
wasn’t a bad whiskey, but it wasn’t better than some of the mass-produced bar
staples. Definitely try this in a bar before you grab a bottle. But I’m rating
this as a Bust because of its price.
OVERALL:
Coppercraft markets this as a cocktail whiskey. To me, that’s just a synonym
for mixer. At one point, it could be an honest attempt to say, “This isn’t
up to par, but we put a ton of money into it, so we’ll call it a cocktail
whiskey, and you’ll hopefully buy it.”
On the other, it could just be a poor choice of words. However, their
marketing material says it is “blended to provide a flavor that lends itself
ideally to cocktails,” so mixer it is.
The Bourbon is a dull amber
in the glass that left a thick rim on the Glencairn, followed by slow, fat
legs.
When the glass was held at
chin level, a combination of toasted oak and floral notes was combined. Just a
bit higher to lip level made the oak disappear. The floral aroma remained and
was joined by berry fruit. Inhaling
through my lips brought the berry fruit into my mouth, followed by something
very unusual: copper. I thought it funny, considering the distillery’s name.
Lifting the glass to just under my nostrils brought back the floral quality.
Sipping provided a thin
mouthfeel, with corn and peanuts on the front of the palate. That was followed
by rye spice and caramel. Behind all that was oak, eventually giving way to a
finish of pepper that continued to build. Waiting a few minutes for it to
recede, the berry from the front made an encore.
Coppercraft has been
distilling since 2012. Obviously, the 10-year Bourbon is sourced. The 4+-year-old
Bourbon could very well be their own distillate. It tasted a bit like something from the Jim
Beam distillery with its familiar peanut quality.
Considering this is
marketed as a mixer (sorry, cocktail whiskey), I find $42.95 to be a lot
of money to drop on something designed to be blended with other flavors. Sipped
neat, this is no better than many of the typical rail Bourbons you’ll find at
any bar for half the price or even less. For mixing in a cocktail, this is too
rich for my wallet.
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.
Comments
Post a Comment
As we should drink in moderation, all comments are subject to it. Cheers!