Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co.
Single Barrel Rye Whiskey
Finished in Copper & Kings Absinthe Barrels
The Peerless absinthe barrel finished rye is one of two spirits produced as a collaboration between Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. and Copper & Kings American Brandy Company. The rye starts as regular Peerless rye. Then it is finished for an undisclosed amount of time in barrels which were previously used by Copper & Kings to age their absinthe. This rye is only sold at the Peerless Distillery. The other spirit is Copper & Kings brandy finished in Peerless Rye Whiskey Barrels. The brandy is sold by Copper & Kings. This is the perfect collaboration where everyone wins!
Copper & Kings Absinthe
A word about absinthe: According to Copper & Kings’ website: “Copper & Kings Absinthe is double distilled from Muscat wine and absinthe botanicals. Traditional absinthe botanicals – Grande Wormwood, Anis, Fennel and Hyssop, together with accent botanicals, are macerated in Muscat Low Wine for approximately 18 hours and then double distilled.” The dominant flavor is that of licorice which comes from the wormwood and anise. Absinthe is quite potent, both in flavor and proof.
Tasting Notes
111.2 Proof
~Nose: anise, botanicals, alcohol, baking spices, caramel, hint of peach and light sweetness
~Taste: Anise, botanicals, citrus, some sweetness, caramel, baking spices and rye seeds
~Finish: Anise, citrus, menthol, mild sweetness with a moderate burn; black licorice stick flavor increases and lingers a long time
Summary
Absinthe is by far the dominant flavor in this whiskey. The rye is there, and goes quite well with the absinthe, but it is in the background. If you enjoy Sazerac cocktails and licorice sticks, then you’ll probably love this. Otherwise, you’ll definitely want to taste it first before buying a bottle. I think it is delicious, but, as a frame of reference, I also love Sazerac cocktails, which are made with rye and absinthe. I would like to see the next batch have the absinthe toned down just a hair, to let the rye flavors shine through a bit more.
Want to learn more about Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co?
Read about Kentucky Peerless Bourbon at https://bourbonobsessed.com/Blog/peerless-kentucky-straight-bourbon-whiskey-inaugural-release-109-8-proof/
Read about Kentucky Peerless Distillery at BourbonObsessed.com.
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