Haha! You got me there! The general rule is 1 second for ever year the spirit is aged. Given that the average age of this spirit is 15 -20 years, it deserves a minimum of 10-15 seconds in the palate to fully appreciate the complexity. Take a look at my "how to drink Cognac" video if you are interested in learning more. Cheers
@@MaxsCognacReview I would be interested to see you make a video sampling the Remy Martin Louis XIII. I understand the cost of a bottle is over $3K. I love the XO. I guess I will never have the pleasure of sample the Louis XIII.
At the end of the day Martell is the best. Hennessy is close behind with an incredibly smooth, well rounded, dried fruit, spiced cognac. Remy XO is not the smoothest, but it packs the greatest punch being a Fine Champagne Cognac. It has tremendous flavor and character. It depends what you’re in the mood for, but you certainly cannot go wrong with Martell XO for any occasion. Cheers!
It sounds like it might not be worth it for you. You might enjoy a more affordable lesser known cognac house of equal or superior quality to Remy. That being said if you have the money Remy is certainly worth exploring. Cheers
Hey Ross, thanks for checking out the review. Hennessy is definitely smoother... but Remy XO is a Fine Champagne (most desirable region) Cognac and packs a bigger punch of flavor. It truly depends on the mood. For an entry level Cognac I would go with the Hennessy. If I was lightning up a cigar I’d go with the Remy! Cheers
Cuttykev 70 hey Kev thanks for checking out the review! It’s cone-yak but I do pronounce it closer to coneeyak at times. One thing for sure, the G is silent! Just like in “champagne”. Cheers
This was quite informative. At first when I saw the stuffed alligator head I was like “eh, I don’t know about this guy” however I must say you know your stuff. Thanks.
Hey max, any cigars you’d recommend with this offering from remy? Just got a box of 10 montecristo No 2s.... maybe I’ll pick up a bottle of this remy xo to pair🤔
Ben Kahsay hey Ben, I am fairly green when it comes to cigars... both literally and figuratively. I recently quit smoking cannabis so I will be exploring the cigar world in the foreseeable future. If the decision is against ya Hennessy or Martell... I’d go with the Remy for a cigar paring. It has a strong pronounced flavor that will hold up to any cigar. Cheers !
Max's Cognac Review haha awesome! Ive only gotten into cigars the last couple years as well. But I do still smoke cannabis (backwoods only) on the rare occasion since its legal and very easy to obtain in my state.
Ben Kahsay My favorite cigar/blunt paring to date is the cask strength (60%) non chill filtered Daniel Bouju “Brut de Fut” I had to order it from mastersofmalt.com but it was worth the wait. I would certainly recommend looking out for the cask strength non-chill filtered cognacs when it comes to paring with a smoke. Thanks again for supporting my reviews. Cheers
It's interesting you are using a glencairn instead of a brandy snifter. Would you explain the difference of nose, mouth, and finish given the same cognac?
Hey George, thanks for checking got my review! Starting with taste, 90% of it come from the nose. That being said, the purpose of the glen cairn is to allow for a clean, nuanced nose with the least amount alcohol. Although the snifter is typically associated with brandy, cellar masters/blenders never use them. Tulip shaped copitas are the go to for Whiskey and Cognac masters alike. They allow you to get a better smell and sense for the spirit you are tasting. I do touch on these points in my “how to drink cognac” video. I recommend giving it a glance. In the description is a link to Richard Patterson’s AKA the “Nose” take on nosing and tasting. His nose is insured for over a million dollars! Cheers 🥂
One thing I noticed about the bottle is that the design resembles the legs from good cognac inside the glass when you are drinking it. Almost as if it was designed to look just like the legs. Cheers Max
Kevin Stillwell Hey Kevin, I never made the correlation before, but you are right. It looks just like the spider legs coming down the glass. Thanks for pointing that out. Cheers 🥂
Finally someone who can appreciate my one and only hard alcohol (unless of course I get a hold of some Louis XIII) "95 out of a 100"; virtually saying only the Remy Martin Louis XIII can eclipse it.
