Copper And Cask Small Batch

Copper And Cask Small Batch is a bourbon from Esplanda, and the small-batch label points to a bottling blended from a limited selection of barrels instead of a large single vat. The listing doesn't state proof, age, mash bill or tasting notes. What follows is what bourbon of this type usually delivers, not a measured profile of this bottle. By law bourbon is made from at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak, which accounts for most of what you taste. Expect a corn-driven sweetness in the caramel, brown sugar and vanilla range, with toasted oak and a little char behind it. Depending on how much rye or wheat is in the grain bill, the finish can run from baking spice and black pepper to a softer, bread-like roundness. If you're unfamiliar with it, pour a small measure first and see where it sits between sweet and spicy before choosing how to use it. For sipping, start neat in a Glencairn glass. The tapered bowl concentrates the aromas, so you can pick out the vanilla, oak and spice before tasting. If the alcohol feels sharp or the aroma is hard to read, add a few drops of room-temperature water. That loosens the spirit and often brings out the sweeter, fruitier notes. A single large ice cube in a rocks glass is a good alternative. It chills the pour slowly and softens the edges without watering it down quickly, which suits an easy evening pour. Crushed or small cubes will dilute it faster. In cocktails, a bourbon with caramel and oak character works well in an Old Fashioned, where a sugar cube, a few dashes of Angostura bitters and an orange peel play off the grain's sweetness. It also fits a Manhattan with sweet vermouth, though a rye-forward bourbon will give a drier, spicier result. A Whiskey Sour with fresh lemon juice and a little simple syrup lets the vanilla and oak stand up to the citrus, and a Highball with cold soda water and a lemon twist is a lighter long drink that keeps the bourbon's aroma. Keep a bottle you pour neat for the sipping, and use the same one for mixing if the flavor holds up with ice and dilution.