HINE Rare VSOP Cognac

Great, delicate and harmonious cognac blend of Grande and Petite Champagne. Subtle aromas of apricot, almond, vanilla, caramel and honey. Delicate taste of dried fruits, almond, vanilla and honey. Long aftertaste with notes of dried fruits and honey. Excellent balanced.

Smooth. Nice nose. I get a soapy note on the palate.

Hine Rare VSOP is a more premium offering from Hine, but I dont think it's worth nearly twice as much as the plain old Hine H. I would go as far as to say the Hine H is nearly its equal neat. On the nose I get stone fruit, which continues on the palate, along with some vanilla, spice and orange peel. The finish has decent length with some oak and a bit of burn. I was hoping for a more elegant sipping cognac but it feels only like a slight upgrade over the Hine H. It's not bad and I may be being a bit too harsh but I had much higher expectations for the price.

Excellent.