Best Brandy/Cognac?

[Crazy Dave]

From VS to XO I prefer Remy Martin.

Dave

 

[Bayamontate]

Prunier 20 yr.
Davidoff Extra 16
Gualtier Pinar del Rio
Hine

 

[bythbook]

I've enjoyed various Germain-Robin varietal brandies... excellent California brandy.

 

[professorchaos]

Best? I'd be hard pressed to say there is a best. Delmain and Hine can be pretty damn good. As others have noted, Armagnac is great stuff.

 

[richmondesi]

Hennessy XO

 

[BigRich]

I'm a huge fan of Germain-Robin on this side of the pond and Pierre Ferrand from the other side.

 

[Mazeman]

I usually have Remy Martin VSOP.

The XO is a bit better, but not worth the price increment IMHO.

 

[dcampen]

I bought a bottle of the Germain-Robin Select Barrel XO Brandy and tasted it last night. I rate it in my top 2 along with Hine Antique Cognac and far superior to any VSOP Cognac that I have tasted. I think that I like the Hine Antique a bit more, will have to have another tasting. They are both in about the same price range - $125 for the Germain-Robin XO and $150 for the Hine Antique.

 

[GarageBoy]

As a scotch drinker, I found the few times I've had Martell VS, it was like sipping gasoline. Are VSOPs are up any better?

 

[Luc]

As a scotch drinker, I found the few times I've had Martell VS, it was like sipping gasoline. Are VSOPs are up any better?

I think VSOP are better yes but I'm unable to appreciate Martell. I prefer Courvoisier or Hennessy. Also, I am not a scotch drinker, I prefer Whisky.

 

[ratcheer]

Also, I am not a scotch drinker, I prefer Whisky.

Good one!

Tim

 

[bythbook]

I bought a bottle of the Germain-Robin Select Barrel XO Brandy and tasted it last night. I rate it in my top 2 along with Hine Antique Cognac and far superior to any VSOP Cognac that I have tasted. I think that I like the Hine Antique a bit more, will have to have another tasting. They are both in about the same price range - $125 for the Germain-Robin XO and $150 for the Hine Antique.

sounds delicious - I have lower order G-R and a Hine VSOP (if I recall correctly)... I enjoy both!

 

[The Knize]

As a scotch drinker, I found the few times I've had Martell VS, it was like sipping gasoline. Are VSOPs are up any better?

I read somewhere in some article by some writer, who may have been someone fairly well known and respected, like say Michael Jackon, in some spirits/whisky/whiskey porn rag, that a decent cognac put into a blind tasting of single malt Scotches, will "win" the tasting everytime, and would in no instance be recognized as not being Scotch. I always wondered whether that was said just for effect as hyperbolie, or was actually based upon some kind of experience. (Not that this would show that Cognac tastes inherently better than good Scotch. But in a blind tasting it might come across as exceptionally smooth, or something like that.)

<Also, I am not a scotch drinker, I prefer Whisky.>

Are saying that you prefer distilled malt beverages that conform to the standards of the Scotch Whisky Order of 1990 and the Scotch Whisky Act 1988, you just do not like, of whatever reasons, such spirits to be referred to as "Scotch"? Or are you saying that you live in Scotland, where they do not refer to Scotch whisky as "Scotch," but simply as "whisky"? Or, as I understand it, this is what have read and is not based on personal experience--although I have certainly drunk Scotch whisky, blended and single malt in Scotland--you are saying that you live in Scotland, and you prefer blended Scotch whisky, apparently locally generally referred to as "whisky" over single and vatted malt, which are apparently most often referred to as "malt"? <g>

 

[Luc]

I read somewhere in some article by some writer, who may have been someone fairly well known and respected, like say Michael Jackon, in some spirits/whisky/whiskey porn rag, that a decent cognac put into a blind tasting of single malt Scotches, will "win" the tasting everytime, and would in no instance be recognized as not being Scotch. I always wondered whether that was said just for effect as hyperbolie, or was actually based upon some kind of experience. (Not that this would show that Cognac tastes inherently better than good Scotch. But in a blind tasting it might come across as exceptionally smooth, or something like that.)

<Also, I am not a scotch drinker, I prefer Whisky.>

Are saying that you prefer distilled malt beverages that conform to the standards of the Scotch Whisky Order of 1990 and the Scotch Whisky Act 1988, you just do not like, of whatever reasons, such spirits to be referred to as "Scotch"? Or are you saying that you live in Scotland, where they do not refer to Scotch whisky as "Scotch," but simply as "whisky"? Or, as I understand it, this is what have read and is not based on personal experience--although I have certainly drunk Scotch whisky, blended and single malt in Scotland--you are saying that you live in Scotland, and you prefer blended Scotch whisky, apparently locally generally referred to as "whisky" over single and vatted malt, which are apparently most often referred to as "malt"? <g>

I'm willing to try other things in the 'Scotch', 'Scotch-Whisky' category. All I'm saying is that I tried a few 'Scotch' and 'Scotch-Whisky' and didn't like the aftertaste. I did try good brands such as Adberg (10yo) and Johnny Walker Blue label. There was another one, a 12yo but I forgot the name. Jameson (I'm going Irish now), 18yo is a major step from Jameson 12yo. Those were ok to not so ok.

I love Canadian Whisky (I know, many dislike them). I like sipping my Canadian Club 21yo.

Am I a Scotch drinker? Don't think so as I don't like the after taste of any Scotch I tried. But, that's just me...

As for Cognac, I'm surprised about the fact as Cognac is very different than Scotch...