De Marsy Cognac X.O.

I'm not a big fan of cognac, and this one doesn't overpower you with intense grape notes like most others. It's smoother around the edges, yet sophisticated. It clearly adopts more characteristics from the oak barrel, which is understandable given the 'X.O.' designation. The oak elements make it more appealing to me as a whiskey enthusiast. It's certainly worth the price for an X.O., especially if you plan to use it in cocktails, but it's also refined enough to drink neat. It does taste like a fine cognac diluted to 80 proof, and its thinness contrasts with a full body. It's definitely a subdued version of what you might expect, but that suits me fine. As mentioned, the oak comes through, which is why I'm a fan. There's no information available about this cognac, so it was a risky purchase. It was definitely worth buying. It's a bit too easy to drink!