Cognac Paul Giraud Napoleon

Nose: Peach, pear and a heavier background note of prune juice. There is also a sweet fragrant nutty aroma, some mild orange notes and honey - but it's lighter than "honey" might suggest - more like honeysuckle. A hint of elderflower and chamomile as well as it opens. A very pleasant and compelling nose. Palate: The arrival is sedate and dry rather than sweet, but not too dry. As the development unfolds the palate quickly gains sweetness with a little cidery fruitiness and white-grape tones, but it never veers into a simple grapey-sugar character. There is also a touch of spice and aromatic wood from the casks and together these elements create excellent balance that leans ever so slightly towards a dry character. A neutral and warming texture. Finish: Medium. Lightly semi-sweet and fruity with good length and a lingering fruity-wood aftertaste. Although marketed as a "Napoleon" this expression contains components that are up to 15 years old. This is a 100% Grand Champagne expression which is unblended and uncoloured and presents a very focused picture of the house character. It may well be drier than expected on first encounter, however there is a better than even chance that by the end of a tasting you'll start to think that many other cognacs are overly sweet in comparison. The official notes here summarize this one very well. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)