Fanny Fougerat Petite Cigue

Fanny Fougerat Petite Cigue

Brandy: Cognac
From: Borderies / Fin Bois
House: Fanny Fougerat
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Pale gold
ABV: 40%

N: Sea salt, pears, lemon zest, miso, sulphur, hints of apples.

M: Light body, airy, loose, astringent.

T: Sour salty. White grapes, pears, woodsmoke, oolong tea, apples, miso, hints of sulphur.

F: Short. Pears, orange peel, lemon zest, sea salt, oolong tea.

Comments:

Fanny Fougerat is a new-ish house, run by the eponymous fourth-generation distiller who is the only woman currently making cognac. That seems... unfortunate, and there should be a more diverse group of people involved in making spirits; quality goes up along with diversity, in my experience.

Spirit from the Borderies or Fin Bois tend to go into the blends created by the larger houses, so something that is one or both is unusual. This VSOP expression is young, without the deep, rich fruit, leather and tobacco notes in older brandies. Instead there's white fruit, savoury miso, and something sulphurous, though not unpleasant. There's plenty of tannic savouriness in the finish as well.

Verdict:

I like this.

Vecchia Romagna 25yo Riserva

Vecchia Romagna 25yo Riserva

Brandy: Stravecchio
From: Emilia Romagna
House: Vecchia Romagna
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Oolong tea
ABV: 40%

N: Raisins, red grapes, dark chocolate, orange zest, vanilla, pear drops, hints of rose.

M: Medium body, slippery, tingly, warm.

T: Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, orange zest, oolong tea, hints of coffee, hints of leather.

F: Long. Orange zest, butterscotch, leather, oolong tea, coffee.

Comments:

Oddly, for a country with a long and storied brandy making tradition, Italy does not seem to have an accepted term for grape brandy. Pomace brandy, is, of course, grappa, but brandy distilled from grape wine within the borders of Italy seems to be known by the brand of the producer. However, there are a couple of sources that seem to use 'stravecchio' as a term for grape brandy, so that's what I shall use. It's also a brand of brandy, Stravecchio Branca, made by the famous Fratelli Branca distillers, who also make Fernet Branca.

This stravecchio brandy comes from Emilia Romagna, from a winery that makes its spirit Cognac-style, aging it in French oak. The result of 25 years in wood is stunning. The spirit itself is robust, and stands up to all that aging, with notes of orange, tea, and coffee, over a subtle hint of leather. It's rather in the style of aged whiskies that I, a brandy novice, find familiar, comforting and enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Chateau de Lacquy 12yo

Chateau de Lacquy 12yo

Brandy: Armagnac
From: Bas Armagnac
House: Chateau de Lacquy
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Amber brown
ABV: 40%

N: milk, raisins, vanilla, desiccated coconut, hints of damson jam.

M: Light body, loose, airy, astringent.

T: Sweet sour. Raisins, vanilla, damson jam, prune juice, hints of ume, hints of violets.

F: Short. Black tea, cocoa powder, prune juice, damson jam, hints of fresh baked bread.

Comments:

Right, this is my third Chateau de Lacquy, and I believe that I can start to discern the house character. There's something jammy, something savoury (here it manifests as desiccated coconut, and maybe a little bit of Japanese ume, or salted plum), alongside the usual floral, prune notes one can find in most armagnacs. This expression also has something bitter though, like dark chocolate, and black tea, compared to the other two I've tasted.

So how many expressions does one need to taste before one knows a distilery, or a house? I think the answer is, a lot. A good producer will be able to make many subtly different, interesting expressions, whilst retaining most of the house character. On average, for whisky, I reckon I need to taste about 8 to 10 expressions before I learn to recognise the distillery character. For brandy though, most houses don't produce that many expressions!

Verdict:

I like this.

Dupont 20yo

Dupont 20yo

Brandy: Calvados
From: Pays d'Auge
House: Dupont
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Amber
ABV: 42%

N: dried apples, peaches, strawberry jam, honey, shortcrust pastry, hints of cloves.

M: Light body, loose, cool, slightly astringent.

T: Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, strawberry jam, cloves, raisins, hints of coffee.

F: Long. Peaches, dried apples, shortcrust pastry, coffee, raisins.

Comments:

Wow. This is apple pie Calvados, mimicking the flavour profile almost perfectly - apples, cloves, pastry. Of course, there's plenty of other stuff in here too, raisins, chocolate, coffee, and some sort of red fruit jam, mostly strawberry.

