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Chateau de Montifaud Napoléon Fine Petite Champagne
Distiller Score 92
The nose offers floral notes, with vanilla, plum, raisins, and honey. The palate is smooth, and layered but cohesive, with strands of honeyed fruits, vanillins, and oak. A moderate length finish begins with rich crème brûlée and brown sugar, along with dark red fruits and maple syrup. This is followed by a spicy, oaky side with touches of black pepper comes on at the tail end.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Martell VS Single Distillery
Distiller Score 87
A rich fruitiness shows on the nose highlighted by raspberries along with herbal and grassy notes which work together for a somewhat vermouth-like aroma. An oily palate at first shows more fruits, here with canned fruit syrup, tart cherries, raspberries and blackberries, as well as chocolate and nuttiness. Finish is short and smooth with oak and spice taking their turn in front of that distinct raspberry note.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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H by HINE VSOP Cognac
Distiller Score 86
The nose is fresh and fruity with a youthful and lively aroma. Peaches, apricots, white grape juice and vibrant floral notes are found on both the nose and palate. Soft wood spices and just a gentle prickle of cinnamon along with a subtle nutty quality provide a modest depth to the cognac. As it is young, the finish is short, but that is to be expected. This is a solid cognac for cocktail use.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Paul Beau VS Grande Champagne Cognac
Distiller Score 85
This is a great value for a young cognac. Instead of heavy oak and caramel tones, this brandy has light, summer honey and floral aromatics. The palate is clean, and belies a pleasant, creamy character. Delicious on its own in a refreshing way, but this is also priced fairly for outrageous Sidecar and Sazerac cocktails.
Reviewed by John Rankin
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Godet VS Cognac
Distiller Score 80
There's a good mixture of orchard fruits and barrel spices on the nose with a little hint of dried herbs. The palate is straight forward with the fruit becoming a little waxy and the barrel spices taking over. The finish shows a little dark chocolate and dried berries with vanilla sprinkled on top.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Hennessy VS Cognac
Distiller Score 78
The primary fruit factor is huge on the aroma and shows very little wood or spice factor. The youth of the brandy shows on the palate again with its brightness and fruit-juice flavors. There is little depth and complexity to the cognac, and this is not likely one you will be sipping to contemplate its merits. Which is not to say that it's poorly made. It's just not one to get cerebral with; this is one you want to have in your mixed drinks.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Maxime Trijol VSOP Cognac
Distiller Score 81
The nose leans heavily on stone fruits like apricots and white peaches along with green grapes and orange peel. The cognac is soft and sweet on your tongue with only a slight tannic note from the wood aging. Those same stone fruits, only dried, appear on the finish which is warming and not bitter.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Rémy Martin VSOP Cognac
Distiller Score 83
Quite a bit of fruit and floral notes on the nose, which comes as no surprise given its age, or lack thereof. A touch of woody aromas and barrel spices, but predominantly focused on the sweet young fruit. The cognac starts off sweet and round, but does finish on the dry and spicy side and a touch boozy. This is one that would do just fine in a mixed drink or bringing to a holiday party to jump-start winter punches and egg nogs.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Courvoisier VS Cognac
Distiller Score 78
The aroma is fairly intense with golden raisins, milk chocolate, and pears. The cognac is soft and somewhat sweet on your palate, but there's enough of barrel spice and bitterness that give the brandy some depth and not just one note. The finish is short and sweet.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Louis Royer VS Cognac
Distiller Score 80
The aroma is on the mild side with some wood spice and cooked apples coming through. The palate exposes slightly more fruit, and the brandy feels soft on your palate. It is a serviceable cognac with a tangy yet short finish.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Davidoff VS Cognac
Distiller Score 82
This cognac has invitingly soft aromas of ripe apricots and orange blossom. Those notes carry through on the palate, along with nutty and wildflower honey flavors. Though it's largely fruity and slightly sweet, there's a bit of a spiced edge to this three-year-old VS and heavier, dried apricot-forward finish. It's would make a solid option for cocktails, like Mint Juleps and Sidecars.
Reviewed by Anna Archibald
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Courvoisier VSOP Exclusif Cognac
Distiller Score 74
Lots of young grape-y aromas come through on the nose here, with a Hawaiian Fruit punch quality on the soft palate. Any wood and spicy aromas are hard to uncover with all this fruit in the way. There is next to no complexity and even less finesse.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno