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Dwelling
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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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February 13, 2022
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A number of French brandies randomly
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Generally we do solely cognac, typically solely armagnac, this time we might do each, let’s examine what we now have… Beginning with an apéritif…
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Claude Thorin ‘XO’ (40%, OB, cognac, Grande Champagne, +/-2020) 
From a nicely reputed property situated in Segonzac, capital metropolis of Grande Champagne. Color: deep gold. Nostril: superior, on apricot and peach tartes coated with caramel and honey. A bit of mocha as nicely, touches of tobacco, roasted raisins, roasted peanuts, chicory espresso… Superior nostril certainly, contemporary and but traditional and even a tad rancioty, however at 40% vol. I concern for the palate… Dried litchis too, beautiful too. Mouth: superb drop, wealthy, a lot honeyed and caramelly (in a great way), with many roasted nuts but once more, espresso liqueur, chocolate, rancio wine… It is simply that it tends to lose tightness and coherence due to this low energy that provides a better position to the tannicity and makes it lose steadiness and focus. End: occurs on a regular basis. Brief, tea-ish, oaky and irritating. Bitter chocolate within the aftertaste and retro-olfaction. Feedback: excellent juice that does not fairly stand this low energy. Not fairly homicide, however there…
SGP:451 – 80 factors. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet 50 yo L.71 (52%, OB, for Ardour For Whisky, Grande Champagne, 2021) 
I already had the event to state what I take into consideration the home Pasquet. Good issues, not have to say. Color: golden amber. Nostril: stewed peaches and almonds at first, additionally previous copper, previous instruments (grandma’s previous kettle and grandpa’s previous wrench), definitely some rancio and amontillado, roasted chestnuts, chestnut honey, black nougat, turon… Even a small maltiness hidden method within the again. With water: some tight inexperienced fruits and herbs. Sorrel discount, inexperienced gooseberries, additionally a humorous contact of pineau that will lead us again to these stewed peaches… Mouth (neat): some very tobacco-y oak, and we’re speaking menthol cigarettes. Bitter chocolate brittle (85% cocoa), Seville oranges, some bone-dry sherry (we have simply tried a surprising PX seco that was displaying such notes)… With water: water bringing out the fruits, that is cool. Peaches and oranges coated with bitter chocolate, Jaffa cake and all that. Or what we name orangettes. End: lengthy, as a well-steeped-high-quality-black-earl-grey. Feedback: love all this chocolaty oak. Flirting with the bounds at occasions, however must you take pleasure in correct chocolate, that is for you.
SGP:361 – 90 factors. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet 50 yo L.71 (51.9%, OB, for Spiritus, Half-Century Collection, Grande Champagne, 150 bottles, 2021)
I am unable to fairly see how this may be very totally different. Color: amber gold. Nostril: extraordinarily comparable, as anticipated, however that is fairly excellent news. Maybe is it a tad jammier, a tiny notch more energizing too. A bit of extra contemporary peaches and small whiffs of broom. Very shut, very superior. With water: one other tiny distinction, wee touches of varnish and chen-pi right here. Mouth (neat): as soon as once more, we’re extraordinarily shut. Ought to we point out a tiny distinction, we might say that this one has bought added notes of previous calvados, past all of the chocolate from the wooden. With water: wonderful and as soon as extra, completely near the opposite one, even when we ‘may’ discover extra skinny mints than Jaffa truffles. End: lengthy, a tad extra mentholy this time once more. Some nice black earl-grey with half a mint-leaf. Feedback: not even actually certain about all these ‘very tiny variations’, I could have overanalysed it. Typical.
SGP:361 – 90 factors.
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Louis Royer ‘XO’ (50.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Grande Champagne, #C3.1 ‘A Aromatic Ramble’, 2021) 
I imagine it will be the primary Cognac by the honourable SMWS that I am going to ever have tasted. Now I’ve tried fairly a couple of Louis Royer already. Color: purple amber. Nostril: it is humorous that I’d discover some fairly varnishy youngish calvados but once more in there, then fairly ‘whisky’ notes, round vanilla and truffles. It is an intriguing, fairly well mannered and delicate cognac this far. With water: it is not that I will quote younger bourbons… In all probability the wooden. Beautiful oils, teak, leather-based polish, shoe polish, even a bit tar. No marvel this has happy whisky of us. Mouth (neat): oh good, oily and creamy, feeling fairly younger and fairly unique, with some cedarwood, a contact of mango jam, then mint and clove. A tad easy however goody good. With water: not that straightforward, however clearly on the sweeter aspect after the dry 1971s. Marmalade and apricot jam, plus cinnamon and a little bit of that traditional combo, mint plus eucalyptus. End: lengthy, superb, on a stunning mango and apricot jam plus chocolate and mint mixture. Feedback: maybe not essentially the most advanced cognac ever, however I would fortunately sip a couple of glasses.