I think I'm beginning to be able to distinguish between Calvados houses. I've had a few well-aged expressions, and I shall gravitate towards the younger ones for a little while now. Well-aged brown spirits tend to deepen and intensify in flavour, and it will be interesting to see what the younger ones are like.

Verdict:

I like this.

KWV Imoya VSOP Cape Brandy

KWV Imoya VSOP Cape Brandy

Brandy: Cape Brandy
From: Paarl
House: KWV
Style: Single distillery, single vintage
Colour: Amber
ABV: 40%

N: red grapes, nutmeg, leather, tobacco leaf, honey, raisins.

M: Heavy body, syrupy, cool, round.

T: Sweet. Raisins, molasses, tobacco leaf, honey, black tea, brown paper, hints of fresh baked bread.

F: Medium. Molasses, fresh baked bread, honey, hints of black tea

Comments:

So it stands to reason you make brandy in South Africa, after all they grow grapes, they make wine. How hard is it to distill the wine? Well, quite hard, if you listen to French brandy makers. Cognac and armagnac are made from poor-quality wine, that is, wine that you wouldn't drink, but that you can concentrate and age. Nevertheless, I've found brandy from wine-makers to be rather excellent, from Penfolds in Australia to the sherry brandy by the sherry bodega Romate. This one, Imoya from KWV, made from distillates of up to 20 years old, is another one on that list.

Firstly, it's heavy and round for a brandy, with prominent legs. It's sweet, but there's an alluring undertone of other things that aren't so sweet - leather, tobacco, and even molasses - and this adds complexity. There's spice as well, and a cereally note on the tongue. It all fades to a bitter sweet finish.

So Cape Brandy from South Africa goes on the list of things to try more of. I must say that list is getting rather long, must make a dent in that before I go to try tequila...

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Roger Groult 12yo

Roger Groult 12yo

Brandy: Calvados
From: Pays d'Auge
House: Roger Groult
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Copper
ABV: 41%

N: Candied oranges, apple juice, raisins, fruitcake, aluminium foil, hints of fresh baked bread.

M: Light body, airy, cool, evaporates quickly.

T: Sweet sour. Candied oranges, nutmeg, fresh baked bread, apple juice, hints of cinnamon, hints of cocoa nibs.

F: Medium. Cocoa nibs, apple juice, nutmeg, hints of black tea.

Comments:

All apple Calvados, young-ish. It's got less of that dried apple flavour, here it's milder, like apple juice. This brandy is spicy, cinnamon, nutmeg, and candied oranges. There's a spiky bitter flavour on the edge of the tongue, and in the finish as well, I interpret this as cocoa nibs, and maybe some tannins too.

I think I'm starting to find out what I like about Calvados. Whilst the apple and pear base flavours and lovely, and enjoyable, I much prefer the more complex spirits with more layers underneath the fruit. This one is a good case in point - there's plenty of fruit of course, candied oranges and raisins are particularly prominent next to the apples - but there's also a layer of bitter spice underneath that, a slightly harsh sharp bitterness that reminds me of biting into unsweetened cocoa nibs. Very interesting indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Didier Lemorton Rarete

Didier Lemorton Rarete

Brandy: Calvados
From: Domfrontais
House: Didier Lemorton
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Walnut
ABV: 40%

N: Pear drops, cinnamon, dried apples, lime zest, acacia honey, hints of jasmine.

M: Medium body, warm, slippery, airy.

T: Bitter sour. Cinnamon, dried apples, dried pears, jasmine, lime juice, leather, hints of linseed oil.

F: Medium. Dried apples, dried pears, linseed oil, jasmine, hints of fresh baked bread.

Comments:

One of the very best expressions from this distillery, the spirit is a blend of very old eaux-de-vie, some of which are reportedly more than 100 years old. The colour is certainly impressive, dark walnut with hints of bronze highlights. The nose is classic Calvados, apples and pears, in this case mostly dried. On the tongue, I was surprised - it's not sweet at all, but bitter and tart, highly complex, with a dry, slightly dusty set of fruity flavours. There's even some leather, and an acrid note of linseed oil. It's not at all unpleasant, it's unusual, and it's not like other Calvadoses.

