Christian Brothers VS Brandy

Honestly, it seems more like a bourbon than a brandy. I detect vanilla, brown sugar, maple, and oak, and there's a hint of bubble gum on the nose, though not so much on the palate. It's best used as a budget-friendly mixer, but it's tolerable neat for my taste. It's also surprisingly smooth given its cost. In my location during this review, a 375ml bottle costs about $5-6, a 750ml is $11, and 1.75L bottles go for around $24-25.

This is my initial experience with brandy, consumed neat. The aroma is reminiscent of alcoholic fruit juice, vanilla, and a touch of maple. The taste, to me, evokes wine with vanilla and brown sugar, finishing with maple; it's quite smooth and slick. While I'm not typically a wine drinker, I'm finding it increasingly enjoyable with each sip. It's simple, perhaps with too much ethanol, but it's not bad for $19.99 a 1.75 litre bottle.

Okay, I won't criticize this, but I also won't praise it. I will say that for cooking, mixing with eggnog, or making cocktails, this is the bottle to grab. That's because you can justify using a $15 brandy without feeling bad about wasting a $25+ calvados or brandy. So...drinking it neat: no. Mixing it: yes.

For the cost, Paul Masson is my first choice. Christian Brothers "VS" can be consumed. I'm not one for mixed drinks, but if you take it properly, there's no harshness, like most spirits in my experience. The aroma is sweet, yet uncomplicated, it goes down quite easily with suggestions of bourbon. If your funds are limited and Paul Masson is unavailable, this is an acceptable option.

While not the finest brandy globally, it suffices for a Wisconsin Old Fashioned. Prepared with Cointreau and a zesty cherry, it's rather delightful. I may sample it with a superior brandy in the future, but it's not too shabby!

Considering what it costs, this is a decent budget spirit. It's superior to much of the competition. It drinks like whiskey and is quite smooth. Pass on this if you're well-off; get it if you're not.