SGP:561 – 85 factors. |
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Vallein-Tercinier ‘Small Batch 41/43’ (48.2%, OB for Kirsch Import, Bons Bois, 2021)
I am going to simply say, as a result of I concern nobody, that I discover it extraordinary, as an Alsatian, that I’d be about to style a cognac from the years 1941 to 1943 (cognac was within the free zone again then) that was chosen by a German bottler eighty years later. As a satisfied European, I would guess this drop will reek of peace and friendship. Color: deep gold. Nostril: Vallein-Tercinier or Vallein Tercinier (you by no means know when or the place to place that glittering hyphen) is a home that is about feelings, and that feels. I am reminded of the 1965s. Astounding dried fruits simply in each nook, additionally Spanish ham, walnuts, nougat, all flowers of the creation, a couple of small rooty touches (carrots) and a few of these salty caramel sauces they’ve in Asia. They’ve many and I preserve forgetting in regards to the names. Mouth: this can be a charming dialog between the fruits and the wooden. It’s nearly a treasured blended natural tea, actually, with bits of every thing, fairly plenty of black bee’s propolis (dry, extraordinarily resinous), pipe tobacco (when a bit comes into your mouth via the stem), bits of dried fruits, and so on. The good, nice information is that these fruits would even have the higher hand, which propels it into the upper quarters. End: very lengthy, with some citrus chiming in. Previous orange and tangerine liqueurs, plus cinnamon, cloves and hints of juniper. The aftertaste is extremely contemporary and curiously winey, we have recognized previous Sauternes… Moderately high-class espresso within the aftertaste. Feedback: superb and really shifting previous Bons Bois. The standard is as excessive because it might have been and I would even swear, in spite of everything these years, that the proverbial rusticity of the ‘Bons Bois’ is on full show right here. Beautiful – and certainly it reeks of peace and friendship.
SGP:661 – 93 factors. |
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Time to have some armagnac, no? And please no small drop after that imposing V-T 41/43…
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Armagnac 35 yo 1985-1963 (51%, Armagnac Sponge)
Let’s simply hope this drop might be quicker than the 2CV on the label, and extra elegant than that tartan beret. A tartan beret, actually? Oh, sure, the proportions, that is 64% 1985 and 36% 1963. The handle is Saintes, which lies in Cognac, which might recommend Grosperrin was concerned. Fairly excellent news… Color: amber. Nostril: now I perceive the tartan beret. A variety of fudge and butterscotch right here, hazelnut liqueur, Nutella (apologies), amontillado, tarte tatin, milk chocolate, deep-fried Mars bars (not)… With water: similar, with some added earthiness and a drop of miso. I discover this extraordinarily nice. Blueberry muffins, maybe. Properly, definitely. Malt whisky geeks ought to love this. Mouth (neat): this can be a little meta, or ‘world’, with a varnishy aspect that makes you consider bourbon, definitely some nutty maltiness that makes you consider Scotch malt, and naturally, liquorice, raisins and prunes that remind you that that is armagnac. With water: similar fantastic feeling of liquid metanoia. Zuckerberg is an beginner. Great candies, might I recommend Jacques Genin in Paris? End: it holds. Black raisins, Gauloises (taking part in it ‘touristy’) and chocolate. Drop of plum sauce within the aftertaste, or ‘vieille prune’. Completely armagnac now. Feedback: extra a visit than a drop. Très bon, Monsieur l’Eponge.
SGP:461 – 90 factors. |
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Let’s attempt to discover one other armagnac earlier than we name this a tasting session…
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Château de Ravignan 2003/2021 (44.7%, LMDW, Model Française, Bas-armagnac, 300 bottles)
LMDW the trailblazers. By no means heard of Château de Ravignan earlier than, nevertheless it appears like they might be situated within the Landes, close to Mont-de-Marsan. In rugby nation, in different phrases. Color: amber. Nostril: fairly resinous woods and varnishes at first, then a bit charcoal and a fairly phenolic aspect, between Barbour grease and Laphroaig. Do not get me incorrect, we’re extraordinarily removed from Laphroaig, Then stewed fruits together with strawberries, ganaches, and a drop of benzine. This child too ought to please any malt lovers, it definitely does so far as this very one is anxious. Mouth: actually singular, with a bit balsa wooden, cough syrup, even toothpaste, plus blood oranges and juicy ripe nectarines. Some liquorice allsorts too, liquorice lozenges, then touches of pinewood. Good physique, 44% vol. works very nicely. End: fairly lengthy, woodier and spicier as anticipated, and fairly cinnamon-led. Good enjoyable with the blood oranges which can be again within the aftertaste. Feedback: not a quite common type; I discover it wonderful. Nice fruity cinnamon.
SGP:551 – 87 factors. |
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