Nardini Aquavite di Vinaccia Bianca Grappa
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are wonderfully floral and complex intertwining fresh flowers with dried flowers, hints of tea and honey add accents with subtle notes of earth. Rich, dense, and viscous with flavors of citrus, jasmine tea, blanched almonds, wild flower honey, and loads of savory herbs that become bitter in all the right ways on the finish. Full-bodied with layers of intense flavors (aided by the higher proof) and a silky, viscous core that is kept clean with a generous splash of acidity. $53 – 4.5 Stars
Christian Drouin Réserve des Fiefs Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with the vibrant scents of ripe and baked apples, with hints of fermenting skins, wild flowers, stone fruits, and mineral. The palate is in full agreement with the nose adding fresh, rich apple juice notes with accents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of earth and oak. Medium-bodied with a well-proportioned palate and lingering apple and spice notes. $69.99 – 4 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage 1996 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are rich and dense with scents of wild honey, baked apples, caramel, red fruits, almonds, brown baking spices, and dried fruits (fruitcake like). The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering waves of fruit ranging from plum, red berries, apricot, and of course apple with hints of honeycomb, nutmeg, and oak. Medium to full-bodied with intense waves of fruit and spice while maintaining a very pleasing balance. $163.99 – 4 Stars
Christian Drouin Blanche de Normande Eau-de-Vie-de-Cidre
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. Incredibly fresh with ripe, crisp apple and pear, sweet fresh press juice, and hints of citrus. The palate carries the nose being decidedly sweeter allowing it to fill the mouth with ripe apple and pear flavors and to linger on for minutes. Medium-bodied with rich fruit and crisp acidity that keeps it perfectly balanced. $48.99 – 4.5 Stars
E&J VSOP Superior Reserve American Brandy
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is incredibly fragrant with the scents of baked apples and dried red cherries supported by a generous dose of brown baking spices, oak, fruitcake, and vanilla bean. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a warming fruit-driven core with loads of flanking brown spices, oak, and a sweet cola nut note rising on the finish. Medium to full-bodied with layers of fruit and spice in perfect balance. $12.99 – 4 Stars
Pierre Croizet VS Cognac
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is incredibly floral with waves of ripe and baked orchard fruits, wild honey, pale caramel, roasted almonds, vanilla bean, and orange peel. The palate echoes the nose delivering waves of fruit beautifully intertwined with spice, caramel, and wild flowers that linger for minutes and finishes with hints of nutmeg and allspice. Medium-bodied with perfect balance flawlessly marrying mature wood-aged notes with vibrant youthful Cognac notes. $31.99 – 4 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are complex and pure with scents of toasted grain, caramel, vanilla bean, cigar box, smoky hardwood charcoal notes, nutmeg, and cigar box. The palate is full agreement with the nose offering a silky and zesty marriage of fruit, caramel, pepper, and brown baking spices with a silky blast that coats the palate and lingers for minutes. Medium-bodied and not as dense or assertive as many Bourbons, which is interesting as it's bottled over-proof without showing a hint of being hot. $54 – 4.5 Stars
Christian Drouin VSOP Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are full and rich opening with baked apples supported by loads of brown spices with hints of candied ginger, cinnamon, honey comb, cocoa nibs, dried autumn leaves, and white pepper. The palate agrees with rich and drier notes rising to meet the fruit-driven core with flanking notes of mineral, salinity, and rich wine cask accents. Medium to full-bodied offering great density – being assertive while delicate with long, trailing fruit and spice notes. $84.99 – 4.5 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage 1993 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with the scents of honey, wild flowers, figs, caramel, and layers of fruit with toffee, apricot, pecan, and brown butter. The palate fully agrees with the nose delivering rich layers of brown butter and baked apple with loads of honey, assertive brown baking spices, and soft oak accents. Medium-bodied with perfect balance and a building warmth from the freshly toasted clove, cinnamon, and allspice. $191.99 – 4 Stars
Christian Drouin Pommeau de Normandie
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aroma of freshly baked apples fills the nose with supporting notes of brown butter, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and subtle caramel accents. The palate echoes the nose offering a very vibrant but rich, fruit-driven core with generous butter toffee and soft brown baking spice notes. Medium-bodied and very sprite with the open bottle being in grave danger of being exhausted in one sitting. $34.99 – 4.5 Stars
