So, 2021’s shaping up to be an interesting year already, huh? I’m sticking well to my resolutions, though, which has made the adjustment to another phase of temporary unemployment and all the free time that comes with it more bearable. Two sober days a week, fish once a week, and a readjustment of writing goals (be on the lookout for an announcement regarding A Place I Have Never Been very soon!).
The focus here, as it is in so much of life, is growth and understanding. You know what helps with understanding? Brandy. Brandy is a thoughtful drink, meant to be savored and studied, and therefore the perfect drink to plunge deeper into 2021 holding. I intend to, anyway. It’s so warming on cold January nights.
Honestly, I didn’t know I owned this much brandy when this tasting started (I split it over two days). It started, of all places, with Calvados, which remains one of my favorite things to drink! But cognac has a rightful place, and the beginnings of dabbling with Armagnac are beginning to appear. I had the advantage in North Carolina of frequenting a brandy bar, with had plenty of things to enjoy but precious few things that I could find elsewhere. I’m sure with more means at my disposal that this list would be much longer. Ah, to greener grass.
Please drink responsibly!
This will probably be the last in this series unless I get inspired enough to go through all my liqueurs and amari. We’ll see!
· E&J VSOP Grand Blue
o What is it? An American brandy “crafted in the style of fine European brandies,” and claiming to be barrel-aged at least tw0 years.
o Why do I have it? I needed something for brandy sauces. There we go.
o What is it like? Rich, sweet, and a little cloying. The nose reminds me of caramel apples, fruit candy, and butterscotch. The palate backs up those sweeter smells, it’s rich, and there’s flavors of artificial vanilla, grape candy, caramel, maple, and butter. Those flavors last a while, and it’s good if you like that kind of thing.
o What do I use it for? In a caramel sauce atop bread pudding it’s fantastic. Some people tell me it’s good in soda?
· Laird’s Straight Apply Brandy Bottled in Bond
o What is it? An apple brandy from the producer of “the original applejack.” Bottled at 100-proof and aged for at least our years, and brought back in 2018 after a production hiatus.
o Why do I have it? I think I’ve mentioned before that Jack Roses are one of my favorite cocktails. Have to have applejack on hand for that.
o What is it like? Hot, full, and fruity. Nose is bright green apples, some vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, and a little bit of smoke and wood. The palate is full and fiery, full of dry apple flavor, think dry heirloom cider on steroids, balanced with some vanilla and wood character. My notes say “like a bourbon, but apples.” Finishes long and spicy. Beautiful.
o What do I use it for? Jack Roses, obviously, but this is really fun to mix in other things. Swapping for other brandies makes for cool cocktails, but as my notes implied, try a hand with this where whiskey’d usually go.
· Calvados Boulard VSOP Pays D’Auge
o What is it? This is a fairly common bottle, at least in my area, of calvados (apple and pear brandy from Normandy). Specifically this comes from the Pays D’Auge appellation, blended from 4-10 year old brandies distilled from 120 apple varieties.
o Why do I have it? This has been my go-to apple brandy for mixing for some time, and I always try to have a bottle on hand.
o What is it like? Tasting order is important, guys. After the Laird’s this is so delicate and floral. I went back and tasted it again later just to make sure these notes are right. Yup. Apple blossoms and faint honey on the nose, a fresh quality to the fruit, and a faint hint of vanilla and nutmeg. The palate is delicate and airy, showing a mild sweetness with baked apple character, florals, and a mild touch of wood spice.
o What do I use it for? Jacque Roses (I’m hilarious), and to add to hot cider in the winter (try it!). Delicious with tonic!
· Berneroy XO Calvados
o What is it? XO Calvados (aged at least six years but Berneroy says theirs is “around ten”) from the wonderful Berneroy producer. 180 apple varieties, they claim, and “time-honored methods.”
o Why do I have it? I. LIKE. CALVADOS. I’d need an XO kicking around.
o What is it like? Rich, buttery goodness. It’s like apple crumble in a glass. The nose is baked apples, caramel, apple pie spices, browned butter, and faint notes of wood. The palate is full, silky, backing up those sweet baked apple notes with warm vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, a little wood char, and tannin on the finish.
o What do I use it for? I sip this neat, sometimes with ice (…and sometimes with tonic if I’m feeling really bougie). Makes a delicious apple-pie-y old fashioned riff, too. (Should I share the recipe…?)