What is it with old spirits? They get more and more complex, picking up more of the wood they are resting in, losing some of the notes from their spirit base. There's a sweet spot where they're super complex and layered, lots of interesting flavours, which can only be unlocked by drinking slowly. Then after an even longer while, they pick up notes of leather, oil and dust, dried fruit and rancio, and start to taste like other old spirits. I've found this with whisky, armagnac, cognac and now Calvados. The age at which a spirit reaches this stage varies though, certainly you need something distilled more than 50 years ago, and hopefully aged in wood for most of that time.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Lot 1990 Pot Distilled Single Batch Brandy

Lot 1990 Pot Distilled Single Batch Brandy

Brandy: Australian Brandy
From: South Australia
House: Penfolds
Style: Single distillery, single vintage
Colour: Rose
ABV: 42%

N: Raisins, strawberries, marmalade, magic marker, coconut water, leather, hints of toasted coconut.

M: Medium body, cool, turns syrupy, slightly numbing.

T: Bitter sweet. Raisins, marmalade, palm sugar, fresh baked bread, black tea, hints of leather.

F: Short. Coconut water, palm sugar, raisins, fresh baked bread.

Comments:

Vat B271, date in wood 18/04/1990.

This brandy is roughly 28 years old, and has been aged in three types of fortified wine casks. It's got plenty of the usual brandy flavours - raisins and marmalade are particularly prominent - but it's got a cereally edge to it, alongside coconut water on the nose. The latter intensifies to slightly bitter, rich palm sugar on the tongue, and makes tasting this spirit a very interesting experience.

I never knew Penfolds made brandy. It turns out that this is very much an experiment, being the results of a distillation run nearly three decades ago. It's part of the Penfolds Special Bottlings series (another expression is a red wine fortified with baijiu), so I expect that it's unlikely to be repeated.

Now I try not to think too much about price when evaluating spirits. A drink is worth whatever people wish to pay for it, although some quality drinking experiences may be had for a lot less than certain other quality drinking experiences, and some dearly priced drinking experiences are not altogether pleasant. But I was extremely surprised when I found this brandy for a fraction of the price of a Penfolds Grange 1990 red wine. Granted the distiller (and wood master) may be less experienced, but the underlying fermentation and grapes are the same.

What does this show? Well, I'm not sure. All I can say is that I'd rather drink the brandy than the wine, it's nearly as good, and more easily available.

Verdict:

I like this a lot

Badel Hrvatska Stara Sljivovica

Badel Hrvatska Stara Sljivovica

Brandy: Slivovitz
From: Croatia proper
House: Badel 1862
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Straw
ABV: 40%

N: damson jam, prune juice, bubble gum, purple corn, dried pineapples, cloves, hints of nutmeg.

M: light body, slippery, astringent, tingly.

T: Sweet sour. Purple corn, dried pineapples, plums, creme fraiche, hints of green tea.

F: Medium. Green tea, bitter almonds, bubble gum, hints of vanilla.

Comments:

Never had slivovitz before I stepped into Croatia, but I thought, why not? It's eaux-de-vie, maybe not aged as long as grape or apple distillate, but drink as widely as one can, I always say. So I snagged a little sample of Badel sljivovica, as they call it in Croatia. It's been aged about 4 years in Slavonian oak, so it doesn't quite look like firewater, instead taking on a straw colour.

It's essence of plum alright, but exaggeratedly so, almost bubble gummy. There's purple corn and pineapples, reminding me of nothing so much as chicha morada, that Peruvian thirst quencher. On the tongue, there's also something fermented, like creme fraiche, which I like as it introduces complexity and spikes the sweetness a bit. On the finish, one can taste the bitter almonds that must come from the cracked plum pits during fermentation.

Makes me wonder what could be achieved if it were aged a bit more than 4 years. That would probably mellow out the sweetness, and create something more complex and even more flavourful. Come on Badel, give it a go!

Verdict:

I like this.

Cardenal Mendoza Carta Real

Cardenal Mendoza Carta Real

Brandy: Brandy de Jerez
From: Jerez
House: Sanchez Romate
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Mahogany
ABV: 40%

N: Red grapes, rum and raisin ice cream, walnut wood, date honey, dried apricots, hints of dark chocolate.

M: Heavy body, sticky, thickens, round.

T: Sweet. Prunes, date honey, raisins, cloves, walnut wood, walnut skins, hints of tobacco leaf.

F: Long. Walnut skins, prunes, date honey, dried apricots, dark chocolate.

