Tastes

A great big step in the right direction. Additional aging has tamed the burn (still modestly present after a sip) and added potent amounts of aroma (maple, warm brown sugar, some dried fruit and vanilla) and flavor (I get caramel upfront and fig/honey on the backside). It's a pleasant sipper, though not at all the most complex. Has become a perennial winter favorite. Well packaged and CHEAP, just $8.20 here for 375 mL. I would love to see E&J offer a 10-12 year "ultrapremium" brandy to round out their offerings, just like Korbel is missing an XO (but has a 12 year aged brandy). But this E&J XO deserves major credit for bringing some substance to the rest of the brandy line.