Fremont Mischief Urban Foraged Apple Brandy

Score: 18/23 Nose: Not as sweet as anticipated. I detect richness alongside some sweetness, but a strong presence of apple peel and a few spices. Palate: Packed with flavor, yet surprisingly aggressive. It stings the mouth considerably. The apple taste is present and pleasant, but not exceptionally dominant. I perceive numerous spicy tannins accompanied by wood notes. There's also a sweet, fruity sherry character. The overall richness is quite good, and the complexity is solid. The rather significant harshness is unquestionably the main drawback. It offers more richness and a fuller fermented taste than St. George Apple Brandy, but less spice. This is somewhat comparable to Garrison Brothers, much like St. George is to Eagle Rare or Russell's Reserve 10. Finish: That rich, tannic, tawny fruity bitterness, tartness, and sweetness leave a lasting impression. It's enjoyable. The complexity remains reasonably present, and the pure pleasure really carries through. It might be a touch too sweet still, but it's not a significant issue. It certainly doesn't seem very aged, but it is tasty. - Summary - It turns out this is finished in port casks, so the sherry-like flavor makes some sense. I'm likely looking at a score between 17 and 19. I might lower it to a 16 if the harshness becomes too much. This strongly resembles a very good standard grape brandy, leaning towards the higher end. When tasted alongside, Torres 10 falls far short in quality compared to this, establishing this as a top-tier brandy. Its sheer richness and maturity far surpass Torres. This exhibits significantly less of that artificial caramel taste, and the palate is much richer and fuller. It actually begins to evoke Kavalan Solist Port. While this doesn't possess the same flavor concentration as the Kavalan, it stands above most other options. It shares that same fruity sweetness and spicy, woody richness. St. George Apple Brandy (2019) lacks the fullness and richness. It's spicier and brighter. If this is Kavalan Solist Port, then St. George is akin to a pleasant Eastern Highland Scotch. Considering robust flavors, another clear comparison is Delord 25. Delord is considerably drier with much more prominent wood influence. Delord's woodiness offers endless depth and a very nice layer of spices. The contrast, given Delord's lack of fruit, is striking. The sweetness here definitely enhances the fullness, but Delord is equally rich and certainly deeper upon closer examination. This has more of a bourbon-like character. Given how much older Delord 25 already tastes, it's certainly not necessary to bring out Delord 1981 for comparison. Alright, I have one more obvious comparison to make. A De Fussigny XO is fruitier and more complex than Delord 25, but it's also younger with less of that pleasant woodiness. Therefore, I'd place it between Delord 25 and Mischief Apple. Mischief's sweetness still greatly boosts its fullness. It's genuinely difficult to describe how full this brandy is. A De Fussigny XO displays greater complexity and maturity (though clearly less maturity than Delord 25). This is all quite subjective because the styles are so different (and they are made from different fruits), but I would rate Delord 25 and A De Fussigny XO at least one point higher than Mischief, though it's hard to imagine it being less than 2 points higher. Okay, so there's one final obvious comparison I can make. For anyone wondering about the mouse, it has returned. I absolutely need to compare this with Kavalan Solist Port. In terms of fullness, the Kavalan completely overshadows this. I could savor the Kavalan for days; on a 5-point fullness scale, it's an 11. The maturity also seems much more substantial in the Kavalan, comparable to the A De Fussigny XO level (not quite the Delord 25 level). Of course, Kavalan is a malt whisky, making it an even bigger leap for comparison than apple brandy versus grape brandy. A De Fussigny XO tastes somewhat grapey and fresh when compared to the Kavalan. Surprisingly, I detect more of that port fruitiness in the Mischief than in the Kavalan. Delord 25 doesn't deliver enough impact to hold its own against the Kavalan (though the proof difference is also very significant. It's actually somewhat like the Kavalan sits between the Delord and the Mischief regarding fruity richness and woodiness. Ultimately, the Kavalan, Delord, and A De Fussigny are superior to this by a considerable margin, yet this remains a great brandy.

Note: This is a review from deep in the archives that I forgot to upload previously. Rating: 18/23. The nose is fruity with a really nice tawny port aroma. There's a slight industrial note on the nose, but it's otherwise quite pleasant. The palate isn't as sweet as anticipated, but the fruity port flavor quickly appears, imparting an herbal fruity richness. Notes of cherry and orange are present, along with plenty of apple. It's surprisingly rich and not overwhelmed by minerals. I appreciate the dryness combined with the apple sweetness. This is rich and tasty without being overpowering in any direction. It turns out it's aged in port barrels!