Refreshingly, this brandy does not taste of cherry cough syrup. I'm a fan of citrus and the hints of orange that this delivers make me happy. This is a harsh drink and there isn't a ton of change in the flavor over time, but there is some stuff going on all at once. I appreciate the wood, but there is also some menthol that I am not a fan of. Overall, the main thing this cognac has going for it is that it avoids the standard problem of too much cherry flavor. The thing is though, you can get a cheap Scotch for around the same price and have none of these problems. It's a refreshing Brandy, but for refreshing, a tequila, gin, or tart cocktail would be a better choice. The flavor is just not that great. Would not recommend.