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Soberano Solera Brandy de Jerez
Distiller Score 87
Roasted coffee and toffee emanates from the glass and washes over the palate. Cashews, marzipan and caramel add a chewy richness. This is all brought together with cinnamon spice, pear, orange rind, and a hint of cigar-box tobacco aromas, heading off into a slightly hot finish.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Schoharie Eau-de-Vie de Pomme
Distiller Score 88
This unaged cider brandy shows wonderful transparency and a delightfully balanced texture. It emphasizes pure, delicate fruit and leafy forest air aromatics in contrast with some of the heavier, waxier European style eaux-de-vie.
Reviewed by Duncan McRoberts
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Caravedo Pisco Puro Quebranta
Distiller Score 88
The aroma is clean and clear with a summer salad of pears and grapes (with the skins), edible flowers, and microgreens. These flavors continue as you taste with just enough of a sweetness and oiliness to help cushion the brandy on your palate. The finish is slightly bittersweet with a slight spiced quality that makes your mouth water.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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BarSol Acholado Pisco
Distiller Score 89
The bouquet of orange blossoms, fresh strawberries, jasmine, and candied citrus peel is difficult to resist, making one wonder whether one is smelling a brandy or some novel recipe of Turkish delight. But this is indeed a spirit, and quite a pretty one; the palate continues our journey through the confectioners' flavor basket, rounding out the finish with dashes of oolong tea, aniseed, and candied violet.
Reviewed by Duncan McRoberts
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Santiago Queirolo Acholado Pisco
Distiller Score 87
This is a pisco you really have to spend some time with in order for the aromas and flavors to reveal themselves. Once you do, the fruit aromas (peach, apricot, green grapes) begin to come out. The pisco is soft on your palate and clean with a little herb flavor (think refreshing green herbs rather than dried, twiggy herbs). This would be best enjoyed at cellar room temperature so that the nuanced aromas and flavors can be enjoyed.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Laird's Straight Applejack 86
Distiller Score 85
Clear-as-a-bell tart apple juice, warming cinnamon, and a touch of barrel smoke. The taste is sweet/tart and is full of baked apples. There is a spicy bite on the finish. Great value.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Calvados Berneroy VSOP
Distiller Score 90
Deep gold in color this Calvados has an intense nose that instantly transports you to the barrel room in Normandy with hints of forest floor and fruit notes of cherry, poached pears and, of course, baked apples. Aromatics continue with hints of Sauternes, mushrooms and honey. The complexity will keep you returning to the glass to decipher more. On the palate, a welcome heat is balanced with the sweet, waxy apple flavors and spices not noticed on the nose of cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla. The brandy feels like satin and finishes long and lux, with baked apple skin hanging on until the very end. Drink as they do in Normandy; neat, after dinner.
Reviewed by Kelley Slagle
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Camus Intensely Aromatic VS Cognac
Distiller Score 89
Fragrant with ripe fruits - apples, pears and crushed grapes -underneath a layer of vanilla, caramel and ground walnuts. A light and carefully oaked brandy giving off scents of jasmine, black pepper and roasted fruit, this expression is delicately light, not too sweet nor manipulated to appeal to the mass market. Over all an outstanding VS Cognac.
Reviewed by Jack Robertiello
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Maraska Kosher Sljivovica
Distiller Score 88
Slivovitz, traditionally long on character and short on finesse shows an abundance of delicate aromatics here. Fragrances of white flowers, lavender, blueberries, and grape juice seem to dance in the glass. The first sip starts hot, but this eases quickly on the mid palate revealing the floral and fruit aromatics first detected by the nose. The time in barrel adds a hint of butter that takes just a bit of the edge off. Then there is the finish, it goes on and on, pleasantly warm with the delicate fruit and floral flavors lingering to the very end. Drinking this traditionally as a digestif is recommended. Alternatively try in cocktails with honey like the Bee's Knees.
Reviewed by Kelley Slagle
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Zumwohl Kirsch
Distiller Score 91
'Zumwohl' is a toast to good health, but drinkers should be wary of taking this cherry schnaps as a shot. Bottled at a whopping 132 proof, it carries a lot of heat. But it carries a lot of flavor, too: cherries, obviously, but also nutty notes of almond and a notably medicinal taste. It's an intense spirit -- not for the faint of heart! -- and it's sure to be a unique addition to any liquor library.
Reviewed by Jacob Grier