Old Pours for a New Year - Part 1
Kicking off a new series where I say, "so long" to 2020 and usher in 2021 with a lot of brandy older than myself. If I've squirreled away accordingly, this should take me right up to my birthday in March.
Jean-Luc Pasquet - L. 73 Andre - Petit Champagne - 51.4%
Pasquet "L'Esprit de Famille" focuses on older parcels of cognac, paying respect to the independent producers who crafted them. The story of Andre from cognac-expert.com:
Mr. André Bertandeau was deported to Buchenwald during the Second World War. Spending 2 years in a concentration camp before being freed by Russians, his experience has resonated with many people in the region, who will never forget this great man's powerful story. A war hero who was awarded the French Medal of Honor in 2016, Bertandeau was known as a winegrower with a big heart. When André Bertandeau passed away, the entirety of his estate (along with his eaux-de-vie) was auctioned and the proceeds given to Action against Hunger and Doctors without Borders.
Nose: Tropical fruit and wax. Mango. Pineapple. Wow. Strawberry hard candy. Background wood spices. Vanilla. It'll just keep unfolding. Cherries now. Something meaty back there.
Flavor: Tropical fruit. Wax. Florals. Clynelish-y. Honey. Peach. Apples. Caramel. Strawberry Laffy Taffy. Orange marmalade. Touch of menthol. Black pepper. Oak.
Structure: Slow. Confident. Rolling. Strong, bold movements that never lose their grip.
Alcohol Integration: It probably handles water well. But I drank the whole bottle without adding any. It's really dialed in.
Score: 9 (Stash Two) This one's special. Friends weren't always as in love with it as I was - it's intense - but there was never any doubt something exciting was happening in the glass.
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Right there with my wedding day bottle - Jean-Luc Pasquet - Tres Vieille Reserve - 2019 - 44%
Rating System
10 - Reevaluate The Budget
9 - Stash Two (If Able)
8 - Stash One (At The Right Price)
7 - Highly Recommend It To Strangers
6 - Solid - Above Average
5 - Acceptable For The Situation
4 - Not Vocally Complaining
3 - Anything Else To Drink?
2 - Nothing Nice To Say
1 - Drain Pour