Torres 10 Grand Reserva Brandy

Rating: 13/23 N: Sweet and rich with fruit (cherry and raisin), caramel, and a bit of sharpness. It smells quite full, but not terribly complex with a few rough edges that keep it from really being balanced. I might get a whiff of confectioner's sugar. P: Just a tad harsh. There's spice and sugar with a slightly artificial caramel. I get the raisin and cherry from the nose, but despite being sugary, this tastes thinner and younger than I'd expected. I get a little bit of a confectioner's sugar flavor, but it doesn't come with that chalky, mouth-coating texture. Pierre Ferrand Double Cask tastes more complex, but the youthful notes are similar in both. This is actually richer and fuller because of it's mild syrupiness, but there's less wood to provide maturity. F: The caramel lingers for a while, alongside a hint of burnt sugar and some vague raisin notes. - Conclusion - Between this and Pierre Ferrand Double Cask, I'd say that the Pierre Ferrand is definitely the winner by somewhere in the range of 2 to 4 points (a vague range, unfortunately, because I haven't rated the Pierre Ferrand yet either). A De Fussigny XO is substantially better than either this or the Pierre Ferrand. I have it up around a 20. Working backward, I can't see this being better than a 15. The Pierre Ferrand is solid as a sipper, whereas this is more tolerable as one (but probably quite good as a mixer). I think a low estimate for this one is a 12. I think it's going to come down to a 13 or 14. I just don't think it's enjoyable enough to sip. Going cross-category briefly here, I have Wild Turkey 101 down as my quintessential 14. I don't find this quite as sippable as the Wild Turkey. It's pretty close though. As a mixer, this seems to be priced pretty well and packs the flavor needed to stand out. For sipping neat, it's about as good as it gets for the price, but I'd pay up for something better. I don't think I'd go very far out of my way to find a bottle of this for mixing over something else in the price range. Continuing to contemplate this, I think I need to go with a 13, unfortunately.

I've reviewed Torres 15, Torres 5, and now this. This tastes like Torres 15 and Torres 5. It feels a bit more full-bodied and has less alcohol flavor than Torres 5. I think it's a bit less full-bodied and has less alcohol flavor than Torres 15, but it's been a while since I had that so it's hard to know for sure. One way or another, these are all basically the same brandy. The aroma has chocolate, burnt toast, raspberries, and grapes. It's dark and warm and cozy. The flavor is nice chocolate-covered raspberries. It's also dark and warm and cozy. All of what I have said here could apply to Torres 5, 10, or 15. It is not super complex but it is super enjoyable. It's a nice drink for feeling cozy on a cold night. I rated Torres 15 as 3.75 stars and Torres 5 as 3.5 stars and so I didn't leave myself any room for this in between. I'm putting 3.75 because I feel like I can notice that it is better than Torres 5, but that may just be because I have a bottle of Torres 5 on hand and I can compare them directly. Maybe if I try Torres 15 again later I'll notice that that is better than this and I'll have to bump Torres 15 to 4.0 Who knows. In any case, deciding between them is really just a matter of how much you're willing to pay for less generic grape-spirit and alcohol and more deep dark chocolate and raspberries. It's kind of like do you want to pay the extra $3 a pound to get your clams or mussels or whatever already shucked; they're still mussels, only more so. This bottle cost $17 and is worth it. To be honest I think it is at least as satisfying as some French brandies/cognacs that cost significantly more. I would buy again.

Nose: Sweet aged raisins, Spanish paprika, old caramel, Christmas cake/fruit cake/panettone, mixed ground peppercorns (white, red, black), wine soaked herbs (sage, thyme), sherry soaked oak, anise and fresh celery, grape concentrate syrup, sweet sherry, steak spice (salt, garlic, dried herbs), medium dark chocolate, a hint of dark cocoa powder, dried fruits (dried figs, prunes, dates), coffee liqueur, Coca Cola, a note reminiscent of a fruity drink at a pool beside the beach Palate: Raisins in a fig reduction, slightly spicy oak, slightly bitter dark chocolate, sour red grape skins, old caramel, green paprika, candy covered chocolate (smarties), a hint of espresso, ripe plums Finish: Figs, some old slightly bitter caramel, oak tannins, ripe pear and plum, coffee liqueur, red liquorice, raisins

The aroma of brandy is intense and bright, with warm tones of spices, cinnamon and vanilla. The rounded and rich taste of brandy turns into a long, harmonious and aromatic aftertaste. Brandy can be consumed as an independent drink as a digestif in its pure form, and in the form of cocktails. It is perfectly combined with fine meat dishes and strong custard coffee. (From official sources). Aging of alcohols for 10 years. It tastes a little harsh. I expected it to be softer. The fortress is felt.

Цвет коричневый, с бордовым отливом. В аромате чернослив, изюм, сухофрукты, тёмный шоколад, винные нотыдревесные оттенки. Вкус очень сладкий, черносливно-шоколадный, с очень сладким шоколадно-сухофруктовым послевкусием, спирт немного колючий, несмотря на пониженную крепость. 74/100

Очень неплохой бренди. Желтенький чуть спиртуозен, сладковат, немного бочки и орехов. Звезд с небес не хватает, но достоин внимания. Если есть 15 летний по разумной цене +5$, он лучше.