Comments:

Right, my first venture outside France, in terms of brandy, at least. This is solera aged, with an average age of between 25 and 30 years old, so there's some very, very old stuff in this spirit. It's gloriously sweet, as befits a sherry brandy, and it's also rich and sticky, and round. The last is how I best describe this feeling I get when I smack my lips after wetting them with the brandy - somehow unctuous and lip-coating, as if my pursed lips were rounder.

Sweet flavours abound, of course, but on the nose and on the tongue, there are also some woody notes, and these turn bitter. There's dark chocolate too, accentuating the bitterness, and herbaceous tobacco. In fact, as I smell the empty glass, the woody and herbal notes predominate, becoming almost cedar like. All that fades to a long, bittersweet finish.

Yes, I really do like sherry brandy, despite the fact that sweet spirits aren't usually my thing. I like sweet flavours, like fruit and flowers, but I don't like them to taste sweet, as a rule. But this, well, this is an exception. Highly sugared, with deep layers of flavour, it's wonderful brandy.

Verdict:

Magnificent.

Armagnac Castarede 1968

Armagnac Castarede 1968

Brandy: Armagnac
From: Bas Armagnac
House: Castarede
Style: Single vintage
Colour: Amber gold
ABV: 40%

N: Fresh baked bread, toast, honey, ink, prunes, orange zest, hints of apples.

M: Light body, loose, airy, slightly sticky.

T: Bitter sweet. Honey, prunes, fresh baked bread, vanilla ice cream, black tea, hints of apples.

F: Medium. Apples, vanilla ice cream, prunes, fresh baked bread, hints of ink.

Comments:

When I decided to have an armagnac, I was looking for something rich and sweet, that would smack me in the mouth and kill my palate for the evening. Oh, a 1968 you say? Old and rich, exactly right.

Only, it wasn't really. I gather this negociant is not known for powerful robust armagnacs. Instead, it was gentle and complex, light, bright and airy. It was mostly cereally, with huge layers of bread and toast, with the prune notes relegated to the background. And on the tongue, a little surprise - creamy vanilla ice cream.

I would say it isn't a recent bottle, this armagnac. The bottle and label styles look older, rougher than the current branding. At a pinch I would say early 2000s or even late 90s. The rusticity in the marketing was popular back then, and there isn't a great deal of old bottle effect. I've had to go on a little detective search, and in doing so realised how much I've come to rely on the whisky databases when I'm drinking whisky, and how little information there is on brandy in comparison.

Verdict:

I like this.

Adrien Camut 18yo Privilege

Adrien Camut 18yo Privilege

Brandy: Calvados
From: Pays d'Auge
House: Adrien Camut
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Copper
ABV: 41%

N: honey, orange blossom, dried apples, peach cobbler, damson jam, hints of lemon zest.

M: light body, slippery, loose, turns watery.

T: Bitter sweet. Honey, cinnamon, dried apples, oak staves, damson jam, hints of lemon zest.

F: Short. Oak staves, orange blossom, cinnamon, hints of lemon zest.

Comments:

Well now, this one is not too much like its older sibling. There is but the merest hint of smoke, and there are huge jammy notes spread over old oak wood. The dried apples are there, although I sort of associate that with old Calvados in general rather than this house in particular. The only other points of commonality are the orange blossom and lemon zest.

That doesn't mean that it isn't good, in fact it's lovely and smooth. Plenty of floral and woody notes spar with the fruit, making for a style of Calvados I like - not too sweet, and multi-layered.

Cursory research on the internet suggests that this house uses old barrels exclusively, rather than new oak, with an average barrel age of near 50 years. Interestingly, the oak notes do taste old, gentle, hardly imparting any vanillin. There's also a dusty flavour to the oak, almost gritty, if gritty were a taste rather than a texture. Maybe that last bit sounds like BS - but well, all tasting notes are personal.

Verdict:

I like this.

Adrien Camut Reserve de Semainville

Adrien Camut Reserve de Semainville

Brandy: Calvados
From: Pays d'Auge
House: Adrien Camut
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Amber brown
ABV: 40%

N: Pear drops, dried apples, honey, chantilly cream, orange blossom, hints of leather, hints of prunes.

M: Heavy body, tingly, oily, astringent

T: Sweet. Dried apples, jasmine, honey, green tea, leather, cedar, hints of smoke

F: Long. Jasmine, dried apples, cedar, vanilla.

