2.23.22 Served: Neat, Flute Bottle Open: Same day and 11 month (near empty, highly oxidized) Side by side Aroma: New: Apricot Candy. How I imagine apricot gummy worms or hard candies to smell like. 11 month: Dried Apricot. A much lower impression of acid. Flavor: New: Proofy and fresh. Shares some of the same flavors as regular brandy, likely due some common congeners. Apricot flavor is fresh, like bitting into one. 11 month: Very gentle on the tongue. Less alcohol burn and less acid. Once again, more of a dried apricot feel, with more skin flavor. More pleasant to drink on its own than the fresh one, but I anticipate it getting lost in cocktails more easily than the new. I give this a 4.5 because I know how well it stands up in cocktails. It is easy to underestimate how well the apricot flavor carries through in a short sour. I wouldn't necessarily recommend drinking it neat or on the rocks. Here's my recommendation: Dan Carlson's "Limpa" Cocktail: 1/4oz - 1/2oz Simple Syrup 3/4oz - Orchard Apricot 1oz Lemon Juice 2oz Aquavit (Butter-washed if possible, 8oz Butter per 750ml) Serve shaken in a either in a coupe or over a large rock. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a dried apricot.