Review #45 - Brandy / Cognac #7 Bought in a 200ml bottle for 12 euros or so, not a great deal, but I did not want to spend more on a VS, just out to explore each house a bit. Tasted neat in a rather small cognac glass, served at room temperature. It has a golden colour with an orangey hue, and short, short-medium legs. Nose - alcohol, wood and oak spice are the most prominent aromas, but there is also a sweetness, milk chocolate, and fruitiness (grapes, plums, oranges, apricots), with honey and vanilla as well. Palate - on the front end it is very oily, fruity, with the same aforementioned aromas, particularly plums I believe, sweet, milk chocolate, which is very pleasant, yet on the back end it is very spicy...oak, sharp wood spice, and unrefined, taking away from the entire experience. After it gets a bit of air, or my palate is accustomed to the spiciness, it seems slightly more mellow and smoother. Finish - short-medium, maybe even medium actually, oak, slight bitterness and dried fruit (perhaps raisins and dates, although a bit difficult to identify), as well as plums. The bitter note accentuates on the after-taste, yet it remains pleasant and adds some dimension to the cognac. I don't think it is a cognac that I would drink with immense pleasure (I only drink liquor neat)...mostly due to the harshness on the mid-back-end palate...it is decent, pleasant, but in this price range I think I would prefer some sort of whisk(e)y, due to a higher refinement. With some oxidation, however, the fruitiness was brought forth even more, and the sharp spiciness reduced, leaving behind a very enjoyable cognac for the price. Rating System: 5.0 - Legendary 4.5 - Exceptional 4.0 - Very Good 3.5 - Good 3.0 - Decent 2.5 - Average 2.0 - Below Average 1.5 - Barely Drinkable 1.0 - Undrinkable 0.5 - JB