Hey Sector, great question! I am a big fan of 1738 for the value, but if money is no object I'd have to go with the Remy XO. I find the XO to be more delicate, distinct, and memorable than 1738. Cheers!
joseph saims Hey Joseph, I appreciate the kind words. That’s a good question. It depends on your preference. Remy Martin XO has more pronounced flavors and higher quality eau de vie (strictly fine Champagne) but is not aged as long as Hennessys XO. If you’re looking for intense flavor, something to pair with a cigar maybe I’d pick the Remy. However, If you prefer a smoother, more well rounded delicate Cognac the Hennessy XO is your best bet. I hope this helps. Cheers 🥂
Hey Del thanks for checking out the review. Martell is my favorite House out of the big four (Remy, Courvoisier, Henny, Martell). I'd def go for the Martell Xo or Cordon Blue. They are smoother and more refined. Cheers
Thanks for that I love martell xo my favioute choice but I've always looked at the Remmy thinking shall i buy a bottle to add to collection and try but i think you might of helped me with that choice.
He is coming soon Very soon It would be an honor! I’ve always wanted to try Louis but it’s just out of my price budget. Haha. You fortunate to be able to acquire a bottle! You will have to let me know what you think of it in the very least! Cheers 🥂
Hey Donny, thanks for checking out the review. Remy is up there but there certainly are many other contenders. My favorite XO out of the Big top 4 Cognac houses is Martells XO. Absolutely phenomenal. Another lesser known Cognac that packs a big punch is Frapin. The distill their Cognacs on the lees (with the dead yeast cells) which provides a richness and flavor rarely found in other Cognacs. I will be making a video soon of my top 3 favorites and different price points. Cheers
Thanks for the reply. I am looking at either the Martell XO or the Cordon Bleu for my next purchase. If you had someone new to congac do a blind test, not knowing which was which. What do you think they would prefer if they were offered a glass of each?
CHRIS DETERMAN well for one, the small region of Cognac is the only region in the world where cognac can be produced. That limits the available supply. Brandy and Cognac although similar and can be one and the same, are deeply divided. Cognac dominates the market and Brandy’s in general are considered to be in a different category all together. The world of whiskey is vast and typically drinkers enjoy many styles from scotch to bourbon to Japanese... that a theory anyway.... Cognac is gaining popularity especially in Asia. I read that If 18% of China drank 1 bottle of Cognac the entire world supply of Cognac would be gone. Cheers
Also, Scotch is made from distilling water that had some plants steeped in it; Cognac is made from distilling wine. Even cheap wine is a few dollars per liter, and it takes several liters of wine to make a liter of Cognac. Water is nearly free per liter, depending on how you source it.
Manny Santacruz Thank you! I appreciate the support! It’s served best neat at room temp. If you put it on ice you will mute some of the subtle Delicate flavors the XO has to offer. Heating it will exaggerate the alcohol. If you’ve just opened the bottle giving the glass time to open (5min) up would be ideal. I hope you enjoy! Cheers
My first Cognac experience was Louis Tres last week. I bought a glass for $180.00. After tasting it I find it hard to try anything else. Have you had it? How does it compare?
Hey Jason, congratulations on your Louis experience! I can understand your frustration. I recently tried Hardy Perfection 140 year and encountered the same problem. I have three amazing and questionably equal to superior quality Cognacs for you! 1. Martell Cordon Bleu $150+ Incredibly well rounded black and blue fruits with pleasant floral bouquets think violets/lavender. Boarderies region 2. Hardy Noces D’or $350+ Liquid gold! Sublime refreshing tropical fruit. 3.Delamain R. Famille $500 + Single barrel 60 year old cognac. Rich creamy buttery oak, leather, and fig.
170 euros of perfection! This is the current price in my hometown. Great price for a great product! The best alcoholic drink ever! The most beautiful bottle ever! Remy Martin XO and Martell XO are my favorite cognacs! *** By the way, your videos are the best on this topic! Thank you!
