The Data

Category   Brandy

Sub-Category   Apple Brandy

Origin   New York

Retail Price   $55

ABV   46%

Score   4.5 Stars/Exceptional! +

In the Glass

Brilliant, golden color.

The nose is filled with the scents of baked apples with assertive supporting notes of campfire, toffee, and vanilla bean.

The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich, apple-driven core with waves of brown baking spices, sweet caramel, oak, and candied ginger.

Full-bodied with bright fruit supported by loads of spice, with silky sweet nuts and caramel.

Cool Factor

A true craft product that starts in their multi-generation farms, fermented, and then distilled with care and aged to perfection is very cool.

Value Grade

When we find a delicious American Brandy/Applejack perfectly aged for five years selling in the middle $50 range it is a true value.

Analysis

Rootstock is a craft cider maker in New York, in fact they are the first, post-prohibition farmstead cidery in the Rochester region. You can't make a great Apple Brandy without first making a great cider. The fruit is grown on the fifth generation DeFisher Fruit Farms whose orchards span over 500 acres. They grow heritage and contemporary varietals that are blended to make their tasty ciders — some of these ciders are then distilled to become their great Applejack. Rootstock's ciders destined to become Applejack are distilled in American-made pot-stills and then aged in ex-Kentucky Bourbon barrels. The wood acts as the perfect spice to the lush, sweet apple Brandy. We are big fans of this new version of an American classic spirit.

How to Enjoy

Serve as you would any favorite Brandy. You can serve over ice but this will dull the aromatics and the body. We recommend sipping this great spirit neat after dinner.