ABK6 VS Pure Single Cognac

Beautiful amber brown, smells like alcohol but theres something in the background, a sweetness, little leather action? Peppery too. As soon as it touches the touch it gives it a little sting of spicy, warms up the palette and covers it with a nice... i dont know how to describe it, chemical warmth. Not bad but good, like an electric blanket. Smooth, woody from the barrel, maybe a little grain flavor? I hate to say it but i feel that this would be better in a cocktail than by itself, but its can be done neet.

Pretty good typical Cognac. Boozy, little fruity...

Review #32 - Brandy / Cognac #5 Bought in 50ml bottle, light golden colour, more honest than the more commercialised brands on the market. Reasonably oily in the glass with long legs. Nose - Very potent and fragrant, light, sweet, fruity, not as alcohol forward as I expected (although the alcohol is still present), white grapes, some oak, some spice, and oiliness...perhaps with a very very light woody bitterness as well. Palate - smooth, light, very spicy on the front end, maybe with oaky woodiness with an oily taste. It then quickly gives way to sweetness and fruit (grapes, perhaps some pear). Finish - Short-medium, a lot longer than expected, dry, with an underlying spice, some dry woodiness and dried fruit, maybe figs and plums (allergies make it hard to pinpoint exactly :) ) on the aftertaste. For me, it is too spicy initially, but it quickly mellows out with sweeter aromas which are balanced much better. I have never tasted a VS so far (more experience with XO vinars, Metaxa expressions and some Remy Martin VSOP and Braastad VSOP), and I personally expected it to be much harsher and alcohol forward, especially from what I have seen so far in reviews. The alcohol is not an issue, more so the rather unbalanced spiciness on the front end, but overall it is very pleasant. Makes me genuinely curious with regards to the smoothness, complexity and refinement of the XO... Rating System: 5.0 - Perfect 4.5 - Exceptional 4.0 - Very Good 3.5 - Good 3.0 - Decent 2.5 - Average 2.0 - Below Average 1.5 - Barely Drinkable 1.0 - Undrinkable 0.5 - JB

A delicate, a single estate Brandy by Domaines Francis Abecassis in Cognac, France aged for a minimum of 2 years in French oak. It has an aromatic birth with notes of tree fruits, flowers & a hint of spices; while an intense life adds notes of apricot, caraway & mustard seed; that led to a long & bold death with notes of grapes (Grappa) & oak. September 2019

Nose of vanilla, citrus, toffee, honey, grape. Palate some spice, citrus, grape.

I enjoy a nice cognac after dinner but I am not as critical as I am of bourbon. Maybe it's because I enjoy the meal and resulting conversation so much. Remy Martin is my favorite and I always go back. This one has loads of fruit on the nose, predominately pear. It blooms in your mouth with fruit and honey leaving a crisp pear finish. I like it but I'll stick with Remy

I'm not sure if this is only available at Total Wine, but that's where I got it. I am in the process of making a series of 2L barrel-aged cocktails that I'll bottle as gifts for friends this holiday season. So far I've made a port-wine finished Doorly's rum, Bulleit Revolver, Brooklyn Godfather and a strawberry infused Negroni. I want to finish the series with an aged Sazerac and I needed some cognac for the split base of the cocktail. I figured while I'm here... Tasted neat from a glencairn. A good while was given for the liquid to rest after the pour. This bottle has been open for a little over a day and I left about 60ml in the bottom of the bottle. Even from 18" away I can smell the fruity grapes of this cognac. ABK6 is the mark for Domaines Francis Abécassis. In addition to a VS, VSOP & XO cognac, the house also distills vodka, gin, Petit Champagne cognacs & other eau de vie. The pour is apple juice clear and shows some good sheeting on a swirl. The nose is fruity and light offering some floral qualities. I get sweet apples, bosc pear, wildflower honey and maybe a touch of jasmine. It's almost liqueur like in its lushness. All in all its very nice, moderately complex and surprisingly pleasant for this price point. On the palate this is quite tame and tasty. There's definitely that apple, a bit of pear and some white-fleshed plums. A bit of honey coats the lips while the faintest blush of ginger and white pepper offer a glow of spice. The finish is short and clean. This is fruity and light. Its a delightful grape brandy and is really a good choice I think for cocktails. I'm certain the Sazerac will come out wonderfully partnered as it is with George Dickel rye (95/5 MGP - nicely fruity and approachable as well). On its own I'm happy to drink this neat or over ice. It doesn't even come close to having the gravitas of a Hennessy XO or the silky presence of a Remy 1738, but for $28 its a real value. I rate on a scale where a 1 = something I won't finish and 5 = a perfect example of the expression. Most competently made liquors should follow a bell curve and end up in the range of 2.0 to 3.0. This ABK6 VS is certainly that. Solid and tasty and a bit above average when considered against its competition at this price. I'm giving this one 3 stars.