Which Brandy or Cognac?

[macaroni]

My wife likes brandy and cognac--Torres 10 year brandy and 20 year Prunier. We've done taste tests together and she nails these flavors among several varieties each time. Likes 'em the most.

I read some here like Costco liquors. I wonder how those stack up with these above two kinds?

Or what brandy and/or cognac are preferred? By You, Friends/Family?
kindly,
mike


ps--I've mentioned elsewhere I'm liking Paddy's (and most rye whiskeys -- and Laphroaig if its single malt--tastes like siphoning gasoline to me--or a big hit of Latakia ) .... or what I remember from hash 40 years ago LOL). I don't like brandy and don't appreciate cognac, taste is weird!

 

[DangerStranger]

Sounds like she'll be happy with the Costco XO and you'll be happy with the Costco Islay.

 

[ofafeather]

I don't like brandy and don't appreciate cognac, taste is weird!

What got me into bourbon was some Spanish solera aged brandy. Lepanto is the brand. Really good stuff. Not the same as whiskey but much more similar than some of the other brandies I’ve had.

 

[OzPiper]

Spanish brandies can taste quite different to cognac.

Difference in grapes, geography or climat (as the French call it, encompassing soil type(s) and climate/microclimate) and elevage (ageing). Not necessarily better or worse, just different.

Spanish brandies are mostly aged in casks previously used to hold sherry. If the cask has been used for sweet PX (Pedro Ximenes), it will sweeten the final brandy. On the other hand, ageing in a Fino cask will give a dry brandy.

Gonzales Byass, incidentally Spain's largest sherry producer, has 3 brandies in their Lepanto series. All 3 are made with the same base brandy, but matured either in Fino, Oloroso or PX casks. If you can get your hands on all 3 iterations, it will make for a most interesting and informative tasting.

 

[shanez]

Differences between Cognac and Spanish brandies aside, if she likes the Torres 10 and Prunier 20 she should like the Costco XO Cognac quite well. It's much better than the Torres but not as good as the Prunier. You can also buy about 3 bottles of the Costco for the price of 1 bottle of Prunier 20.

The Lepanto PX is quite nice but not worth the price, IMO. It's not very complex, has (just) a bit of bite, and is a little too sweet. It's still very good, just not worth the price vs much of what else is available.

 

[bassbug]

Spanish brandies can taste quite different to cognac.

Every brandy wants to be a cognac

Nothing wrong with either, they're just different. I like my brandy less refined than cognac so Stock 84 is my go to. For cognac, it's a toss up, Courvoisier VSOP or Remy Martin.

 

[sisyphus]

Marquis De Caussade Armagnac

 

[sallow]

I only use Korbel brandy in my Milwaukee old fashioneds.

 

[daveinlax]

I only use Korbel brandy in my Milwaukee old fashioneds.

We also love Korbel in our brandy old fashioned sweet.

 

[SmokeClouds]

I am not familiar with the Costco brandy or whisky. However, other Spanish brandies of high quality would be: El Maestro Sierra, Bodegas Tradicion and Fernando de Castilla.
As for Cognac: Dudognon, Jean Fillioux and Paul Giraud.
These products might be a little hard to find, depending on where you live, but all are family owned business and the quality is very high.

 

[SmokeClouds]

Spanish brandies can taste quite different to cognac.

Difference in grapes, geography or climat (as the French call it, encompassing soil type(s) and climate/microclimate) and elevage (ageing). Not necessarily better or worse, just different.

Spanish brandies are mostly aged in casks previously used to hold sherry. If the cask has been used for sweet PX (Pedro Ximenes), it will sweeten the final brandy. On the other hand, ageing in a Fino cask will give a dry brandy.

Gonzales Byass, incidentally Spain's largest sherry producer, has 3 brandies in their Lepanto series. All 3 are made with the same base brandy, but matured either in Fino, Oloroso or PX casks. If you can get your hands on all 3 iterations, it will make for a most interesting and informative tasting.

Gonzales Byass’ Lepanto is distinctive in the sense that it is the most not Brandy de Jerez produced with grape distillate of their own production. Double distilled in pot stills on site.
The other Brandy the Jerez producers buy their unaged grape brandies and mature them in their own casks and cellars.
Just different production methods, not necessarily a standard of quality.

 

[ben88]

 

[SmokeClouds]

Gonzales Byass’ Lepanto is distinctive in the sense that it is the most not Brandy de Jerez produced with grape distillate of their own production. Double distilled in pot stills on site.
The other Brandy the Jerez producers buy their unaged grape brandies and mature them in their own casks and cellars.
Just different production methods, not necessarily a standard of quality.

…the only Brandy de Jerez produced…
Autocorrect gone wild!

 

[OzPiper]

Spanish brandies of high quality would be: El Maestro Sierra, Bodegas Tradicion and Fernando de Castilla.

El Maestro Sierra, Bodegas Tradicion and Fernando de Castilla are small, traditional sherry bodegas which just happen to be 3 of my favourite sherry producers

 

[SmokeClouds]

El Maestro Sierra, Bodegas Tradicion and Fernando de Castilla are small, traditional sherry bodegas which just happen to be 3 of my favourite sherry producers

I totally agree, OzPiper. EMS produces the best old oloroso, in my opinion. BT and FC have exceptional palo cortados, a class of their own.
Beautiful bodegas as well.

 

[OzPiper]

I totally agree, OzPiper. EMS produces the best old oloroso, in my opinion. BT and FC have exceptional palo cortados, a class of their own.
Beautiful bodegas as well.

@SmokeClouds
You know your sherry. So pleased to see another sherry lover here. The EMS PX is also wonderful.

Sadly sherry is seen by so many as a tipple of a bygone era. While good sherry is not cheap, they are great value when you consider the age and complexity of some of the best bottles available, compared with Bordeaux and Burgundy.

 

[SmokeClouds]

@SmokeClouds
You know your sherry. So pleased to see another sherry lover here. The EMS PX is also wonderful.

Sadly sherry is seen by so many as a tipple of a bygone era. While good sherry is not cheap, they are great value when you consider the age and complexity of some of the best bottles available, compared with Bordeaux and Burgundy.

True words. Under appreciated as a category, unfortunately, these days. Unique wines with rich history.
For full disclosure, I worked as a wine professional for many years and helped represent the category in NYC.

 

[tschiraldi]

I like Couvasier.

 

[OzPiper]

True words. Under appreciated as a category, unfortunately, these days. Unique wines with rich history.
For full disclosure, I worked as a wine professional for many years and helped represent the category in NYC.

Ah, that explains your depth of knowledge, especially of those 3 small but excellent bodegas.
I'm strictly an amateur, but have been interested in wine since my university days in the early '70s. Sherry happens to be one of my quirky likes.

 

[SmokeClouds]

Ah, that explains your depth of knowledge, especially of those 3 small but excellent bodegas.
I'm strictly an amateur, but have been interested in wine since my university days in the early '70s. Sherry happens to be one of my quirky likes.

Wine and tobacco share many similarities. Importance of place of origin, manipulation of the crop, blending, maturation. I find it to be very fascinating.
Another excellent producer is Cayetano del Pino. Palo Cortado specialist. His wines are bottled and sold by Bodegas Lustau. Worthwhile to look for.