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. 

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. 

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. 

Hine Homage to Thomas Hine

Hine Homage to Thomas Hine 

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Hine

Style: Blend

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: Grape must, elderflower, raisins, honey, vanilla, hints of cloves. 

M: Light body, loosens, airy, slippery. 

T: Bitter. Walnuts, coffee, quinces, honey, grape must, chocolate. 

F: Medium. Chocolate, quinces, honey, hints of elderflower. 

Comments:

A lovely, simple cognac, lots of strong but complementary flavours. Fruit, chocolate and floral notes layered very nicely over each other, with some bitter nutty flavours to add complexity. I’ve always enjoyed Hine cognacs, they’re well constructed and interesting. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Courvoisier VS

Courvoisier VS

Brandy: Cognac 

From: ?

House: Courvoisier 

Style: Blend 

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: Prunes, honeycomb, black pepper, vanilla, hints of black tea. 

M: Light body, cool, loose, slippery. 

T: Sweet. Blackberries, black pepper, vanilla, sour cherries, honeycomb, hints of prunes. 

F: Long. Sour cherries, black pepper, coffee, hints of chocolate. 

Comments:

Entry level expression from Courvoisier. It’s rather Armagnac-ey, lots of prune notes, especially on the nose, but these then turn to sour cherries and blackberries on the tongue. Nice long bitter finish. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Hine Bonneuil 2008

 Hine Bonneuil 2008

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Hine

Style: Single distillery, single vintage 

Colour: Golden

ABV: 42.7%

N: Red grapes, grape must, raisins, honey, cloves, hints of quince.  

M: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, warm. 

T: Sweet sour. Grape must, honey, quinces, cherries, fresh baked bread, hints of cloves. 

F: Short. Cherries, honey, fresh baked bread, coffee. 

Comments: 

A single distillery, single vineyard cognac from Hine. It’s quite distinctive, lots of cough mixture cherry flavour, along with an odd feeling of under-fermented grape. It’s not unpleasant, rather it’s oddly smooth and drinkable. The strength is hardly noticeable, other than the slightly more intense flavour notes. Anyway, I’ve spent years drinking cask strength whisky, and my taste buds are rather insensitive by now. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Baron de Sigognac XO Platinum

Baron de Sigognac XO Platinum

Brandy: Armagnac

From: Bas Armagnac

House: Baron de Sigognac 

Style: Blend

Colour: Amber gold

ABV: 40%

N: Leather, prunes, tobacco leaf, vanilla ice cream, hints of farmyard. 

M: Light body, thickens slightly, tingly, warm. 

T: Sweet. Black tea, prunes, tobacco leaf, vanilla ice cream, candied oranges, hints of coffee. 

F: Short. Black tea, candied oranges, coffee, walnut skins, hints of farmyard. 

Comments:

I’ve not had too many from this negociant before, but it’s a popular house. This is a little bit of a premium version, and it’s that little bit more complex. Lots of fruit, sure, with the standard pruneaux notes, but also a lot of savoury, even slightly wild ‘smelly’ notes. Not too sweet either, always a plus in my book. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Frapin 1270

Frapin 1270

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Frapin

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: Raisins, strawberries, candied oranges, black tea, hints of coffee. 

M: Medium body, cool, slippery, expands. 

T: Sweet. Strawberries, vanilla ice cream, coffee, fresh baked bread, cherries, hints of chocolate. 

F: Medium. Coffee, cherries, chocolate, vanilla ice cream. 

Comments:

This tastes like an entry-level expression from Frapin, and is certainly lighter than some of the other cognacs that I’ve tried from that house. It’s not as deep or intense, instead, it’s rather gentle, with lighter fruit notes and some bitter sweet coffee notes. Highly enjoyable nevertheless.  

Verdict:

I like this. 