Comments:

I couldn't leave the Calvados alone. After the last couple of tasting notes, I was very intrigued, so I went back and tried another. This time I chose an Adrien Camut, a relatively famous producer that even this novice has heard of, a nice old one, blended from eaux-de-vie of between 20 and 25 years of age.

The legs of this spirit were huge and prominent, and the tasting did not disappoint. There's a depth of flavour, not really intensity, but a feeling of many layers to this spirit. Like peeling an onion, you get the impression that there's more to find, and it rewards sipping slowly and nosing the glass from a few different angles. There's apples of course, mostly dried now, but also zingy pear drops, floral notes such as orange blossom, and plenty of woody notes as well.

I wonder, what would cask strength Calvados taste like? The complexity here certainly would be more obvious at a higher ABV, and that might help improve the clarity of the flavours. Cursory research online suggests however that most Calvados is bottled around 40% and higher strength bottlings are few and far between.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Calvados Domfrontais Pacory 20yo

Calvados Domfrontais Pacory 20yo

Brandy: Calvados
From: Domfrontais
House: Pacory
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Polished oak
ABV: 40%

N: Red grapes, dried pears, pear drops, tinned peaches, sandalwood, hints of linseed oil.

M: Light body, loose, tingly, mouth coating.

T: Sweet. Pear drops, apple sauce, oak, vanilla sponge, lemon curd, hints of thyme, hints of bacon.

F: Short. Vanilla sponge, apple sauce, black tea, lemon curd, hints of white wine.

Comments:

This is calvados from Domfrontais, which means that it has pears as well as apples. This one is around 70% pear, 30% apple. The flavours are more intense, less soft. Despite the weak strength (compared to what I usually drink, anyway), the legs are prominent, and thick. That augurs well for the taste in my experience.

Yes, you can taste both pear and apple, and the pear flavours are surprisingly deep and layered. There's pear drops, dried pears, maybe some fresh Comice pear too, although that's fleeting and faint. There's also something oily, even meaty, and heaps of spice as well. This is very sweet stuff. The finish doesn't let up in terms of intensity, although it fades to astringent bitterness quite quickly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Roger Groult Venerable

Roger Groult Venerable

Brandy: Calvados
From: Pays d'Auge
House: Roger Groult
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Copper
ABV: 41%

N: dried apples, white grapes, cinnamon, toffee, chocolate, hints of fresh butter.

M: Light body, round, cool, slightly tingly.

T: Sweet salty. Cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh butter, milk toffee, bubble gum, hints of milk chocolate, hints of coffee.

F: Long. Kiwi fruit, milk toffee, dried apples, coffee

Comments:

So, we finally get to tasting Calvados. It's not a spirit that I've had a lot of experience with, but I've always enjoyed what I've tasted. Whisky tastes of grain, but that's normally buried under some layers of other flavours. Cognac tastes of raisins, mostly, whilst armagnac tastes of prunes, mostly. Calvados however, always tastes of apples, true to the original fruit.

For the first Calvados on Adventures in Brandy, I thought I would go for something fairly old. This one is more than 18 years old, and is aged in older casks. That shows of course - not much vanilla or tannins, instead there's heaps of fruit, making the flavour profile bright, and young. There's something salty here, think fresh Charentes butter, only married to spices, and something slightly bitter (yet fragrant) in the finish.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, my only niggle was the spirit's thin body. It sloshes around the mouth very well, but slips down quickly. The intensity fades, but the finish drags on and on. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Marquis de Puysegur 1966

Marquis de Puysegur 1966

Brandy: Armagnac
From: Gerland
House: Cave Cooperative de Villeneuve de Marsan
Style: Single vintage
Colour: Pale amber
ABV: 40%

N: White pepper, chocolate, raspberry jam, orange peel.

M: Medium body, watery, smooth

T: Sweet sour. Butter, oranges, oak, white pepper, cinnamon, cherries.

F: Medium, astringent, orange peel, peanuts.

Comments:

This is another blast from the past, an old tasting note that I wrote about 10 years ago. At that time I was a fairly green spirits drinker, and this was the oldest spirit I'd ever tasted up to that point. I reckon it's still top 10 oldest, maybe even top 5. At the time, I remember thinking it was the mutt's nuts, but with hindsight it was perhaps less impressive than its age would suggest.

It's from a Cave, or a cooperative that allows growers to club together and pool wines from a particular area, then distil and raise them to make great armagnac. This marque is normally sold in the USA, and I had it in a restaurant that must have had some contacts to obtain a bottle, particularly one this old.

