Chateau du Breuil, Calvados VSOP & Cognac Park Cognac VS, 40%

I do like miniatures.

The opportunity to explore new categories of spirits with contrasting styles at reasonable prices.

Doing an WSET L2 in Spirits course a while ago widened my horizons to the tasty delights of Brandy – under which Calvados & Cognac both reside.

Calvados – made from apples – & Cognac – from grapes – adhere to French rules & regulations relating to how, where & what they are distilled from.

Picking these up in the Celtic Whiskey Shop allows me to compare the two differing spirits.

Chateau du Breuil, Calvados VSOP, 40%

Quite a distinctive bottle on this one!

Exhibits a shade lighter pale brown than the cognac. Fresh, fruity dry cider nose with caramelly undertones. Clean & crisp on the palate. The barrel ageing is evident with some tannic spiciness & a decent warmth.

A pleasantly refreshing little number.

Cognac Park, Cognac VS, 40%

Presented in an elegant elongate bottle.

A deeper, richer caramelly nose presents itself. The palate has a rounder feel, redolent with fruity warmth flowing into a surprising tangy, lip-smacking spicy finish.

Nice

Thoughts

I like the cidery start to the Calvados – & the spicy finish of the Cognac.

Both of these brandies show the diversity of the category.

It’s a category I enjoy exploring.

Sláinte

Distiller article on Calvados here.

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The Rums Available At Lidl Germany Blew My Mind!

Trying to find out more about Lidl’s Captain Cook’s Rum I came across the Lidl.de website.

The depth & variety of rums offered blew my mind!

A selection of 71 products left me reeling!

Captain Cook himself had a couple of barrel aged rums presented at 46%,

Along with a 12 Year Old Signature Rum.

The wonderful Ron Pelicano – branded as Ron Bengalo in Germany – had their entire portfolio.

Diplimatico rum also appears to have been rebranded as Botucal Rum.

Familiar names such as Plantation, El Dorado, Zacapa, Havana & Bacardi also featured.

A stunning 30 Year Old Ron Centenario was a little above my self imposed €50 limit,

But I could have change with their 20 Year Old – along with 2 tumblers!

Simply a treasure trove of rum to drool over.

Oh to be a Lidl shopper in Germany!

Sláinte

Visit lidl.de website here.

All images courtesy lidl.de

Website was accessed March 2023

Tesco Napoleon Brandy, 3 Years Old, 36%

Why did I buy Tesco Napoleon Brandy?

A number of reasons.

To begin with it was there, on the shelf, in my local store, and in a 350ml bottle too, making it both accessible & affordable – increasingly important factors in the current economic climate.

Further, my St Remy VSOP Brandy, initially purchased for an WSET course back in 2019, was nearing it’s end. I found the brandy world shared – like whiskey – a set of rules & regulations governing it’s production – as well as a long history – plus barrel ageing too & I enjoyed the drinking experience, encouraging me to explore more.

Tesco Napoleon appeared a shade darker than my St Remy, suggestive of extra caramel, a permissible added ingredient for the category – just like whiskey.

Quite a shy nose – not very aromatic for me – soft sweet winey elements are all I got.

Smooth, soft mouthfeel, easy on the palate.

Dark notes of burnt caramel & a tingling warmth surfaced on the finish giving Tesco Napoleon a bit of a lift.

Lacked any hints of oakiness I enjoyed with St Remy.

After sampling Tesco Napoleon I read the label – Mellow And Smooth Taste – it says.

A very accurate appraisal of what I found.

Sláinte

Read my study method for the WSET exam here.

For an interesting read on ingredients in brandy see cognacreverie.com blog here.

WSET website here.

St Remy VSOP review here.

The Crafty Brewing Co, Cognac Barrel Stout, 6.5%

Whiskey can come in a number of growing ‘finishies‘ these days.

So can beer.

This one is a first for me – cognac barrel finished stout.

Pours a bit lively – but settles down into a rich & sweet style.

Fairly light on the palate, hints of coffee, slight burnt notes & suggestions of sweet fruity cognac.

An entertaining brew!

Sláinte

All images authors own.

Killarney 8 Year Old, Imperial Stout Barrel Aged Irish Whiskey, 46% & Killarney Whiskey Cask Aged Imperial Stout, 9.6%

In advance of their €24 million combined whiskey distillery & brewery coming on stream, Killarney Distilling Co have released this limited edition duo.

Killarney Whiskey & Stout c/othewhiskeynut

Comprising of an 8 year old blended whiskey finished in their own Imperial Stout casks – as well as the Imperial Stout finished in whiskey casks – they make for an exclusive pairing.

Aged in Stout c/othewhiskeynut

The 8yo wasn’t giving much away. Quite soft & shy on the nose.

More powerful on the palate. Subtle sweet grain mixed with wholesome malt augmented by the undertones of barrel finishing.

A rather lively & fresh finish rounded this agreeable blend off.

Aged in Whiskey c/othewhiskeynut

The Imperial Stout had a richness & depth from the whiskey barrels – but I found the carbonation a tad too lively – which distracted my palate from the complexity within.

Leaving it to sit for a while brought out a creaminess – adding to the enjoyment.

A worthy pair to kick start the exciting journey Killarney Distilling Co are embarking on!

Sláinte

Dunnes Simply Better, Barrel Aged Feta Cheese.

Browsing the cheese aisle in my local Dunnes Stores a feta cheese caught my eye.

Barrel Aged Feta c/othewhiskeynut

‘Barrel Aged’ it stated.

What barrels & for how long?

Turns out beechwood for a minimum of 60 days.

Beech Barrels c/othewhiskeynut

I couldn’t discern any wood influence – but enjoying the feta brought me back to lazy beachside days in Greece tucking into a wholesome & fresh feta cheese salad after the previous nights entertainment.

It’s not just whiskey that’s barrel aged!

Sláinte