Roger Groult Reserve

Roger Groult Reserve

Brandy: Calvados
From: Pays d'Auge
House: Roger Groult
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Pale green gold
ABV: 40%

N: Green apples, raisins, cloves, camphor, peaches, fresh cut grass.

M: Light body, warm, volatile, tingly.

T: Bitter. Cloves, cinnamon, camphor, pomegranate molasses, vanilla, thyme.

F: Short. Camphor, cocoa nibs, green apples, pomegranate molasses.

Comments:

I've recorded some thoughts on a couple of expressions in the premium end of the Roger Groult range, and it's time to have a taste of the entry level expression. This is probably less than 3 years old. It smells fantastic, rich, herbal and complex. There's very malic green apples, some sweet peaches, and so many vegetal, herbal notes.

On the tongue however, the sweet notes largely disappear, and the herbal notes take over. It's spicy and fragrant though, with a slightly harsh under-note of camphor, very reminiscent of Chinese herbal medicine. The apples and other fruity notes reappear on the finish, alongside bitter cocoa.

So, for Roger Groult at least, the premium expressions hold up by maintaining the beautiful intense notes on the nose through to the tongue. For this brandy, the herbal, bitter notes take over. It's not unpleasant though, and I enjoyed the chance to taste a different sort of calvados.

Verdict:

I like this.

Vecchia Romagna 35yo Riserva

Vecchia Romagna 35yo Riserva

Brandy: Stravecchio
From: Emilia Romagna
House: Vecchia Romagna
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Amber gold
ABV: 40%

N: damson jam, raisins, dried apricots, cinnamon, blackberry cordial, hints of konbu.

M: Heavy body, slippery, unctuous, mouth coating.

T: Sweet salty. Damson jam, cinnamon, black tea, konbu, dried apricots, cornflakes, hints of dark chocolate.

F: Long. Cinnamon, dried apricots, cornflakes, black tea, hints of mint.

Comments:

Time - there's nothing like it for aging spirits, and it's as true for brandy as it is for whisky. Time passes quicker in wood than in glass, although it does pass in glass. 35 years in wood has made this brandy smooth and unctuous, lipsmackingly good in the mouth. It's no slouch on the tongue either, chockful of dried apricots and cinnamon, with a savoury hint of konbu.

Time has a flavour, although it's undefinable. It's almost a merging of flavours, a shaving off of harsh edges, somehow blending all the various flavour notes into a harmonious whole. And you can always tell, I think, if a lot of time has gone into a particular spirit.

Verdict:

Magnificent.

Metaxa 7 Stars

Metaxa 7 Stars

Brandy: Greek Brandy
From: Athens
House: Metaxa
Style: Single distillery, infusion
Colour: Amber
ABV: 40%

N: honey, red grapes, thyme, orange peel, pistachio, hints of mastic.

M: medium body, slippery, loosens, mouth filling.

T: Sweet. Thyme, honey, orange peel, pine, marmalade, rose, raisins, hints of star anise.

F: Short. Mint, pistachio, mastic, orange peel, red grapes.

Comments:

Is this a brandy or not? Well, I don't know. It's not pure spirit though, it's a mixture of distillate of different ages, and fortified, aromatised wines (vermouth?). I can certainly taste a number of botanicals, and the clarity of flavour must certainly come from the infusion of those botanicals rather than happenstance of aging.

I guess it's closest to brandy, so it counts for the purposes of this blog, and since I can't find any other Greek brandy brands (except maybe some very rare pomace brandies, I'm going to go ahead and call it Greek brandy.

It's very herbal indeed, and sweet to boot. Maybe it's an acquired taste. I drank an entire sample with an open mind, and I certainly enjoyed the clear, strong botanical flavours.

Verdict:

I like this.