And now the brandy tour makes its way back to France, with an XO brandy. Traditionally XO means aged at least 6 years, however there is no legal requirement for using the label in brandy and there is no definitive age statement listed on the bottle.
Smells of fig, cherry wood, wildflower honey, and alcohol. The taste is sweet and fruity with flavors of apricot, fig, honey, apple, pear, and vanilla. The finish is long and with a moderate burn, featuring notes of oak, cherry, vanilla, and lemon peel. Overall, I’d say the Torres 10 is better for sipping, but this is still enjoyable neat, and not a bad option if you can’t afford the more prestigious french Cognacs/Armagnacs.
A sidecar is VERY smooth, with the brandy flavors taking a back seat to the orange and lemon. My favorite sidecar so far.
A brandy rose is also surprisingly decadent, with the grenadine and brandy flavors accentuating each other perfectly.
A brandy jack honestly just tastes like apple juice. Very tasty and easy to drink, but not a cocktail that showcases this spirit at all.
An Old Fashioned has hints of oak, brown sugar, and fig though the overall balance is highly dependent upon the exact amount of bitters used, moreso than any other spirit I’ve reviewed.