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Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Cognac
Distiller Score 90
Rich fruit, oak, and hints of butterscotch are found on the nose with a soft, sweetness on the initial entry to the palate. Notes of dried plum, raisins and caramels start things off. As the spirit moves off the palate, it becomes drier, with white pepper, oak, and some vanilla along with a lightly floral note. The finish is satisfying and generous, with oak, raisin, hazelnut and dark chocolate flavors evident.
Reviewed by Distiller Staff
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ABK6 XO Family Reserve Cognac
Distiller Score 92
Aromas of spice road cardamom, cinnamon and clove waft out of the glass containing this rich, amber-colored Cognac. Tart, dry fruits (dates, apricot, fig) enter the palate, which has a toffee richness. The long finish is toasty and warming, with a nice hit of rancio at the end.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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D'USSÉ VSOP Cognac
Distiller Score 81
The nose is dry, spicy and woody, with lurking layers of sweet, ripe red fruits, and floral honey. Find a smooth palate, with rich notes of caramel and honey, along with cinnamon and more oaky spice. Black pepper, baking spices and more oak all come back on the finish, along with a fainter background note of honey.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Pierre Ferrand Reserve Cognac
Distiller Score 90
The nose is full of dark wood and walnut husks with the fruit notes more about apple skins than the ripe fruit. The cognac is clean and bright on the palate with bitter coffee grounds with perhaps a touch of char from the oak. Dark cherries are found on the finish as well.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Hennessy Master Blender's Selection N° 2
Distiller Score 85
Bracing and spicy nose rather than the usual mellow cognac invitation - lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and other new oak spices. The palate's much the same with the addition of a tasty raisin and date confection . Assertively tannic and at the finish lots of peppery spiciness and bittersweet oakiness.
Reviewed by Jack Robertiello
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Camus VSOP Borderies Cognac (2014 Limited Release)
Distiller Score 89
Aromas of pear and caramel with nuances of cinnamon and vanilla are your first contact with this unique cognac. It comes alive with the first taste, assertive, off-dry and rich with more cinnamon, honey and toasted bread. Finishes long, warm and with a touch of barrel tannins. Overall quite delicious though not very complex.
Reviewed by Kelley Slagle
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Lhéraud Cognac VS Petite Champagne
Distiller Score 82
Despite the freshness and impression of youth, this deviates from the fruit-driven profile one might expect and incorporates obvious wood tones. Unsmoked tobacco, raisin, and toffee dominate, with shades of burnt sugar coming out toward the end. The tannins are quite restrained for such an aggressively woody spirit and the overall sense of flavor balance is quite pleasant.
Reviewed by Duncan McRoberts
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Hardy Legend 1863 Cognac
Distiller Score 91
The nose is an intriguing rich and slightly savory mix of caramel, vanilla, grape jam, clove, and toasted sesame. The medium-rich palate drinks somewhat like a bourbon, with toasted oak flavors, sharp baking spice, and summer berry pie flavors. A warming cappuccino-like element (vanilla, coffee, cinnamon), and earthy hints of sandalwood, lavender, and walnut envelope the flavors into the finish, reminding this is indeed a cognac.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Hennessy Privilège VSOP Cognac
Distiller Score 85
The highly aromatic cognac begins with fruits, but they have moved into the dried fruit territory with raisins, apricots and dates. Floral aromas are strong as well leaning towards violets. A mulled wine aroma lingers about with the baking spices of cinnamon and clove standing out in particular. As you move into the palate, there's a tangy liveliness to the brandy with the notes from the aroma still present. There's a noticeable sweetness present, but it isn't cloying. There's just enough of a bitterness at the finish to make it interesting. This is a good step-up for beginners just getting into cognac as it isn't just all about fruit.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Paul Beau VSOP Grande Champagne Cognac
Distiller Score 91
Compared to the very light and pretty VS, this cognac has a bit more of everything. The Paul Beau house tends to focus on finesse and bread. The VSOP has notes of earth and barley combined with the more typical flavors of hard butterscotch-candy and floral fields. On tasting, the brandy starts with a silky character, but then moves to a complex finish of bitter cocoa, cinnamon spice, and a hint of wood tannin. Quite complex.
Reviewed by John Rankin
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Louis Royer Force 53 VSOP Cognac
Distiller Score 87
There is a delightful density and balance to this cognac that makes it surprisingly sippable even at 53% ABV. The aromatics can't be missed: Notes of allspice, roasted apple, Christmas cake, amontillado sherry, and caramel come to the brink of overwhelming the senses. The palate shows similar flavors as the aroma with a more woody and herbaceous undertones. The Force gives cognac-based cocktails a rich intensity that really makes the brandy shine in your glass.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Cognac du Peyrat Rare Prestige
Distiller Score 88
Brown sugar emerges first on the nose along with tinges of a dark rum & Coke, which appears to be a house trait. There's also plum and red fruit, along with Luxardo cherry syrup. The palate is soft, with a rich sweetness emerging late, showing vanilla, prunes, dark red fruits, and walnuts. The finish lingers with sweetness and no burn, before shifting to oak and wood spice.
Reviewed by Jake Emen