It was spicy and jammy and sweet, with the usual prune notes mellowing out to cherries. I did wonder about the buttery, savoury notes, perhaps more of a mouthfeel than a taste. It may have been the first time I tasted what's known as rancio. Not that I've had it that often since then.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Martell Noblige

Martell Noblige

Brandy: Cognac
From: ?
House: Martell
Style: Blend
Colour: Dark amber
ABV: 40%

N: brown paper, raisins, dried apples, pears, hints of cedar

M: Medium body, sticky, oily, round

T: Sweet. Fresh baked bread, raisins, pears, dried apples, cedar, hints of cloves

F: Medium. Fresh baked bread, dried apples, rolled oats, raisins

Comments:

This is more 'classic' Chinese banquet brandy. Plenty of fruit and woody spice, with some very interesting cereally hints on the tongue and on the finish. No surprise - Martell is very popular in Asia, and this is a slightly more posh entry level bottling (this particular one is probably VSOP). The master blender tailors the flavour profile to what the consumer likes, and in turn influences future generations of consumers to like this particular flavour profile.

I found it a pleasant experience, not overly complex, but familiar and bold. Not intense - it wouldn't go well with Cantonese cuisine if it were - but the flavours were distinct and clear. Only one layer though, since if you're going to eat at the same time as you drink, you're not going to have time to dig down (although I did try, delaying my dinner a little).

Verdict:

I like this.

Bossard XO

Bossard XO

Brandy: Cognac
From: ?
House: Bossard
Style: Blend
Colour: Chinese tea
ABV: 40%

N: Toffee, caramel, chocolate, sea salt, seaweed, hints of vanilla

M: Medium body, loosens, airy, slightly oily

T: Bitter sweet. Blackcurrants, milk chocolate, caramel, burnt toffee, lemon zest, hints of seaweed.

F: Long. Lemon zest, burnt toffee, vanilla, marshmallows.

Comments:

This is my first brandy from this house, although that's not surprising. I had this at a Chinese banquet, which was surprising, since the brandy served at these banquets tends to be from Martell, Courvoisier or Remy Martin. It's not what I expected, the red fruit and raisin notes that tend to prevail in brandy were almost absent from the nose, and were instead replaced by a chocolatey, caramelly sort of flavour. It was quite neutral, almost rum-like. On the tongue, some fruit notes appeared, but it wasn't quite as intense as some other brandies that I've tried.

Later, I googled this and discovered that it's an entry level bottling available in Germany and some Eastern European countries. The producer seems to have entirely disappeared off the internet.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Chateau de Lacquy "Reference" XO 15yo

Chateau de Lacquy "Reference" XO 15yo

Brandy: Armagnac
From: Bas Armagnac
House: Chateau de Lacquy
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Amber rose
ABV: 42%

N: Mint, prunes, Japanese ume, hints of coffee

M: Light body, slightly syrupy

T: Bitter sweet. Oaky, white grapes, white pepper, raisins, chocolate, orange peel, hints of coffee

F: Long. Honey, raisins, kiwi fruit

Comments:

I tasted this bottle in 2009, probably at a dinner party or some such occasion. With luck, I've learnt something about drinking brandy in the intervening decade. Certainly I feel my palate is a little more discerning.

Anyway, I remember this brandy as being savoury, herbal, even slightly bitter on the nose, but that dissolved into spicy raisins and chocolate on the palate. The hints of Japanese ume were distinctive, and riveting, and it's what I recalled years later when I next tasted Chateau de Lacquy. This bottle is no longer available, the XO bottlings available today are, of course, younger.

Verdict:

I like this.

Chateau de Lacquy 1947 (bottled 1970s)

Chateau de Lacquy 1947 (bottled 1970s)

Brandy: Armagnac
From: Bas Armagnac
House: Chateau de Lacquy
Style: Single distillery, single vintage
Colour: Amber red
ABV: 44%

N: Malted milk, leather, prunes, coffee, butterscotch

M: Medium body, slippery, loosens, cool

T: Sweet salty. Prunes, leather, sea salt, Japanese ume, coffee, jasmine tea, lemon juice

F: Long. Raisins, prunes, Japanese ume, coffee, hints of chocolate

Comments:

Sometimes, I get very, very lucky. There was a smidgen of this spirit available at a reasonable price. It's the oldest spirit I have ever tasted, and what a privilege it was!