Camus VSOP Borderies 2017

Camus VSOP Borderies 2017

Brandy: Cognac

From: Borderies

House: Camus

Style: Single distillery, single vintage 

Colour: Teak

ABV: 40%

N: Cinnamon, raisins, orange peel, milk chocolate, allspice. 

M: Medium body, cool, thickens slightly, slippery. 

T: Sweet sour. Orange peel, milk chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, hints of damson jam. 

F: Long. Walnut skins, coffee, cinnamon, hints of milk chocolate. 

Comments:

Couple of firsts today - first cognac from Borderies and first coñac from Camus. It’s single vintage too! Lots of milk chocolate and cinnamon and cloves. Slightly gingery around the edges, quite enjoyable. Not incredible though, perhaps my expectations are too high. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Cognac Leyrat XO Vielle Reserve

 Cognac Leyrat XO Vielle Reserve

Brandy: Cognac

From: Fins Bois

House: Leyrat

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: red grapes, leather, grape must, sea salt, honey, hints of fresh cut grass. 

M: Heavy body, sticky, thickens, mouth coating. 

T: Sweet salty. Blackcurrant cordial, leather, black tea, honey, sea salt, fresh cut grass. 

F: Medium. Black tea, walnuts, fresh cut grass, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments:

Rather savoury this. It’s got classic cognac flavours, it’s a bit Ribena-like, slight overtones of cough mixture, but that is quickly overtaken by savoury herbal flavours, rather like sitting in a meadow. Very enjoyable indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this.  

Cognac Leyrat VSOP

Cognac Leyrat VSOP

Brandy: Cognac

From: Fins Bois

House: Leyrat

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Dark gold

ABV: 40%

N: Chocolate, prunes, raisins, coffee, sea salt. 

M: Medium body, slippery, warm, slightly tingly. 

T: Sweet salty. Butterscotch, sea salt, raisins, prunes, hints of cinnamon. 

F: Short. Blackcurrant cordial, cinnamon, sea salt, butterscotch. 

Comments:

Quite a savoury brandy, with notes of pruneaux. Almost Armagnac like, it’s reasonably robust, and doesn’t have much of the delicate nature that I associate with cognac. But maybe I’m susceptible to marketing - is Armagnac really less delicate than cognac? I suppose I need to taste a really old cognac to compare. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Jules Gautret VSOP

Jules Gautret VSOP

Brandy: Cognac

From: Petite Champagne

House: Jules Gautret

Style: Blend

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: cloves, raisins, chocolate, coffee, white grapes, hints of cedar. 

M: heavy body, thickens, cool, sticky. 

T: Sweet salty. Coffee, blackcurrant cordial, cloves, cedar, menthol, sea salt. 

F: Short. Chocolate, coffee, sea salt, fresh baked bread. 

Comments:

A very straightforward brandy, this one is a little like savoury cough mixture. There are notes of cloves, an old remedy for chesty coughs, a very strong note of blackcurrant cordial, typical cough mixture flavouring, and something salty, reminiscent of a quack cure for a cough, gargling with salt water. 

Definitely a brandy for the times of Covid. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Adrien Camut 6yo

 Adrien Camut 6yo

Brandy: Calvados

From: Pays d’Auge

House: Adrien Camut

Style: Single distillery 

Colour: Amber

ABV: 41%

N: Apples, butterscotch, raisins, orange blossom, hints of chocolate. 

M: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, tingly. 

T: Bitter. Butterscotch, pears, chocolate, raisins, apples, cloves, honey. 

F: Medium. Black tea, coffee, honey, apples. 

Comments:

This little Calvados from Adrien Camut isn’t like its older siblings. Those were floral, quite spirit forward, with some woody, almost dusty notes. This one is a lot younger, less than a third of their ages, and is much heavier. 

There’s a whisper of orange blossom on the nose, but that’s probably the only point of commonality. Instead there are bitter chocolate and coffee notes. Although the mouth feel isn’t heavy, it’s much less subtle than the older ones, with bold flavours. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Whalebone Cask Aged Brandy

 Whalebone Cask Aged Brandy

Brandy: Australian Brandy

From: Western Australia 

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: peppermint, red grapes, black pepper, honeydew melons, hints of peaches. 

