Adelphi 25yo 1994/2021

Adelphi 25yo 1994/2021

Brandy: Armagnac 

From: Bas Armagnac

House: Unknown

Style: Single distillery, single vintage 

Colour: Dark amber

ABV: 55%

N: Toffee apples, cornflakes, vanilla, raisins, cherry brandy. With water, raisins, brown paper, red grapes. 

M: Medium body, thickens, hot, tingly. 

T: Bitter sweet. Cherry brandy, cornflakes, orange peel, toffee apples, butterscotch, raisins. With water, toffee apples, brown paper, red grapes, black pepper. 

F: Medium. Butterscotch, coffee, orange peel, vanilla.

Comments:

Cask AM2/20. Unknown armagnac, bottled by Adelphi, a bottler that normally bottles whiskies. It’s cask strength, which was what drew me to it. You don’t normally get brandies at above 42% in strength. 

It’s sweet and luscious, lots of toffee apples and cherries. It’s almost Calvados like at cask strength, with some heavy cereal notes. With water it opens up, becoming more like Armagnac. It fades nicely to a spicy finish. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.  

Bache-Gabrielsen VS 3 Kors

 Bache-Gabrielsen VS 3 Kors

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Bache-Gabrielsen

Style: Blend

ABV: 40%

N: Cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, raisins, vanilla, honey, hints of bananas. 

M: Light body, cool, loosens, slightly oily. 

T: Sweet. Cardamom, pears, white grapes, raisins, honey, hints of bananas. 

F: Short. Toast, honey, white grapes, hints of bananas. 

Comments:

A spicy and light cognac, some fruit but quite heavy on the cardamom. It’s not very complex, and is of course quite young. It’s not what I expected, I associate Bache-Gabrielsen with complexity and slightly more robust flavours. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Victor Gontier 2003 Vieille Reserve

Victor Gontier 2003 Vieille Reserve 

Brandy: Calvados

From: Domfrontais

House: Victor Gontier

Style: Single distillery, single vintage

Colour: Golden

ABV: 40%

N: Honey, raisins, apples, pears, hints of liquorice. 

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

T: Sweet. Raisins, pears, hay, dried apples, liquorice, blackcurrant. 

F: Long. Bittersweet, black tea, saffron, hay, pears. 

Comments:

I like Domfrontais Calvados, as I really enjoy the way the apple and pear notes offset each other and bring some complexity. This 2003 vintage expression has way more than that, lots of raisins (in fact it’s rather cognac like) and liquorice. I love the complexity. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Klipdrift 2015 Rugby World Cup Limited Edition

Klipdrift 2015 Rugby World Cup Limited Edition 

Brandy: Cape Brandy

From: Robertson

House: Klipdrift

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Sunshine yellow

ABV: 43%

N: Honey, damson jam, stewed apricots, muscat grapes, raisins. 

M: Medium body, thickens slightly, tingly, slightly oily. 

T: Sweet. Muscat grapes, damson jam, raisins, coffee, nutmeg, hints of fresh baked bread. 

F: Short. Raisins, stewed apricots, black tea, hints of coffee. 

Comments:

Quite intensely and unapologetically sweet. There’s still some complexity, but it’s a welter of jammy dried fruit notes. I did enjoy this, on its own merits, but in comparison to other sweet brandies (like Jerez sherry brandies), it pales a little bit. I would probably have a bottle around for everyday drinking. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Bache Gabrielsen Serenite

Bache Gabrielsen Serenite 

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Bache Gabrielsen

Style: Blend

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: Peaches, red grapes, raisins, honey, terracotta dust, hints of leather. 

M: Medium body, sticky, cool, slightly syrupy. 

T: Bitter sweet. Pear drops, peaches, raisins, vanilla, orange peel, leather. 

F: Long. Honey, walnut skins, orange peel, leather. 

Comments:

Fruity, leathery and slightly dusty, this tastes quite a bit older than it is. It’s reasonably complex, and has a good level of sweetness (i.e. not too much). I’ve had better cognacs, but this one really hit the spot. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Domaine des Cassagnoles 5yo

Domaine des Cassagnoles 5yo

Brandy: Armagnac

From: Ténarèze

House: Domaine des Cassagnoles

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Red brown

ABV: 41%

N: Chocolate cake, white grapes, salt caramel. 

M: Medium body, clingy, mouth coating. 

T: Sweet. Limes, green tea, prunes, apricots. 

F: Medium. Lime peel, orange blossom. 

Comments:

Another old tasting note, this one from around mid 2008. It’s probably the first armagnac I ever tasted, and you can probably tell by the simplicity of the tasting notes. 

I thought it had a great nose, very chocolatey, which is probably how I perceived notes of pruneaux in those days. On the tongue, I found it less sweet, and probably more floral. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

 

Marquis de Puységur Napoleon

Marquis de Puységur Napoleon

Brandy: Armagnac

From: Bas Armagnac

House: Cave Coopérative de Villeneuve de Marsan 

Style: Blend

Colour: Orange amber

ABV: 40%

N: Orange peel, lemons, raisins, black pepper, hints of roses. 

M: Medium body, astringent, tingly. 

T: Sweet sour. Lemons, raisins, black pepper, limes, roses, hints of black tea. 

F: Long. Black tea, black pepper, lemons, hints of roses. 

Comments: 

An old tasting note. Haven’t had any for a while. I had this maybe 12 or 13 years ago, and I remember it as being very spicy and lovely. I had it after a large multi course meal, although I can’t quite remember where. It was lovely. I do remember craving an Islay whisky right after though. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Courvoisier XO

Courvoisier XO

Brandy: Cognac

From: ?

House: Courvoisier

Style: Blend

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: Red grapes, raisins, honey, cloves, chocolate. 

M: Light body, slippery, loosens, slightly, warm. 

T: Sweet. Blackberry cordial, raisins, honey, cherries, chocolate. 

F: Short. Blackberry cordial, chocolate, cherries, honey. 

Comments:

Rather standard and one dimensional. Although it’s older than the VS expression from the same house, I enjoyed this less. 

Verdict:

Not bad. 

Avallen Calvados

Avallen Calvados

Brandy: Calvados

From: AOC Calvados

House: Domaine du Coquerel, bottled by Avallen

Style: Single distillery 

Colour: Bright gold

ABV: 40%

N: Apples, ink, sea salt, iron filings, fresh baked bread, vanilla. 

M: Medium body, astringent, cool, tingly. 

T: Bitter salty. Vanilla, apples, sea salt, apricots, white grapes, hints of sandalwood. 

F: Short. Walnut skins, black tea, apricots, sea salt. 

Comments:

Independently bottled brandy is a rarity. Avallen is a company, who, having sourced Calvados from Domaine du Coquerel, a small distillery in Normandy, have bottled it under their own brand. It’s great - not too sweet, but with plenty of fruit and tannic notes. Highly enjoyable and at a good price too. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Máxime Trijol VS

Máxime Trijol VS

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Máxime Trijol

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Dark gold

ABV: 40%

N: Cloves, sea salt, honey, raisins, hints of leather. 

M: Medium body, slippery, loosens slightly, mouth coating. 

T: Sweet salty. Honey, raisins, cherries, leather, white grapes, vanilla. 

F: Medium. Cloves, honey, white grapes, cherries. 

Comments:

This cognac tastes fairly young, with some saline notes on the nose, but layered over with plenty of fruit. There’s a bit of a cough mixture vibe on the tongue, and there’s plenty of spice on the finish. Simple, but enjoyable. 

Verdict:

I like this.