Local distillery releases inaugural ‘XO’ brandy
Head Distiller Kevin Coulton.
Artisanal spirit aged for six years in French Oak barrels
– Willow Creek Distillery today released its inaugural “XO” brandy—a premium artisanal spirit aged for six years in French oak barrels.
The classic XO designation—for “Extra Old”—is reserved for brandies that spend a minimum of six years in the barrel, signifying peak rarity and maturity. Willow Creek Distillery’s XO Brandy ($95) is now available at the tasting room as well as online at WillowCreekDistillery.com.
“Our first-ever XO Brandy comes from a selection of just four barrels that we fermented, distilled and aged with passion and patience,” said Head Distiller Kevin Coulton. “Brandy has always been a focal point at Willow Creek Distillery, and this is the most special batch we’ve ever created.”
The XO Brandy comes from Muscat grapes harvested at the Opolo estate in 2017. The fruit was gently pressed and the juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks. Next, the new wine was twice distilled and cellared in medium-toast new French oak barrels. A special selection was then reserved for XO treatment and aged for the full six years prior to bottling.
“The XO brandy displays an incredible complexity that can only be gained from this extended aging period,” Coulton said. The result is a “uniquely nuanced and distinct spirit that opens with floral notes of honeysuckle, mandarin and pear with barrel-derived accents of caramel and toasted oak. The finish is voluminous and silky.”
The brandy is the latest to come from Willow Creek Distillery, which was established by sister winery Opolo Vineyards in 2013. Located in the coastal mountains of the Willow Creek District AVA of Paso Robles, the distillery specializes in a variety of spirits including brandies, whiskeys and liqueurs.
While the ascension of craft spirits on the Central Coast and across the nation has been chiefly fueled by whiskeys, Willow Creek has stayed true to its roots as a brandy house, according to Coulton.
“We get quite a few whiskey lovers in our tasting room who initially aren’t interested in our brandies,” he said. “They associate grape brandy with cheap, inferior spirits from the past. But when they taste ours, they’re blown away by how a great brandy can be as complex and enjoyable as the best whiskey. It opens up a new world of discovery for them.”
Willow Creek’s spirits are made using the finest barrels, botanicals and locally sourced ingredients, some of which are grown in the estate vineyard and organic orchard. Other signature offerings at Willow Creek Distillery include V.S.O.P. Brandy, V.S. Brandy, Malt & Oats Straight Whiskey, Straight Bourbon, Single Malt Whisky and a variety of premium liqueurs and fruit brandies including pear, cherry and apricot.
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