Review #72 - Cognac / Brandy #11 Bought on an insane discount (which likely included a pricing error on behalf of the store), so I got the 0.7L bottle and box for 31.5 EUR. Aspect - Deep amber colour with golden hue. Nose - Very fruity and unexpectedly bright, with grape, relatively sharp spice, oak, honey, vanilla, oranges, apple...like apple strudel almost, and typical, slightly sour undertones. Air, however, does wonders and brings it on par with the palate and finish, with more dried fruit (raisins). Palate - Creamy, oily and sweet on front end, with the same brightness from the nose, orange marmelade, apricot, honey, acidity, and rather prominent spice notes. The latter fade to a slightly prickly back-end, with more oak influence, caramel, vanilla and subtle dryness. Finish - Long, and this is where the cognac really shines...Full, with vanilla, plum, old oak, caramel walnut-hazelnut notes, suntle grapefruit, with the sweetness fading even more leading to a dry and pleasantly oaky-bitter after-taste. Dried fruit shows up quite late but proeminently, with raisins and dates...wonderful. Clearly more complex and refined than all other cognacs I have tried this far...and although the nose is slightly disappointing...or common rather, it makes up for it on the finish especially. Substantially better than the Remy Martin VSOP, and it does get significantly better with some air...although sometimes a bit harsher than I would have wanted. Wonderfully complex and pleasant.