· Martell VSOP “Aged in Red Barrels” Cognac
o What is it? Martell’s replacement for their Medallion VSOP stakes its reputation on being aged in 4-8 year old fine-grained barrels from Troncais oak that have developed a reddish tinge. Martell itself is one of the big four cognac houses, by the by.
o Why do I have it? I needed an “inexpensive” cognac for reasons, and I still wanted to be able to drink it.
o What is it like? Light, floral, and fruity. Delicate nose of stone fruits, some dried cherries, floral notes, a little bit of vanilla, and a little bit of a burn. Palate boasts some nice sweet fruit, apricots, some nice wood influence, and a pleasing, light finish.
o What do I use it for? It’s my mixing cognac, mainly sidecars. I sometimes use it in sauces when I don’t want the vanilla bomb of the E&J.
· Remy Martin 1738 Cognac
o What is it? A fun bottling from Remy Martin, another of the big four cognac houses, meant to honor the Royal Accord of 1738 granted by King Louis XV. It’s a Fine Champagne Cognac, specifically, and one place put the age of the eaux-di-vie at ages between four and twenty years, with an average of fourteen.
o Why do I have it? This is my “house” cognac, when I am in the mood to sip something. For its money, it’s wonderful.
o What is it like? This has all the beauty of a dark chocolate-orange-nut bar, in the best ways. Nose has a great mixture of candied citrus, toasted walnuts, vanilla, and mild chocolate aromas. The palate shows sweet dark fruit backed up quickly by dried apricots and figs, cacao, and warm wood spice. Drying finish, and good structure.
o What do I use it for? I sip this a good bit, but it also makes a wonderful French Manhattan.
· Majeste “Le Roi” VSOP Cognac
o What is it? It’s actually kind of funny how little information I could find about this. Majeste’s owned by Branded Spirits, and they pride themselves on “[traveling] the world to source incredible whiskies and cognacs from France to Scotland to Kentucky.” Apparently it was named the best VSOP Cognac by 10BestCognac, but they seem to have closed up their website. Huh. Two different websites put the average age of the eaux-di-vie at ten years, so there’s that.
o Why do I have it? I bought this out of curiosity, full disclosure.
o What is it like? Whatever’s in here, it’s pretty tasty. Dark, spicy, and decently rich. The nose is dried dark fruits, mainly figs and plums, backed by notes of cacao and black pepper, a little nuttiness, and candied citrus. Palate has a wonderful mouthfeel, praline and spice, with a chocolate fruitiness I put somewhere in my notes as “Toblerone-y.”
o What do I use it for? This is nice to sip, a bit fuller than the 1738.
· Marie Duffau Napoleon Armagnac
o What is it? The “highest selling Armagnac in the United States,” six years old, and distilled from estate-grown grapes in Bas Armagnac.
o Why do I have it? Everyone has to start somewhere with Armagnac, right? This is a really common bottle in my area (and apparently everywhere).
o What is it like? Pleasing! Nose has a wonderful roasted fruit quality to it, some burn orange, darker fruits like plums, a little bit of milk chocolate and caramel. Coats the palate well, sweeter dried fruit up front and a little chocolate and toasty character on the finish. Some nuttiness there, too.
o What do I use it for? Brandy. Sazeracs. It’s a dangerous delicious drink.
· Chateau de Laubade XO Armagnac
o What is it? A blend of Bas Armagnacs aged 15 to 25 years produced by Chateau de Laubade.
o Why do I have it? I think I tasted this for work and then grabbed a bottle.
o What is it like? Intense and filling! The nose is powerful and complex, noting dried orange peel, dried fruits, a little sweet tobacco and smoke, vanilla blossom, baking spices. The full palate reveals all a core of baked fruits wrapped in savory notes of smoke, cola spice, toasty wood, and oversteeped tea. The age and the wood show up well on the finish, too, which is a little astringent and spicy.
o What do I use it for? Sipping, in all honesty. Especially in winter (aka- especially now).