You can take the boy out of South Africa but you can’t take the desire for South African brandy out of the boy. Copper & Kings American Brandy Company was founded in 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky by serial entrepreneur Joe Heron. Distillery co-founders Joe and his wife Lesley both originally hail from South Africa. Now, just like their lives cross two continents, their latest brandy release also covers two continents. The distillery has announced the latest addition to its spirits lineup, GEOGR&PHY a copper pot-distilled brandy blend combining American and South African brandy. It’s a two continent brandy blend that’s been married and aged for an additional two years in Kentucky Bourbon barrels.
“The USA and South Africa share a common brandy thread as former Dutch colonies, and the origin of the word brandy is Dutch – ‘brandewijn’ or ‘burned wine’ in English,” said Copper & Kings founder Joe Heron. “The first documented spirits distillation in America in 1640 was that of brandy by William Hendricks on Staten Island within the New Netherlands colony. The first distillation of South African brandy was in 1672, by the assistant cook on board the Dutch ship, De Pijl, lying at anchor in Table Bay off Cape Town. So New World brandy is pretty old school. As a South African American, there’s also a very nice personal synchronicity.”
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The GEOGR&PHY concept will explore pot-distilled brandy blends combining American Brandy with those from other countries from around the world. An adventure for brandy lovers billed as a libation for “intrepid adventurers, famous explorers, and social travelers.”
The bi-continental brandewijn is an exploration of the symmetry of blending exquisite, elegant South African brandy with rich, fruit forward, feisty rambunctious American Brandy.
“The pot-distilled spirits have much in common,” said Copper & Kings master distiller Brandon O’Daniel. “The grape varietal blend has very much a preponderance of French Colombard and Chenin Blanc, and both have been matured in Kentucky Bourbon barrels from the original distillation, up until marrying and further aging again in Bourbon barrels. The blend is 51% American Brandy & 49% South African brandy.”
“It’s beautifully viscous, and balanced, with a delicious luminosity,” said O’Daniel. “At 108 proof it has velvety power, but lovely drinkability, and this contrasts with a typical South African pot still brandy bottle proof of 38% ABV/ 76 proof. The Bourbon barrels add warm honey and caramel and don’t overpower the grape varietal nuance. And we don’t compromise the mouthfeel, or flavor intensity, with chill-filtration, or adulterate post-distillation with boisé or caramel color.”
Copper & Kings GEOGR&PHY Bi-Continental Brandewijn is 108 proof (54% ABV) with a suggested retail price of $50 for a 750mL bottle. The brandy is available at the distillery, and through a limited number of select fine retailers across the Copper & Kings distribution network.
Copper & Kings GEOGR&PHY Bi-Continental Brandy
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