Catoctin Creek BIB 1757 Brandy XO

I mostly drink whisky, so my notes on a brandy will be influenced by that. Smell: Sugary like candy, perhaps cotton candy. A whiff of oxidized notes from the barrel aging. Little hint of the fruit that will come later. Taste: Juicy red fruits, like cherries, currants, and sweetened cranberries. A bit of grape jam in the middle. Strong oak influence, but no wood bitterness. Full-bodied and rounded mouth-feel. Cinnamon and mild pepper spice. Sweet, but less so than the smell suggested. End: Fairly long. Fades from the fruit to leave a spicy tingling sensation. A slight smoky or charred note that was hinted at in the taste becomes more prominent in the finish. Overall: Surprisingly easy to drink for 100 proof. The burn from the alcohol is more like spice, so it just enhances the overall flavor profile. This brandy really grew on me and it's worth buying a bottle, if you see it and can spend $90 on your curiosity. It's been a while since I had the standard 1757, which is good, but this bottle made a bigger impression on me than it did- as expected. Note: The listing for this brandy says it's 10 years old, but, according to the producer, it's 7.