Hennessy XO Cognac

Rating: 20/23 I saved this for a special event, but by the time it arrived, my enthusiasm had waned. Today felt appropriate, so I finally opened it. Nose: Exceptionally rich, fruity, and sweet. I detect cherries, prunes, a hint of tangerine, something akin to candy or caramel, and some mature yet robust woodiness with a touch of spice and mustiness. Quite pleasant. Palate: Rich and sweet. The aged woodiness provides a superb foundation, preventing the fruit from becoming overwhelming and highlighting the overall balance and maturity. Sweet fruit bursts through with a rich cherry sweetness that is surprisingly full and complex, featuring a floral and light vanilla character leading to a touch of prune. A slight tangerine zest is present, with a faint minerality appearing at times, adding to the complexity. The complexity is very nice, although it occasionally tastes a bit muddled, and the lower alcohol content diminishes its richness. There's more cherry flavor here than in A De Fussigny XO. It's also possibly less harsh with more citrus and less pronounced woodiness. Their complexities and fullness are similar, though this may have better balance, and if forced to choose between complexity and fullness, I'd likely favor the Hennessy. Neither immediately stands out as definitively better, however. This one does have a more distinct Hennessy character with its sweet, floral fruitiness. In terms of style, if this is like Aberlour 12, A De Fussigny is more like Scallywag. I also compared this to Delord 25, but they were too dissimilar for a detailed comparison. The Delord has stronger wood notes, but this offers comparable fullness through its fruit and is also more balanced. Finish: That mellowed, mature, musty wood lingers for a considerable time, along with a subtle floral fruitiness. It's a solid finish, though not exceptional. - Conclusion - This is a very fine brandy. The flavors are all exceptionally well-crafted with appropriate complexity, and nothing is overly sweet. The fruit occasionally teeters on the edge of being too sweet, but never crosses that line. This is undoubtedly worth at least a 17, and likely higher. It's probably not as high as a 22, though. I'm thinking in the 18-21 range. A 19 seemed most probable initially, but a 20 or 21 is definitely possible now. I'll settle on a 20 for now. Overall, this is very good, and for $150, I feel I received good value. However, I can sometimes find A De Fussigny XO on sale for $90, which represents clearly better value. This might be the best brandy I've had so far, or at least one of them.

Likely not great unless it's XO quality. This one brings to mind my early experiences with BOURBON, which I found surprisingly smooth and subtle. For a moment, I thought it was grape juice, then I considered panna cotta, and flan. It's not bad given its simplicity and smoothness. However, it lacks the layered complexity of scotch I used to enjoy sipping. More direct than embarking on a grand journey to discover your preference. Definitely not intense enough to evoke a sensual experience.

NOSE: Predominant aromas include rich blood orange zest and deep burnt caramel. Vanilla is present. Smells like leather polish. Very well-balanced and quite inviting. No harshness. TASTE: Begins sweet with caramel, shifting to cinnamon and candied ginger, then to dark orange chocolate. Enjoyable. Again, no harshness on the palate. The texture could be slightly thicker and more viscous considering its age. SUMMARY: Good aroma and taste, but I found the Camus XO nose more potent and captivating.

Appearance: Clear, deep mahogany. Aroma: Clean, moderate intensity, with notes of orange oil, apple skin, baked cherry, fig, coconut, licorice, clove, nutmeg, vanilla bean, fresh leather, sweet tobacco, sawdust, hazelnut, and a very aged character. Taste: Dry, warming alcohol, full-bodied, with a spice lift mid-palate, reminiscent of cinnamon roll and toffee, leading to a long finish. Outstanding quality due to its balance, oak integration, complexity of character, and smooth, long finish.

A dark and rich color, resembling an old penny... The aroma presents, well, candied grapes, cinnamon, and dark, aged wood, along with fresh navel oranges. It has a soft, smooth mouthfeel with complex flavors. I detect subtle, sweet grapes plus cinnamon, nutmeg, new leather, and some citrus. The finish is brief. The flavors are mellow and harmonize exceptionally well.

Tasted neat with a friend, but credits go to my father. On the nose, it smells sweet, fruity, and delightful with notes of plums, figs, dried cranberries, raisins, brown sugar, and crème brûlée. On the palate, it’s exceptionally smooth and mirrors the nose's aromas but adds dark cherries and red grapes. Absolutely delightful.