Copper & Kings, Kentucky Peerless Team On Some Interesting Craft Spirits

The distilleries of Copper & Kings and Kentucky Peerless, making primarily brandy and whiskey, respectively, are two of the more successful craft spirits makers to emerge in Kentucky in recent years. Collaboration was thus perhaps inevitable, and now the results of two new spirits tie ups have been unveiled.

The first, and the more of interest to whiskey drinkers, is the new Kentucky Peerless Rye Whiskey, Copper & Kings Absinthe Barrel Finish. As described by Kentucky Peerless Master Distiller, Caleb Kilburn, in a prepared statement, “early on, we took the stance that Peerless would never say never in regards to doing barrel finishes, but we also recognized that it would require time and the perfect partner to peak our interests. We knew that as a young company we had to grow and walk before we could run. We took our time, established our bourbon and rye as respected top-shelf products, and finally reached a point where we could discuss different product innovations.

“This is when the opportunity to work with Copper and Kings presented itself and we couldn’t have found a better fit. Having been given access to any barrel within their elite portfolio, I devised one of the most unique and flavorful barrel finishes that has ever been made: a Peerless Rye Whiskey finished in a Copper and Kings Barrel-Aged Absinthe [barrel.] I wanted something that would provide the perfect contrasting notes to allow both the rye and the absinthe to be appreciated.

“Bold, exciting, intriguing, and bursting at the seams with flavor, this crossover is the perfect example of what a few artisans with big ambitions can accomplish when they come together.”

Alongside it was launched an American brandy from Copper & Kings that is “a blend of grape brandies – 60% Copper & Kings ‘Alliance’ blend of Muscat de Alexandrie, Chenin Blanc and French Colombard grapes distilled in Butchertown and almost 6 years old at 70 months, and 40% brandies aged from nine to 18 years. All were aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels before being finished for 14 months in Kentucky Peerless rye whiskey barrels.”

Plans call for the rye whiskey, priced at $129 per 750 ml bottle, and the brandy, priced at $65 per 750 ml bottle, to be available at both distillery gift shops, and in very select fine retailers across Copper & Kings and Kentucky Peerless distribution footprints.