Frapin Cigar Blend Grande Champagne Cognac

Nose: Nectarine, honey, blossoms, red grapes, red apple, and unfortunately, a faint hint of paint thinner. Palate: Vanilla, red wine, cinnamon candy, oak, a touch of citrus, and a bit of butterscotch. The mouthfeel is thin and watery. Finish: Earthy and floral, honey, cherry syrup, oak, cinnamon, some warmth, red grapes, and a lingering tannic bitterness. My limited experience with cognac leaves me exploring, but this was a letdown. Given its single estate origin, minimum 20 years in French oak, higher cost, and the claim of pairing well with cigars, expectations were high. Instead, it has a thin mouthfeel, a faint aroma, and the finish leans toward cough syrup rather than pleasant wine and honey notes. The finish is long, but not in a good way. Regarding cigar pairings, I smoke a cigar almost daily, possess around 300, and tried this 3-4 times with them. It never produced a special or memorable effect for me. It falls far short of even an average bourbon pairing, and even further from Sherry and Port pairings I've experienced with cigars. It might be my palate, my preferred cigars (which are darker and at least medium strength), but this is disappointing. The oaky bitterness and thin texture do not complement a darker cigar. It might work better with a lighter smoke, but I only considered that while writing this, and it wasn't an appealing prospect for me – I'm not sure I would have bothered. However, for those who regularly enjoy a Connecticut, this might be worth trying. ____________ I invite you to join an unofficial community on Discord. We discuss spirits and other topics in real time, offering each other recommendations, deal alerts, and general enjoyment of the journey. (If the link is no longer valid, please leave a comment, and I will provide a new one.)

A fruity and floral nose with vanilla, rancio, smoldering tobacco, figs, raisins, and barrel spices on the semi-sweet, silky palate. A slight bitter note in the lingering finish is not to my liking; it intensifies with each sip. Otherwise, a truly delightful Cognac.