Vallein Tercinier XO Fine Cognac

Tasting Notes

88pts Whisky Fun

"A blend of 35 years old or more cognacs from grande and petite Champagne done by one of our favourite cognac houses. In such cases, we’re all for NAS! We’ll have quite a few Valleins during the coming months. Only the low strength is a little scary here… Colour: amber. Nose: yeah well… If you enjoy a Strathisla from the 1950s to early 1970s, this is for you. Same superb beehive-y notes, yellow flowers, quince jelly, baked apples, stewed peaches, then cinnamon cake, honey cake, blood oranges… It’s just a little fragile, I wouldn’t keep it in my glass for more than ten minutes. Granted, that would never happen anyway ;-). Mouth: my! Starts a little Calvadosy, if I may, with more baked apples and a discreet gritty side, and goes on with a whole fruitcake covered with fine cinnamon and other spices from the oak. Chestnuts and raisins cooked in some honey-based sweet sauce. Finish: medium, and perhaps a wee tad tea-ish, but that’s nothing. I’m sure that would have been very different at 42-45% vol. A touch of liquorice as the signature. Comments: close to grand. Again, a matter of two to five extra percents… In my humble opinion… Forgot to say, they did the vatting ten years before bottling! Long marriages are always the best, aren’t they (take that, Scotland and your quick finishings) SGP:651 - 88 points."