NAUD XO

NAUD XO

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

Style: Single distillery

House: NAUD

Colour: Walnut

ABV: 40%

N: Dried figs, raisins, black pepper, chocolate, coffee, sea salt. 

T: Light body, cool, slightly astringent, tingly. 

M: Bitter sweet. Cloves, dried figs, black pepper, olive oil, sea salt, chocolate. 

F: Medium. Black pepper, coffee, sea salt, olive oil, walnut skins. 

Comments:

I really do like NAUD cognac. It’s spicy and sweet, with lots of lovely dried fig notes and a dry tannic bitterness. I gather that the expressions aren’t that old either, to the lower end of the age ranges for each designation. Despite that, they’re complex and subtle, while packing a huge amount of sweetness.

This one also has an oily, slightly salty character to it, which goes very well with chocolate. I nibbled on some dark chocolate with the dregs of my brandy, it offset the complexity of the spirit very well indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

NAUD VSOP

NAUD VSOP

Brandy: Cognac
From: Grande Champagne
Style: Single distillery
House: NAUD
Colour: Dark amber
ABV: 40%

N: Dried figs, almonds, vanilla, honey, peaches

M: light body, cools, slippery, thickens slightly

T: Sweet salty. Damson jam, dried figs, sea salt, olives, honey, fresh baked bread.

F: Medium. Fresh baked bread, olives, black tea, peaches.

Comments:

This is the best 'young' cognac that I've tried so far. It's around 4 years old, and I must say that it has reinvigorated my interest in young cognacs. I was not overly enamoured with VS and VSOP spirits, because I felt they were harsh, and one dimensional, without the complexity that I like so much. This one though, is very good indeed - lots of fruit, but with an undertone of savouriness, olive brine perhaps, that fades to a bready, sweet-savoury finish.

The house is family-owned, with its own vineyards, and this is of their own make. The quality of the spirit is evidence in the column of owning your own spirit from fruit to bottle, where the master can control all the variables to his or her liking.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.