Excelsior, New York’s state motto, means “Ever Upwards,” and our Excelsior Straight Bourbon is made exclusively from Hudson Valley grains, and then aged in a New York-coopered barrel of Hudson Valley oak. Excelsior is the first truly 100% New York Bourbon since well before Prohibition.

Coppersea worked with on this special project with US Barrel, located in the Adirondacks, and the oldest cooperage in the Northeast. They harvest sustainably-grown wood and, like Coppersea, use a combination of traditional and modern technology.

As with all of Coppersea’s “Heritage Methods Distilled” products, we mash Excelsior Bourbon in open-top fermenters for additional local terroir, twice-distill in True Fire Copper, direct-fired simple alembic stills, and barrel age our spirits at the ultra-low proof of 105.

TASTING NOTES

Excelsior Straight Bourbon gets a spicy zest of black pepper and nutmeg as a result of its high rye content. Sweet elements of polenta and apricot mingle with robust notes of vanilla, almond and cedar from the American white oak.

Bonticou Crag is a 100% single malt rye made of heirloom varietals from Coppersea’s own and neighboring Hudson Valley farms. We name it for the rocky prominence overlooking our farm at the northern end of the Shawangunk Ridge.

We floor malt the rye in our own malt house in the traditional manner, hand-raking daily to ensure proper aeration in the sprouting grain and then lightly kiln-toasting to dry and preserve.

Open-top fermentation infuses the mash with additional local terroir from ambient yeast and other microflora. As with all of our “Heritage Methods Distilled” products, we twice-distill in True Fire Copper, direct-fired simple alembic stills, and barrel age our spirits at the ultra-low proof of 105.

TASTING NOTES

Nose offers hints of baking spices. Opens on the palate with blackberry, cinnamon and allspice, then yields to caramel, toasted biscuit, vanilla, and pepper, with lingering finish of raw honey and nutmeg.

Excelsior, New York’s state motto, means “Ever Upwards,” and our Excelsior Straight Bourbon is made exclusively from Hudson Valley grains, and then aged in a New York-coopered barrel of Hudson Valley oak. The Bottled-in-Bond release of the Excelsior Straight Bourbon fulfills our mission of creating spirits of historic significance.

The Bottled in Bond Act of 1897 was one of the first consumer protection laws in the United States, and mandates (among other things) that the whisky be made, aged, and bottled by the  distillery on the label.

As with all of Coppersea’s “Heritage Methods Distilled” products, we mash Excelsior Bourbon Bottled In-Bond in open-top fermenters for additional local terroir, twice-distill in True Fire Copper, direct-fired simple alembic stills, and barrel age our spirits at the ultra-low proof of 105.

TASTING NOTES

This full round Bourbon bears aromas and notes of fig, apricot, sweet ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and caramel.

Bottled-in-Bond edition of the Bonticou Crag

TASTING NOTES
This full, exceptionally smooth rye bears aromas and notes of ginger, vanilla, honey, black pepper, charred oak and walnuts.

TO SERVE
Meant to be enjoyed neat at bottle strength.

DISTILLATION
100% malt rye Mash bill, bottled at 100 proof / 50% ABV

LIMITED RELEASE OF COPPERSEA’S 100% RYE MALT WHISKY
The Bottled-in-Bond release of the Bonticou Crag fulfills our mission of creating spirits of historic significance. The Bottled in Bond Act of 1897 was one of the first consumer protection laws in the United States, and mandates (among other things) that the whisky be made, aged, and bottled by the distillery on the label.

We floor malt the rye in our own malt house in the traditional manner, hand-raking daily to ensure proper aeration in the sprouting grain and then lightly kiln-toasting to dry and preserve. As with all Coppersea spirits, the 100% malted rye is fermented in open-top fermenters and distilled twice in direct-fired alembic stills, which imparts a richer flavor.

Our low-barrel proof of 105 really shines in the Bottled-in-Bond expression, which is bottled at almost barrel strength and receives only a dash of water to bottle proof.