Laird's Apple Brandy Single Cask Selection

Taste- 2 oz with and without water in glen cairn. This is Binnys SiB cask strength pick coming in at 130 proof. 7 years old, barreled in 2015. Nose- honey crisp apples, and cinnamon. There is also some clove and ethanol that moves off quickly. Palate- Wow this is hot! It is a tongue tickler for sure. Once the ethanol clears it is pear, baked apple brown betty, and a bit of lemony citrus. Much tastier with water where the high proof doesnt overwhelm. This is high octane spirit, and not for the faint of heart! Finish- a bit longer and much hotter than you would like as compared to a gentle snifter of sipping brandy. Goes out on a cinnamon red hot candy note. Overall- Cask strength brandy is so different than sipping brandy for me. This is more like a hot apple flavored whiskey. A bit too much of the rough stuff for me to really enjoy. I need water to manage it. That said, when you downproof it, and let it breathe it is a classic cure for the common cold.

Apple and light caramel aromas. Stronger than expected apple notes with such a high proof.

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Virginia ABC cask selection, aged 5 years/63.75% Nose: apple pie, pears, honey, cinnamon Palate: jolly rancher apple, caramel corn Finish: zesty, sour Wow…liquid candy in a glass, a bit sweet but still tasty.

Nose after 5-10 min rest: Apples are the dominant nose, red ripe apple, caramel, spice- nutmeg, oaky vanilla, banana, floral notes, pepper, honey, almond nuttiness Taste: wow- intense blast of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg spices, apple, alcohol heat, then heavy caramel, oakiness, apples again, some nuttiness and a moderately long decay with apple, spices, vanilla, almonds, and medium caramel. A few drops of water turn down the burn and open up more higher fruit notes and caramel.