Review by: Raygun

Klocke Estate is based in the Hudson Valley and produces both aged apple and grape brandies and unaged fruit eaux de vie, such as this sour cherry brandy. Pricey stuff, at $200 for a 375ml bottle. Rested about 15 minutes.

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Distiller: Klocke Estate

Bottler: Klocke Estate 

Region/style: American eau de vie 

ABV: 42%

Age: N/A

Color: 0.0 clear

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Nose: There’s cherry, but also some chemical/solvent kind of notes. Reminiscent of unaged rum, with some cherry scent. Improves with air time.          

Palate: Stronger cherry flavor, with a custard aspect. Fortunately, less solvent influence. A bit grassy. Improves with air time, the cherry getting stronger. Better the second time around, with more cherry flavor. Clean, bright, with tons of fruit. 

Finish: Cherry, vanilla, and grass. Mild solvent tones. Similar to the palate. Nice vibrant fruit flavor. 

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Conclusion: I wasn’t initially sold, but I came around by the second pour. It did well with some air time. Then the cherry flavor came out more clearly. Sour cherries are mostly used in things like cherry pie and the flavors were reminiscent of that. It’s still very tough as a value proposition.

Score: 82

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent brandy worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.