Christian Drouin Hors D'age Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, rich amber color. The nose reveals a perfect balance of rich, baked apples, brown baking spices, earth, and oak. The most striking aspect is its absolute harmony. The palate echoes the nose delivering seamless integration of fruit, spice, and oak with subtle accents of apple, peel, mineral, and vanilla bean with hints of chocolate. Medium to full-bodied displaying perfect balance as the lush fruit and spice are foiled by bright acidity and oak offering structure and nuance. $159.99 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin 1967 Calvados
Brilliant, deep amber color. The nose is complex while surprisingly assertive showing its muscular single distillation with charming notes of ripe fruit with waves of generous spice notes (clove and cinnamon in the lead). The palate confirms the nose in every way featuring the rustic, single-distilled fruit with spicy cask notes and a delicate note of rancio and a pronounced oaky finish. Full-bodied while quite elegant with ideal balance and incredible length. $476.37 – 4.5 Stars
Christian Drouin 1977 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, deep mahogany color. The concentrated fruit notes marry seamlessly with the Sherry casks creating a decadent blanket of fruit and spice flavors with accents of wild flowers, caramel, and nutmeg. The palate equals the nose delivering a lush and spicy fruit-driven core with waves of caramel, toffee, marzipan, and dense dried fruits with Sherry accents. This full-bodied beauty is perfectly balanced with a bright, fresh acidity that frames the rich fruit and Sherry flavors. $294.99 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin 1987 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, deep amber color. The nose is wonderfully expressive with dense, youthful fruit in the lead supported by scents of orange marmalade and candied orange peel with dried red fruits and waves of brown baking spices. The palate fully concurs with the decadent nose delivering a rich, fruit-driven core that is flanked by spice, oak, and subtle earth tones that linger for minutes. Full-bodied with ideal balance with bright acidity to match the dense fruit and a surprising firm grip of tannins on the finish. $207.99 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin 1997 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, deep amber color. The aromatics are quite fresh and youthful with ripe, whole apples in the lead supported by scents of bright citrus, spring flowers, and blanched nuts with hints of oak and allspice. The palate echoes the nose delivering a bright and ripe fruit-driven core with the Pommeau influence being quite evident. The flavors linger on with spice notes of allspice and cinnamon rising with a dose of rancio on the finish. Medium to full-bodied displaying perfect balance as the rich fruit and spice are equaled by bright acidity and oak. $163.99 – 4.5 Stars
Laphroaig Cairdeas Madeira Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brilliant copper color. The aromatics are both exotic and intense offering scents of sweet turf fire with blood orange, sea salt, baked apple, dried chili, anise seed, and nougat. The palate fully concurs with the nose delivering a lush and vibrant fruit and peat mélange ideally framed by brown baking spices, oak, and citrus. Being Laphroaig you know it's not going to be a wallflower. It's quite intense but wonderfully complex and perfectly balanced. $74.99 – 5 Stars
Gautier VS Cognac
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewBrilliant bronze color. The nose is quite pretty with waves of fruits ranging from poached pears to tropical fruits with a touch of peach marmalade, ginger biscuits, and dried apricot with hints of vanilla and cocoa nibs. The palate certainly echoes the nose delivering a fruit-forward core with waves of brown baking spices, toasted oak, and and subtle pepper accents. Medium-bodied with a perfect balance of flavors, as well as balanced acidity to ripe fruit. $34.99 – 4 Stars
Gautier VSOP Cognac
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewBrilliant amber color. The aromatics are beautiful and intense with baked orchard fruits (apple, pear, and peach) leading the way supported by caramel, vanilla, dried fruits, subtle earth notes, and spicy oak. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a fruit-driven core with waves of caramel and toffee, accented with brown baking spices, dark chocolate, a hint of ginger, and orange peel. Medium to full-bodied with a lush core while exhibiting a great vibrancy thanks to a generous dose of acidity and bright spice notes. $49.99 – 4.5 Stars
Gautier Gold & Blue XO Cognac
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, deep amber color. The aromatics are simply amazing offering a marriage of fruit and spice that can only be found in an elite spirit with extended aging. Scents of cinnamon accented baked fruits, rich caramel, and dried tropical fruits fill the nose supported by dark chocolate, earth, leather, mineral, and oak. The palate fully concurs with the nose delivering a lush and decadent fruit-centric core with gorgeous flanking notes of brown baking spice, toffee, cocoa, vanilla, and toasted oak. Full-bodied with a lush, creamy core balanced with acid, spice, and delicate citrus zest accents. $134.99 – 5 Stars
Spytail Black Ginger Flavored Rum
Brilliant, deep mahogany color. The nose is filled with the scents of sweet Rum, cola, and brown baking spices, along with a generous dose of candied ginger and hints of tropical fruits. On the palate this flavored Rum becomes decidedly more angular with sharp spice and ginger notes and a strong medicinal flavors that overwhelms. Medium-bodied with compartmentalized and competing flavors. $22.99 – 2.5 Stars
