Stray Cat (Gin) Struts
IMG_2799
All photos by Sara Havens.
There is hardly anything conventional when it comes to the Copper & Kings American Brandy Company in Louisville, Ky., save for the proper distilling techniques. The distillery has garnered national attention by its unique barrel-aging process that includes serenading the aging spirits with loud and proud rock ’n’ roll. So when the distillers decided to try their hand at gin, you can bet on originality and a spin on age-old methods.
IMG_2798
“We’re all about traditions and passions, and then we like to give those a proper American twist,” said Copper & King’s Brandon O’Daniel Friday night to a crowd of curious gin drinkers. Distillers O’Daniel and Alan Bishop held a launch party for the newly released Stray Cat gin in which they explained their process, talked about the madness behind their methods, and then offered up samples — either straight up or with tonic.
Stray Cat is a small batch artisanal gin created from an apple brandy-based spirit that was double distilled in a copper pot still. Of course, the classic gin botanicals were added to the mix, and the gin was aged in medium-char Serbian juniper barrels for a year. The color of the final product is unusually cloudy and creamy, and the aroma is delightfully citrus heavy.
“We don’t dabble at distilling. For us to release a gin, it needed to be exceptional, something that reflects what we do with our American brandy and absinthe, something unique that we can be very, very proud of,” said O’Daniel in a press release. “This is spectacular. It’s a ballsy, confident, independent feline of a gin.”
IMG_2801
Copper & Kings’ founder Joe Heron admits that while gin isn’t the distillery’s main product, his distillers had fun experimenting with the spirit and created a damn fine contribution to that market.
“Gin is not really our thing, truthfully, he explained. “But we have experimented occasionally, and this turned out really fantastically. And is also very unusual for a gin, in terms of cloudy appearance and creamy mouth-feel. The apple-brandy base gives a natural Old Tom-style profile, and one barrel in a cellar is essentially a stray — so we called it the Stray Cat. We also have a very strong affection for Brian Setzer.”
During the tasting Friday night, most people were intrigued to try the tinted gin. The aroma was almost as pleasant as the first sip, and the immediate taste of citrus and pine was unique and delicious. I added some tonic and a lime to my second sample, and it made for an amazing twist on the classic cocktail.
Stray Cat gin is 94 proof and runs for about $40 for a 375mL bottle. Copper & Kings is available in 18 markets, including Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Stray Cat joins their other releases of Distilled Brandy, Immature Brandy, Absinthe Blanche, and Un-Aged Apple Brandy.