Rating: 16/23 Why did I buy another bottle of this? I didn't like it last time. I don't know; maybe I've gained more experience with brandy and have a higher regard for the funky things in life now. It was actually good to have it here this evening though because I was reviewing Pierre Ferrand Double Cask and Delamain Pale & Dry and all I had open were some brandies that were up toward the high end. The Delamain came kind of close to one of them, but I needed some better side by side options. So I was glad to have this around. N: Rich. Cherry to the point of sweetness bordering on syrup. Some spicy wood helps to balance it out. There's some funky, oily something going on too. It's a decently complex nose, but I do wish that the cherry were toned back a bit. I find the funk a bit challenging, but it has nothing on young Glenfarclas. I'd like a bit more maturity here to make this closer to old Glenfarclas, but I can't have everything in a $40 brandy. I'm enjoying the nose's complexity and hedonism. P: This is one of those Cognacs with rich cherry mixed with spicy (mainly cinnamon and pepper) wood and a decent amount of oil. Hedonism, but a bit much for those who can't take a sweet drink (a totally valid position). There's some vanilla coming out of the wood as well. It's tasty, but also kind of youthful. Pierre Ferrand Double Oak struck me as more youthful, but this doesn't have the maturity of something like Delamain Pale & Dry or A De Fussigny XO. This is kind of like Candy in comparison. And compared with the A De Fussigny, this is not super full. Throw Hennessy XO or Delord 25 in the mix and the illusion of fullness this has fails. F: The fruit becomes more bitter, but there is a bit of a lingering sweetness along with an oiliness that now seems a tad nutty, some kind of wood, and bits of spice and so forth. It's a totally acceptable finish, but not that exciting. - Conclusion - I definitely underrated this before. This is a good value brandy that I can easily sip. In my defense, that was over 2 years ago ... and I guess that's a long time? Compared with higher end options, there is no contest - this isn't at the level. Delord 25 also comes in with a substantial enough value proposition that I would consider just paying a bit more to get a better brandy. This is probably more approachable though. It's a great example of your typical moderately aged Cognac. Oddly, I think it's pretty much as good as Rémy Martin XO. This tastes like it could be an XO. It would probably just barely be making the cut, but it could be there. Rémy Martin XO really didn't impress me considering its price. With all of the side by siding I've been doing, I think I'm going to land on a 16 here. I would now recommend this brandy.