Brandy Banter

I will approach this more later and a bit more 'scientifically' but I am getting something more/different from the Spiegelau Digestive glass than I get from the Spiegelau whisky snifter. I wouldn't compare/contrast to find out which one is better. I am sure I might come to a conclusion of which glass I prefer when drinking armagnac, but this is (at the moment) more about how I am getting different sensations from a new glass. I can tell you I sense something different, right away, on the nose. I cannot really describe it, but to use some abstract/vague words, I would use 'bright' and 'fresh', while maintaining richness. When I use the whisky snifter I would use of 'dark' and 'deep' along with richness. It's quite unique how the shape of a glass can change things. Of course, it could also be my nose and brain beginning to appreciate and comprehend what I am getting from armagnac, but I cannot dismiss the change of the shape of the glass having some impact.

According to some reviewers , the juice is good but, the label is eye catching. Does the label give a sense of what to expect?

GO ‘STROS !!!

Tomorrow night's Brandy Tasting... from L-R: an Austrian Apricot Brandy, a Chilean Pisco, a French Cognac, an Italian Grappa, and a Spanish Brandy...

The Barcelona Blonde: a Brandy & Eggnog Cocktail based on the Parisian Blonde (Jamaican white rum, Cointreau, and Heavy Cream, garnished with freshly grated nutmeg).

In this case it's 1.5oz each of Torres 10 year-old, Cointreau, and Nielson Eggnog, garnished with freshly grated nutmeg.

The last of the 1986 World Cup of Soccer Team Cocktails (that I have recipes for, at least): Team France... Calvados, Cointreau, Passion Fruit Juice, and Champagne...

And here's the original recipe... Note the recipe says to use a champagne glass but shows it in a coupe (and coupes were historically used for champagne, but by '86 most people had switched to flute or tulip glasses). Consistency between the text and the photos was a very consistent problem with all of these recipes...

Sidecar with Torres 10 year-old Spanish Brandy instead of Cognac...

A nice change from Whisky:

Dark ripe fruits, pipe tobacco, sweet oak, minty cough syrup, warming, Chohiba smoke. Rich full mouth feel, and lingering fading finish.

I should have posted these recent purchases a while ago. I am not sure exactly what it is about the Baco grape what I find appealing, but I have found myself enjoying Armagnac made with 100% Baco. That is why I have purchased more bottles of Domaines Rieston and Monturon. I will post the photo of the bottles followed by photos of the information card.

My previous post of another Bottle from Domaine de Monturon is a 2004 vintage, while the new ones are of 2003.

Information card

More Armagnac

Information card

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This last photo of Chateau de Laubade was purchased more out of curiosity and a way to explore outside of Darroze Armagnac.

Do any of you gentlemen or ladies have any first-hand experience with any excellent wood-aged cherry brandies or peach brandies? I have had excellent pear brandy, excellent apple brandy/Calvados, and excellent plum brandy/Slivovitz, but I have no experience of cherry brandy or peach brandy.

Along with cherry and peach I'd love to see a first-rate brandy made from my favourite fruit, the honey mango. One day, I hope.

It's the best day of the year...and in celebration I give you Armagnac de Montal 1999/2018, a 19 year-old Bas Armagnac. While it hasn't been aged as long as we've been married, it was distilled the year we were married...

Barrel-aging a 10 cocktail batch of Amaro-etti Biscotti cocktails, which uses brandy as the primary spirit. In this case, it's DeValcourt Napoleon.

Brandy Alexander - 1.5oz brandy, 1oz Creme de Cacao, 1oz cream - but made with Kahlua and Eggnog...