M: Medium body, tingly, static, cool. 

T: Sweet. Red grapes, black pepper, black tea, peaches, hints of anise. 

F: Medium. Black tea, coffee, black pepper, red grapes, anise. 

Comments:

This brandy is from a whisky distillery, or at least, I think its core product is distilled grain spirit aged in wood. Nevertheless it’s quite tasty, and different from the usual European brandies that I tend to have. I’m not sure there is a style to Australian brandies in the same way that Australian whiskies are developing a style, but it’s distinctive all the same. 

No age statement of course, but that’s hardly unusual. Lots of peppery spicy notes, which is the distinctive bit. It’s quite sweet, which leads me to believe it’s quite young. Exciting hints of anise, something fairly unusual in my experience. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Christian Drouin VSOP

 Christian Drouin VSOP

Brandy: Calvados

From: Pays d’Auge

Style: Single distillery

House: Christian Drouin

Colour: Yellow gold

ABV: 40%

N: malted grains, black pepper, apples, honey, hints of banana.

M: heavy body, thickens, slippery, slightly tingly. 

T: bitter sweet. Apples, black pepper, vanilla, barley rusk, hints of fresh baked bread, hints of banana  

F: short. Vanilla, banana, pears, fresh baked bread. 

Comments:

Quite a complex calvados, with cereally notes, some spice and some quite un-calvados like bananas. Quite enjoyable, there’s some aged spirit in this if I’m any judge (of course, there’s a chance that I’m not). 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Pere Magloire XO Calvados

Pere Magloire XO Calvados

Brandy: Calvados
From: Pays d'Auge
Style: Single distillery
House: Pere Magloire
Colour: Amber copper
ABV: 40%

N: baked apples, cinnamon, honey, blackcurrant cordial, hints of butter.

M: Medium body, loosens, slippery, turns airy.

T: Sweet. Cinnamon, baked apples, lemon zest, lime zest, butterscotch.

F: Long. Lemon zest, butterscotch, cinnamon, raisins.

Comments:

Another Pays d'Auge house, a region that seems to deliver bold spirits, lots of flavour, with intense apple notes. There's a lot of other stuff besides apple too, buttery dairy notes, some spice, and some really pleasant blackcurrant.

Unlike whisky, there's a real dearth of material available online about different kinds of brandies. There's quite a bit on cognac, a fair bit on armagnac, not a lot on calvados, and precious little on all the other categories of brandies that I've tasted and reviewed. In my own little way I hope to add to the knowledge available online for these great drinks.

Verdict:

I like this.

Chateau de Laubade 1992

Chateau de Laubade 1992

Brandy: Armagnac
Region: Bas Armagnac
House: Chateau de Laubade
Style: Single distillery, single vintage
Colour: Amber red
ABV: 40%

N: Raisins, blueberries, strawberries, honey, peaches, vanilla, hints of cinnamon.

M: Light body, astringent, hot, thickens.

T: Sweet sour. Raisins, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, honey, orange peel.

F: Medium. Walnuts, camphor, honey, blueberries.

Comments:

This is a blast from the past - I tasted this armagnac on 21 October 2009, somewhere. No, I can't quite remember where either, it was probably as a digestif in a restaurant. It was probably the first vintage armagnac I'd ever had, and I clearly found it incredibly fruity. Lots of sweet estery notes, although not much of that classic armagnac pruneaux notes.

I noted at the time that it didn't share many characteristics with the previous Chateau de Laubade (age statement only, no vintage) that I'd had, save for a wave of orange peel. I'm not sure my palate has advanced since then - I may now be able to distinguish between armagnac and cognac (mostly) but I still could not tell the difference between distilleries or producers. To be honest, it's still hit and miss with whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.