Friday 6 September 2013

Chabot XO


Spirit Type:

Score:


87/100
2, medal, silver icon

ABV:
40%
Region:
Armagnac, France  
Body:
Full 
Intensity:
Medium-high (dense and blunt, bot piercing)
Texture:
Medium-oily
Balance:
Heavenly 
Best served:
Neat
Theme(s):
Floral, fruit (plum, lychee), compote, honey, blunt oak, old moscato, shiraz, chocolate, butter creaminess
In a nutshell:
A bouquet of flowers develops with plum, lychee and chocolate layered with old red wine as blunt oak moves to the palate and moderates the fresh plum and plum compote that shines with a drizzle of honey and a finish of fine moscato and a buttery creaminess 
Likes:
Drinkable and very smooth 
Dislikes:
Tasted:
On further tastings a surge of sweetness unsettles the balance
10/06/2013, 11/06/2013, 12/06/2013, 06/19/2013
Price:
$110

Chabot XO is a perfect example of a full bodied Armagnac that delivers a beautifully balanced character of fruit, nuts and spicy bitter oak.

Nose 

As though a bouquet of flowers sits in the glass, the nose presents with the perfume of freshly cut flowers. It is beautiful, almost like admiring flowers in the florist because the fragrance is accompanied by petals and push green. As the brandy rests, the aroma of blood plums and lychee develops with crushed almonds and cashews. There is a subtle sweetness that is in no way overpowering, as the blunt oak moderates the fruit and old muscato wine that is drizzled over chocolate fudge. The wine is of excellent quality, old and dry with some sweetness. This is excellent stuff!

Taste 

The punch of blunt oak hits the palate with notes of vanilla and dark chocolate, as the plum remains supple and fresh with notes of sugary honey and some hints of mint. The fresh plum becomes plum compote as the brandy rests on the tongue but just as the syrupy sweetness develops it is washed away by spicy oak and an earthy nuttiness that brings a full bodied old red wine, very similar to a shiraz/syrah.

This brandy has a beautiful character that is impeccably balanced.

Finish 

The character of an old moscato lingers, with its dryness balancing beautifully against the sweetness of the grape. The finish is creamy, and almost buttery. 

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