ABK6 VSOP Single Estate Cognac

Complex Cognac. Will have another

Rating: 15/23 I liked ABK6 VS fairly well. It had some good personality without being sickly sweet. The downside was that it was a bit rough around the edges. I don't remember how much more this was off the top of my head, but it wasn't a whole lot and I hoped that it might have smoothed some of those out. Tonight, I was reviewing Pierre Ferrand Double Cask and Delamain Pale & Dry. I needed another point of comparison, so I cracked open this bottle. I guess I'm comparing this too now. N: Sweet, nectar, honey, orange. Some spices come out. I enjoy smelling this, but it isn't very complex. I do get the absolute faintest hint of sulfuric alcohol, but it's so ridiculously faint that I might be imagining it. P: Opening this was a great decision. It has the orange profile like Delamain Pale & Dry but with a bit more sweetness like Pierre Ferrand Double Cask. There's some spice, but it's more peppery with just a little harshness. This seems less mature than the Delamain, but not necessarily less mature than the Pierre Ferrand. I get more alcohol out of the Ferrand than out of this, but I also get some more complexity. This has a small number of notes. They balance sweet and dry nicely, but there isn't a lot going on here. This is definitely young. I completely believe that it's a VSOP. There's enough smoothness and balance that it doesn't taste like the eau de vie came right out of the still (as is often the case with VS brandies), but it also definitely tastes young. F: The orange remains and it gets a bit more bitter. Whiffs of alcohol flow back and forth. It's sweet but drier than before with a little bit of a cardboard character to the wood. Very very fain cinnamon is present at times. It's not a great finish but it's fine. - Conclusion - This is about on par with Pierre Ferrand Double Cask. If they were the same price, I'd probably lean slightly toward the Pierre Ferrand. If Pierre Ferrand is a solid 15 with aspirations of becoming a 16, this is a 15 with a risk of dropping down to a 14. So they're both 15s. One thing that is quite clear to me is that Rémy Martin 1738 is definitely better than this. It isn't like the Rémy is amazing and this is awful, but if they were just a few bucks apart, I'd pay the extra for the Rémy. Considering that I gave ABK6 VS a 14, either these two are surprisingly close in quality or I may have overrated that one. Maybe I'll get another sample of that one at some point and do a side by side.

Really smooth. A great value.

Highly recommended at Total Wine, but not as memorable as the brandy I first had. Too similar to whiskey

I got introduced to cognacs since the late ’70s getting to know the taste of the cognac VSOP line of Hennessy, Martell, and Remy Martin. Each brand has a distinct taste, smoothness, flavor, and have a unique sensation that interacts with your system. Sensation such as a warm feeling, a hint of sweetness, oaks, and a feeling of relaxation while enjoying your drink. Taking a sip and exhaling thru your mouth. Fast forward this year 2020, I have ventured to other cognac product lines in search of good cognacs. I did not know that there is another line of VSOP cognacs which experts described as ”floral tasting." So far, I have tried ABK6 VSOP, Paulet VSOP, Kirkland XO, and A DE FUSSIGNY SELECTION COGNAC. These selections are floral tasting and light. Taste like drinking flower extracts. But these floral cognacs to my experience, 1st sip is smooth but immediately evaporates to your palate going up to your nasopharynx, getting a feeling choking and dryness. Unlike Hennessy, Martell, and Remy cognacs, it stayed down smoothly to your oropharynx. For Floral taste, this is for you. (ABK6, Paulet, Kirland XO,and A DE FUSSIGNY) I guess I am not into floral cognac selections. I believe each individual has unique taste buds. I am no expert, just for pleasure, social drinking, or special occasion, and while enjoying the company of our family and friends. Just a reminder drink in moderation.