During the California Gold Rush, gold dust served as the preferred currency. A miner would open his purse of gold, offering merchants and barkeeps to take a pinch of dust as payment. Prosperous merchants were said to have ‘Fat Thumbs,’ thanks to a reputation for taking generous pinches of gold. In blending Argonaut Fat Thumb, our Master Distiller showed she too had a ‘Fat Thumb’ when pulling from our alembic brandy stocks. The resulting blend showcases the quality of some of our more scarce blending legs. Fat Thumb offers baked apple cobbler, overripe pear, toasted oak, coconut, vanilla, nutmeg and clove, red apple, overripe pear, traces of caramelized banana, rich, silky mouthfeel.

Tasting Note: Apple, Pear, Caramel, Oak

The Argonauts of the Gold Rush were charmed and captivated by Sam Brannan’s claim of gold in the American River. His proclamation proved the catalyst to a new era in American history, accelerating Westward expansion. For this Second Edition of The Claim, our pioneering distiller Rita Hansen pulled from these special stocks to create a magnificent blend of the rarest and most unique California Brandies.

TASTING NOTES

The Second Edition of The Claim has a lush aroma of plum and cherry, with notes of dried fruit leather, apple, brown spice, and toasted oak. The deep red fruit flavors carry over to the palate, complemented by layers of dried fig, apple pie, and baking spice. The long finish is rich and elegant, with seamlessly integrated fruit and oak.