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Delord Armagnac 25 Year
Distiller Score 95
Bold but not lacking in subtlety, the Delord 25 year Armagnac is a great example of what armagnac should be! The nose is dense and woody with notes of orange, prune, allspice and dried flowers. The palate picks up where the aromatics left off with lush fruit. Flavors of peach, dates, orange, bananas and cherry round things off. This spirit is big, playful, and aromatic and wood pervades everything here in the best way possible.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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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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Christian Drouin VSOP Calvados
Distiller Score 94
Exuding warm spice, lightly caramelized sugar, and fresh apple peel, Christian Drouin VSOP Calvados checks all the classic cider brandy boxes and more. Sweet baked pear, cardamom, and warming butter round out the middle, with faint licorice and clove on the end balancing out what is otherwise a jubilantly hedonistic flavor profile.
Reviewed by Duncan McRoberts
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Tariquet Bas-Armagnac XO
Distiller Score 89
There's still a little dried fruit lurking on the aroma, but the wood and spice notes take over with that same hint of licorice found in the VSOP bottling. The Armagnac has a medium-rich body and the brandy has enough of a sweetness to carry you to through the mid-palate, but doesn't take over and hide the other characters in the brandy. The woody flavors come through at the end creating a dry, but not abrupt, finish.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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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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Copper & Kings American Brandy Finished in Peerless Rye Whiskey Barrels
Distiller Score 87
The nose showcases a strong licorice note, with raisins, prunes and peppermint. The palate starts perfumed and floral with chrysanthemum bud and potpourri, and also offers dried apricots, walnuts and dark chocolate. The finish is moderate in length and both spicy, with black pepper, cloves and oak, as well as herbal, with cilantro and coriander. Final notes include a touch of rye alongside bitter burnt lemon peel.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Copper & Kings 3 Marlenas Apple Brandy
Distiller Score 90
Bright and floral nose, with honey, McIntosh apples, toffee, and butterscotch. A creamy palate shifts to baked apples with oak, black pepper and spice, tequila and agave, and a slight buttery riff. The finish intermingles floral notes with a citrus zestiness of orange peels, smoke, and closing vegetal notes with aged tequila.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Christian Drouin XO Calvados
Distiller Score 90
The influence of cognac and sherry casks here is almost unmistakable, but adds a welcome aromatic signature. The nutty, saline and sea-breeze character form a nice counterpoint to the dense, vivid, ripe apple component. This has clearly gained depth and complexity with age, but it has not fallen into the trap of becoming too oxidative or overwhelmed by wood.
Reviewed by Duncan McRoberts
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Pellehaut 1989 Armagnac Ténarèze
Distiller Score 89
This unadulterated brandy sparkles in the glass with a vibrant red/orange hue. The aromatics are typical ugni blanc, that is: candied citrus, baked almond, and white flower. At a wise 24 years of age the armagnac has mature oaky flavors, but also a youthful kick absent in some of Pellehaut's older vintages. (This is probably a result of the robust 49.9 degrees of alcohol.) Recommended as a great value in brown spirits, but not for the meek. Think more Booker's than Basil's. In a world where 20 year single malt has crossed into triple-digit pricing and similarly aged American whiskey is a memory, we should be thankful for the Gascognian patience with these bottles.
Reviewed by John Rankin
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Copper & Kings Cr&ftwerk Against the Grain
Distiller Score 87
The nose offers a rich sweetness, backed up by citrus zest, smoke, and spicy oak. The palate showcases malt and dark chocolate, with honey and toffee. It's somewhat oily. Finish is long, smooth and steady. It's the star of the Cr&ftwerk lineup, with the most well-balanced profile and best depth of flavors. Easy drinking, particularly given the proof.
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