Camus Ile de Ré Fine Island

Dried fruits, salty

Latest package of 'aromatherapy' from @cascode just arrived today. The lady at the post shop is starting to get suspicious as she asked if I was in the aromatherapy business. I said no just gifts for friends and hoped for no more questions as I know ZERO about aromatherapy other than I think it's smelly oil you burn! Customs are more easily fooled it seems as no issues with getting passed them :-). Ok cascodes review is spot on. Sort of a grapey characteristic with this one. So so for me, i prefer a bit more Cognacy if that makes sense, this seems to veer off to grappa land or similar a bit. Thanks Cascode!

Nose: Hibiscus, lime flower, tamarind concentrate, peach, apricot, pear juice, fuji apple, mild pineapple, a hint of honeysuckle, distant brine. There's a leather note as well, but very mild. It’s a crisp, uplifting nose. [The dry glass aroma is faint tropical fruit juice]. Palate: Silken and slightly sweet with a hint of ammonium salt (as opposed to sodium) and fresh orchard fruit. The texture is light but not watery with dilute honey at the periphery. A little orange peel, white grape juice and dried orchard fruit starts to show through as it develops. There is hardly any indication that you are drinking alcohol at all, apart from a mild warm sensation as you swallow. A microscopic white pepper note towards the finish. Finish: Short. The mild juicy sweetness of the palate gives way to an umami note. Smooth and well balanced. The nose is light and delicate but not weak by any means, and is slightly reminiscent of a fruit-forward whisky - something like young Glenfiddich. The palate is balanced and shows no sign of cloying sweetness nor of astringent dryness. The casks are discreet and supportive, but barely noticeable. I had heard that this has a briny profile and yes there is a maritime quality, but if you're used to maritime whiskies then that quality will seem very tame here. There is a crisp dryness, but more than anything it's juicy and fresh tasting and there is certainly no emphasis on heavy dried grape flavours. An enjoyable cognac, and although it has qualities that do bring whisky to mind it's certainly no malt! I'm enjoying it and I'll be interested to see whether the freshness survives oxidising. There are two other expressions in this Camus "island" range, with increasingly intense maturation. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)