welcome to the fifty best spirits of 2005

 

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Wine Enthusiast Magazine
50 Best Spirits of 2005

Page 1  - COGNAC, ARMAGNAC & GRAPPA

Cognac Toulouse-Lautrec X.O.
Grande Champagne Cognac
(France; C.C. Spirits, Lakeville, MA)
40% abv,  $85.  9095
SUPERB / Highly Recommended
Smells of light caramel, candied walnuts, baked apple, honey and vanilla. The palate entry is medium-weight, sweet, honeyed and a touch buttery; the midpalate stage is round, sweet like dried red fruit, and pleasantly oaky. Ends up clean, toffee-like and smooth.

Hine Triomphe      

Hine Triomphe
Grande Champagne Cognac
(France; Todhunter Imports, Inc., W. Palm Beach, FL)
40% abv,  $200.  9095
SUPERB / Highly Recommended
A lovely opening bouquet of tropical fruit; following further aeration, the bouquet becomes deeper as the oak enters the equation along with honey and beeswax. The palate entry is sweet with overtones of marzipan and light caramel; at midpalate the taste profile highlights the oaky vanilla and honey elements. Concludes gracefully, integrated and semisweet.

 

Chabot
Armagnac
Vintage 1944
(France; Five Star Importers, Plainview, NY)
40% abv,  $870.  96100
CLASSIC / Highest Recommendation
Initial sniffings discover earthy/woodsy scents of maple syrup, pine nuts and forest floor; aeration reveals traces of hard cheese (rancio), oak resin, butter, grapes and sautéed almonds. Palate entry is rich, sweet and caramel-like; at midpalate the sweetness narrows, allowing bittersweet cocoa, oloroso Sherry, grapes and dark caramel to enter the mix. Finishes cocoa-like and plummy.

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Château de Laubade
1945
Bas Armagnac
(France; Baron François, New York, NY)
40% abv,  $400.  9095
SUPERB / Highly Recommended
The bouquet offers scents of thyme, tarmac and pepper. The palate entry is luscious and bittersweet; the midpalate stage is chock full of nougat, honey and dark chocolate tastes. Concludes sweet, medium-bodied, sherried and honeyed. A true pleasure.

Château du Tariquet
1982
Bas Armagnac
(France; various U.S. importers)
47% abv,  $80.  9095
SUPERB / Highly Recommended
The bouquet has scents of old leather, mince pie, prunes, meringue as well as mesmerizing odors of baked peach cobbler, melting beeswax, and vanilla cake frosting. The palate entry is full-bodied, maple-like, and sweet; traces of gum, confectioners’ sugar, and honey are added at midpalate. Concludes balanced and gently sweet. Impeccably elegant.

   

Busnel Hors d’Age
12-Years-Old Pays d’Auge Calvados
(France; Pernod Ricard USA, White Plains, NY)
40% abv,  $50.  9095
SUPERB / Highly Recommended
Opening nosings offer concentrated oak, paraffin/melted candle and baked apple; bouquet expands incrementally as raisiny/pruny/dried red fruit and cocoa override the wood and wax aromas. Palate entry is long, properly oily and full-bodied; the flavor profile turns raisiny, chocolaty and coffee-like, with just a hint of seared pork sausage. Finishes long, fat, buttery and fruity.

Alexander Platinum
Aqua di Vita
Grappa
(Italy; Palm Bay Imports, Boca Raton, FL)
60% abv,  $47.  9095
SUPERB / Highly Recommended
Aroma at the pour is concentrated and grapey; following aeration the bouquet turns intensely pumice-like yet clean and fresh. Palate entry is pleasingly spirity, grapey and acidic; at midpalate the ripeness of the pumice emerges as the taste turns sweeter and marshmallow or cotton candy-like. Finishes cleanly, sweet and grapey.

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Bortolo Nardini Mandorla
Almond Flavored Grappa
(Italy; Winebow, New York, NY)
50% abv,  $50./Liter  9095
SUPERB / Highly Recommended
First whiffs pick up scents of almonds, marshmallows and honey; later sniffings detect aromas that accent and isolate the almond element. Palate entry is medium-bodied in weight and moderately sweet, nutty and toasty in taste; at midpalate a moderately fiery flash of spirit makes an impression. Ends up zesty, nutty, mildly sweet and clean.

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