Somerset Cider Brandy 10yo

Somerset Cider Brandy 10yo

Brandy: Cider Brandy

From: Somerset

Style: Single distillery 

House: Somerset Cider Brandy

Colour: Dark gold

ABV: 42%

N: Apples, vanilla fudge, black tea, cinnamon, caramel. 

M: Heavy body, slippery, warm, tingly. 

T: Bitter sweet. Apples, vanilla fudge, walnuts, fresh baked bread, shortcrust pastry, hints of cinnamon. 

F: medium. Black tea, vanilla fudge, walnuts, cinnamon. 

Comments:

Brandy ages differently, I think, from whisky, and different fruit spirits age differently from each other too. Whisky develops complexity, gains sweet flavours from the wood, whilst brandy, already sweet to begin with, gains accents, by which I mean certain flavours are emphasised. Does the wood contribute flavour notes? Probably, but I find that I can’t discern them as easily in brandy as I can in whisky. 

Anyway, this is luscious and bittersweet stuff, very appley, but also redolent with walnuts and tea. It’s perhaps the brandy version of a sherried whisky. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.