Calvados Coquerel XO (40%, OB, 2016)

• Category: Calvados
• Origin: Domaine du Coquerel
• Bottling: Official
• ABV: 40%
• Cost: €38 from Domaine du Coquerel Cave

What they say

Coquerel XO

Coquerel XO results from the blend of Calvados aged between 6 to 10 years offering many rich aromas to this Calvados. Aging in old oak barrels gives it an optimal maturity. A natural elegance for a decidedly tasteful product.

Official Tasting notes:

• Aspect: Subtly aged gold with sparkling ambered glints
• Nose: Lovely attack on the palate with notes of candied apple and hazelnuts evolving towards lemon, dark chocolate and caramel aromas
• Mouthfeel: Round and fruity at first, letting the subtilities of this eau de vie develop themselves afterwards

Serving

To be served pure or try in a Galahad cocktail

Tasting advice by our cellar master.

Coquerel XO results from the blend of eau de vie aged of a minimum of 6 years that I selected in order for them to be in perfect balance between visual elegance and aromatic richness.

What I say

Originally sampled during our visit to Domaine du Coquerel alongside their Fine (2-3yo), VSOP (4-6yo) this expression XO (8-12yo), Marquis de la Pomme 15 ans (15yo) and 1956 vintage (bottled 2014, 58yo). From the lineup as an everyday drinker I really favoured the multi-award winning XO expression and was delighted when our gracious host Pierre Martin Neuhaus gifted me with a bottle at the end of our visit.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Dark golden brown (15/20), medium tears with long fine legs
• Nose: Apple and oak sweetness, juicy red apples, a hint of cinnamon spice, creamy vanilla custard, some sweet caramel, a little ketone, like dried fruits, tannic oak wood, a touch of root ginger and some florality, blossom-like with hints of range, peach, citrus and sherbet
• Taste: The palate starts with a light fresh apple juice then develops into a more baked or stewed apple rich sweetness, woody oak sugars and tannins, nutty hazelnuts and hints of dark cocoa powder, praline, orange oil and dried peel, slightly citric, some eucalyptus, green leaves and floral rose, sandalwood and caramel.
• Finish: Long, herbal and vanilla oak wood, sweet, hints of eucalyptus oil and spiced cinnamon dusted over a baked apple pie.

Overall

A wonderful well-rounded example that displays a perfect balance between the fruity apple and tannic oak wood influences, the age displays throughout with hints of pure or essential oils like orange and eucalyptus, delivered quite crystalline or clarified on the palate.

Score 87/100

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