The classic prune notes of Armagnac stand out, of course, but it's married to old leather and coffee, and heaps of complex savoury notes. The leather and coffee don't have the slight cheesiness of what one might call rancio, instead, they're gentle, complementing the harder to analyse savoury notes. Those come in the second layer of flavour, intensifying and almost replacing the prune notes. These are a combination of sea salt, some floral jasmine, and salty preserved Japanese plum, or ume.

The last was familiar. I've had Chateau de Lacquy before, and I'll dig out that old tasting note and republish it here.

Verdict:

Magnificent.

Francois Voyer Vieux Cognac (for the 40th Anniversary of Amathus Drinks)

Francois Voyer Vieux Cognac (for the 40th Anniversary of Amathus Drinks)

Brandy: Cognac
From: Grande Champagne
House: Francois Voyer
Style: Single distillery, single vintage
Colour: Copper pink
ABV: 42%

N: Strawberries, rancio, prunes, leather, grape toffee, hibiscus, violets

M: Light body, loose, slippery, cool

T: Bitter sweet. Grape toffee, white grapes, hibiscus, raisins, mint, coffee, rancio, hints of chocolate

F: Long. Chocolate, leather, black tea, prunes, hints of violets

 Comments:

A 40 year old cognac from a single vintage in the 1970s. This is luxurious, redolent of red berries and a leathery savouriness that I interpret as rancio. There's also a chewy sweet grape flavour that reminds me of nothing so much as the Georgian sweets made out of fruit or nuts repeatedly dipped in grape molasses. This is amazing stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Chateau de Busca XO No. 1 Armagnac

Chateau de Busca XO No 1 Armagnac

Brandy: Armagnac
From: Tenareze, France
House: Chateau de Busca-Maniban
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Amber
ABV: 40%

N: Red grapes, chocolate, iron filings, orange blossom, sandalwood, hints of prunes

M: Medium body, slippery, astringent, tingly

T: Bitter sweet. Chocolate, prunes, orange blossom, marmalade, cloves, sandalwood, black coffee, hints of cucumber

F: Long. Prunes, marmalade, black coffee, black tea.

Comments:

From a bottle I had in my cupboard since 2010. This is robust and flavourful, but quite variable. Left for 10 minutes, the prune flavour note intensified, and floral woody elements started to emerge. There's a tannic feel on the tongue that intensifies in the finish. I really enjoyed this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot

Jean Fillioux Cigar Club Cognac

Jean Fillioux Cigar Club Cognac

Brandy: Cognac
From: Grande Champagne, France
House: Jean Fillioux
Style: Blend
Colour: Varnished oak
ABV: 40%

N: Fresh baked bread, strawberries, tobacco, tinned peaches, plums, hints of white grapes.

M: Light body, soft, round, sticky

T: Sour. Plums, prunes, tinned peaches, white grapes, tobacco, leather, hints of coffee.

F: Medium. Tobacco, black tea, white grapes, orange peel.

Comments:

Apparently specially blended to accompany a cigar. I don't smoke (anymore) so I can't test this. However, the cognac is soft and round, fruity on the nose, but with a leathery tobacco note. The flavour profile extends to the tongue as well. It's not sweet, but it smells sweet. Very pleasant indeed.

Verdict:

I Iike this.

Serious about spirits

After more than a decade of drinking whisky, and a failed attempt at (seriously) drinking other spirits, I finally decided to try again.

Now I can't really get excited about gin, as my palate doesn't discriminate very well among those subtle botanicals. If gin tastes samey, imagine what vodka tastes like to me. No, I prefer distillation-driven spirits, where complex, robust flavour comes from the skill of the distiller, the craft of the blender, the embrace of the wood, and plain old seasoning by Father Time.

So here's my second set of tasting notes, picked up along my travels in the wonderful world that is brandy. Why brandy, you may ask? Well, for the best reason of all - I like drinking brandy, nearly as much as I do whisky. I feel brandy is an under appreciated spirit.

Rum may or may not follow - I can't really get over the immense amount of sugar and flavouring in some rums. Lugging a hydrometer around to measure relative density feels like a faff, and so I'm going to have to adjust my tasting style for some rums (and I'm loth to do that).

Tequila and other spirits from the agave plant may make an appearance at some point. I'm wholly under-experienced here, but always willing to learn.

Best not to get me started on baijiu. Now there's something I don't think I'll ever understand.

But enough about stuff that's not brandy. Let's go!