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Harvest Spirits Pear Brandy
Distiller Score 93
This is a surprisingly aromatic spirit with a soaring bouquet of freshly-sliced Bartlett pears and summer grass. The palate is pleasantly juicy and round with rich orchard fruit and a touch of earthy pear skin. There is very little perceptible heat from alcohol making for a decadent after-dinner drink with a long, sweet fruit-driven finish.
Reviewed by John Rankin
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Calvados Adrien Camut 6 Year
Distiller Score 92
Perhaps the world's smoothest 6 year old Calvados. The raw spirit character has been transformed into rich, juicy, green apple with a hint of caramel from the french oak. The semi-filled barrels promote a gradual oxidation and a natural reduction of alcohol to make this relatively young spirit drink much smoother than many Calvados twice its age. This is a brandy that speaks of fresh fruit and doesn't show the tannic side of aged spirits, or the fiery side of young distillates.
Reviewed by John Rankin
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Ferrand 10 Générations Cognac
Distiller Score 87
The nose if very aromatic with primary fruits like fresh grapes, apricots, and white peaches.There's a slight nutty quality as well. The cognac is soft and rich on the palate. Sweet fruit notes continue and the finish has a moderate length and a gentle spice note. With this profile and price, don't be afraid to use in a cocktail.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Lepanto PX Gran Reserva
Distiller Score 90
Espresso, pipe tobacco and dried fruit greet the nose as figs, raisins, prunes, dates and walnuts enter the palate. The dried fruits hold a fair amount of acidity, which keeps the sticky toffee pudding flavors in check. The milk chocolate finish is almost like Nutella, but with just a slight spark of heat.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Bache-Gabrielsen VSOP Natur & Eleganse
Distiller Score 90
The color of this cognac has a very pleasant golden tint and the aromatics show classic scents of baked, white grapes, hard lemon candy, and opulent French oak. True to the product’s marketing description and perhaps in discord with the line’s name, “Eleganse,” the palate is bold and rich with a pleasant impression of grippy oak tannin. Although perhaps slightly misnamed, this would be a wonderful cognac for whisky lovers and its concentration of wood and fruit flavors would make for great New Orleans style cocktails.
Reviewed by John Rankin
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Harvest Spirits Cornelius Cherry Brandy
Distiller Score 86
The Bing cherry influence can not be overemphasized, and the spirit shows a spectrum of the fruit’s flavors from the acidic crunch of the skins to the earthy, hazelnut and dark chocolate character of the pits. Unfortunately the cherry’s intensity hijacks some of the apple base that Harvest Spirits does so well. By all means, cherry lovers should rejoice and one would be hard pressed to find a more intense cherry experience.
Reviewed by John Rankin
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Bonollo Grappa OF Amarone Barrique
Distiller Score 88
The dense, golden color of this grappa is a good hint to its rich and decadent character. Some of the spirit’s initial earthy flavors are there, but more present is the plush influence of oak which shows as vanilla and toasted saw dust. The time in wood has also unlocked more rich fruit flavors such as roasted fig, golden raisins, and apple crumb cake. Perhaps a bit heavy on the barrel flavors for people looking for an invigorating end to a meal, but for those who want something with a bit more pizzaz, this is a knockout.
Reviewed by John Rankin
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Pierre Ferrand Réserve Double Cask Cognac
Distiller Score 90
Lots of fresh stone fruits such as apricots and plums on both the aroma and palate along with white grapes. The French barrel spices make an appearance bringing a bit of complexity to the cognac, but play a minor role. If you are familiar with their previous Réserve, this is quite different with the dessert wine finish really shining through here. The finish is sweet/tart with that touch of gentle barrel spices and the fruit factor is still in play. The price point doesn't really lend this to cocktail use, so sip after dinner or with the cheese course.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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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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Pasquet Coeur de Grande Champagne Cognac
Distiller Score 84
There is a fragrant pear and peach aroma with faint barrel baking spices. There is a fresh, full mouthfeel to the brandy and the fruity and youthful cognac has gentle notes of lemon peel and licorice. A great entry to cognac.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Agnesi 1799 Brandy
Distiller Score 89
The nose offers a walk through a dewy, grassy meadow, with honey, sugar-coated grapes, and dried fruits. The palate shows more honey along with floral notes and a basket of fruits inducing plums, redcurrants, and lingonberries, as well as leather and dark chocolate. A flowery finish offers sweet agave syrup and oak.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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A & G Apple Brandy Reserve
Distiller Score 75
The aromatics of this brandy have a strong apple character (good) but a bit too much wood char (bad). The barrel flavors are further apparent with a fairly chewy palate that maintains some fresh orchard fruit but suffers from a hint of astringency. The finish takes a bizarre turn with a sweet, baked grape character that must be the result of the Cream Sherry influence and unfortunately lingers far longer than any hint of apple. There are many interesting things going on here, but unfortunately the flavors compete rather than reach a coherent whole.
Reviewed by John Rankin