A. de Fussigny XO Fine Champagne Cognac

It has a very rich, woody aroma with a dark cherry scent. The palate is surprisingly herbal and less sweet than anticipated, with a strong woodiness, cocoa powder, and a redder, riper cherry flavor than expected. A good amount of anise and some violet stand out, along with a bit of mint. It's quite spicy, but not harsh. The long finish has plenty of cocoa with a hint of mint and some lingering cherry notes. It's thoroughly enjoyable and decently complex. A big success. It's packed with flavor but it isn't as smooth, subtle, or quite as sweet as another mentioned brand. I prefer that other brand, but not by a tremendous margin. This is definitely a 17 and might be as high as a 19, but it's probably not a 20. I think I'll settle on 18 for now. Side by side, the other brand is a bit better, but I do love the variety of flavor here and suspect it tastes even more complex with a fuller glass. Sadly, I only had about 7ml of a sample that had evaporated from 30ml down to 21ml. Damn, it's really good though. Maybe I'll bump it to a 19. I think it deserves a 19.

Nose: cherry, plum, dried grape, apple, mint, chocolate, sweet oak, cinnamon, allspice, toffee, sweet vanilla, leather, almond, orange zest, earthiness, with a mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste: cherry, dried grape, apple tartness, orange zest, spearmint, cocoa, sweet oak, toffee, leather, creamy vanilla, walnut, almond, cinnamon, allspice, clove, black pepper, ginger, with a mild alcohol bite. The finish is long, with mint, baking spice, chocolate, and dried fruit flavors. This cognac is deep and rich, offering a pleasant long finish. It's considerably better than their Sélection offering. Despite a touch of sourness on the palate and a somewhat thin mouthfeel, this is a very nice spirit to sip. My thanks to a friend for the sample.

The aroma is superb, featuring caramelized peaches, dark dried fruits, and subtle cinnamon. The taste is very good, with syrupy and honey notes. However, the finish is somewhat lacking for me; it could be smoother and occasionally has a slight bitterness.

Incredible! Extremely smooth and multifaceted. Flavors unfold in layers: candied nuts, caramel, butterscotch, figs, dates, and more. I intended it for my barrel-aged Vieux Carré, but it excels as a standalone sipper.

Incredible value for the cost! I would definitely choose two bottles of this XO over one bottle of Hennessy XO!!!

Absolutely delightful and reasonably priced compared to many other XO cognacs available.