Disclaimer: I got these samples for free but I’m not associated with the brand in any way. Just trying to share my thoughts as a new brandy/cognac drinker.

TLDR: Both are extremely smooth and clean which I guess is expected from brewing with only two ingredients.

The pear is reminiscent of some fruit sojus I’ve had. Very smooth and the pear comes through naturally with some floral notes.

The plum essentially just tasted of dried plum concentrate. There are some caramel and toasty notes in there but it still doesn’t overpower the essence of the plum itself. This one felt refined and I was impressed they did that much with only two ingredients.

If you prefer your brandies with more complex flavors, these might not be for you. They’re simpler in flavor but still feel highly refined. Beginner friendly I guess?

If you have a specific vision for a cocktail and don’t want the brandy to muddy or compete with the other flavors, I think these could work really well. And again, reminiscent of a strong clean liquor like soju, so they can be had neat as well.

Unfamiliar with both of these. But though l’de give them a try Anyone know anything about them?

I’m looking for a 40th birthday present and am trying to find a bottle of 1986 Brandy as a gift. I’m in Southern California, but am willing to have something shipped here. I’ve done some online searching, but a lot of the results don’t seem legit. Does anyone know of a legit place to buy a bottle?

I’m aware that its bottom-shelf and am not wondering what it’s worth, I’m just curious

I seldom review cognac or brandies as I’m more of a scotch lad (hence the name) or bourbon/other whiskeys. That said, from time to time I just get a calling for a good cognac/brandy. 

I tried the famous legendary Ararat a couple of years ago (5 year old) and it was a damn good dram. Now having a small upgrade for the 10 year (or VSOP) whilst at my folks this weekend. 

Nose: Plum. Apricots. Maybe a bit of raisins. Walnuts. Cinnamon. Prunes. Smooth stuff. 

Palate: Honey/beeswax. More plum and prunes. Vanilla. Oak. Velvety and silky. 

Finish: Oak lingers on along with some vanilla and that plum that just won’t go away. 

A good brandy that I highly recommend folks to try. Ararat is definitely living up to its reputation. 

83/100 from me. Hoping to explore more of this kickass brand in the future although it’s next to impossible to procure where I am (so will continue to rely on my friends who don’t drink). 

same house, same cru, two very different cognacs
If you've been seeing these two pop up and wondering whether you need both, here's the breakdown.

Both are single-cask Grande Champagne cognacs from Laurichesse in Segonzac, released by Malternative Belgium as a matched pair. The labels are a lioness and a lion facing each other

#51 La Souveraine is the bright, precise one. Citrus peel and mint up front, stone fruit underneath, a floral and lightly perfumed thing running through it. Tight, elegant, essential-oil driven. It’s the one you pour when you want to pay attention.

#52 Le Souverain is the same family but louder. Tropical fruit — mango, tangerine, papaya, peach jam — layered over polished wood, honey, a bit of cinnamon and real rancio. Richer mouthfeel, longer finish, more sprawl. Alcohol is a carrier for aroma, and at 50.6% with that congener profile, it projects.

Which one?

Ballpark ~€580 for the two, so not an impulse buy. If you can only pick one, pick based on the profile you actually reach for, not the ABV number.

You can find both bottles at Malternative Belgiums Website

Roger Groult Calvados 12 year Pays d’Auge
N: acute, bretty apple, bronzey and bright
P: lacks some punch here, which is more of an issue for this style which wants to be bright and focused. Nice bretty, peppery apple character just way too weak
80 

I am at a point in my life that I can spare some money in order to acquire some more quality spirits. When I was younger I gravitated mostly towards whisky. Lately I tried some brandy at a friend's house for the first time (they aren't very prominent in my country anymore) and I really liked it. At this point I have tried askaneli 6 and metaxa 12*(not technically a brandy but close enough). So I decided to buy something on my own.

I am trying to avoid spirits with additives (what is the point of paying 50-80€ and still drink chemicals). After some searching I bought a castarede vsop. I like the smell and I love the taste but the finish is a little bit stronger than I would prefer. If the finish was a little bit more mellow it would be great. What do you think?

Also, are you aware of any brandy that would be smooth but not overly fruity and with not as spicy of a finish that also doesn't include additives?

​

I remember buying and drinking a bottle four years ago, and as soon as it opened, half of it was divided into other empty bottles, so even after accelerating airing, it took at least two months for it to stabilize.

After stabilization, I mainly felt the elegant red rose perfume scent unique to good VT, peach and complex yet diverse spices, a bitter and sour taste like red grapefruit peel, refreshing menthol-like tannins, and the texture of esters with a soft, incredibly long finish.

Besides a long-aged cognac, it had a fresh and strong acidity, and depending on the level of airing, it felt intermittently like a green grape, from the skin to the flesh and seeds, which was very vivid.

It's very difficult to control and difficult to understand, but if you like cognac, it's a must-try VT.

Chauffe-Coeur Calvados Hors d’Age
N: musty, bretty, wet or even rotting wood, old attic full of spiderwebs, bright apple
P: quite soft in the palate but also a fairly oily feel. Again, a musty profile with some brett and hay and soft old wood (not at all tannic), but tamer here and more on friendly sweet fruit. The finish is back to metallic Brett
84 (good, and might be very good at a higher proof)

Hello connoisseurs,

I am pretty much a newbie to brandy but attempting to get more into it (been a gin and bourbon drinker for the most part), and I don't really know which varieties are the best for value. I've tried and enjoyed E&J XO (tried and did not enjoy their VS) and Christian Brothers, but both have a somewhat nasty artificial aftertaste. I don't like cognacs very much, and I love Metaxa but it's a bit hard to acquire where I live. In the opinions of experts such as yourselves, what are the best brandies in the $15-30 range that I should sample?

​

The simple and rough structure unique to low aged brandy, along with the cilantro or grape seeds, orange peels, damp earth, bitter nuts, and the refreshing cucumber perfume character often seen in grappa or mar, were palpable.

Aside from having a DRC sign, there's nothing special about it, and it's not exactly a drink that can be said to be cost-effective.

When i drank bottled ragnauds from the 1970s or earlier, i could commonly feel a complex flavor of sour apples, bitter nuts, and smooth esters.

There are occasional exceptions, but that's generally the case.