John G.

Verfasste Rezensionen 14 (see reviews)

Durchschnittlich vergebener Wert: 78

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Biographie:

Regular contributor to Malt Review. WSET Spirits Level 2 Enthusiastic about all spirits but for vodka. Whisky is my 1st love but I'm currently enjoying my affair with rum, brandy and Mezcal.

More Caribbean Expeditions please

75 /100

Color: mahogany

On the nose: I get sharp but light, coherent and tart aromas of browning bananas, pears, red berries and cherries. Behind them are dry and lighter aromas of leather, dried dates, cacao, cantaloupe melon, orange peel and molasses.

In the mouth: Also sharp and tart but the notes are more expressive. I taste mild and muddled notes of cherries, dried dates, red berries, dried apricots, cantaloupe melons, goji berries, red grape skins, toffee, caramel, caramelized orange peel oil and cacao.

Conclusion: Because there’s no mention of this being their Borderies VSOP, I compared my tasting notes on this to their VSOP Elegance. This Caribbean Expedition is a VSOP since it was aged for 4 years in Cognac before being sent to Barbados.

There are consistent notes, which I think comes from the distillate, such as leather, cantaloupes, toffee, caramel and dried apricots. Yes, the Caribbean Expedition cognac has more aging to it. But I don’t think an extra year of aging alone results in this. Which leads me to think and agree that aging in a tropical climate does wonders. There’s so much more variety and a bit more intense flavor in this Caribbean Expedition.

I hope Camus does this more often. I also hope that other Cognac houses follow suit. Because this can be another trend that’s been not as explored. The only issue I see is that I know there’s a rule in the Cognac AOC that says something like any further aging of Cognac outside of the region can’t be counted on the age expression. Let’s say a VSOP (4 year old minimum) was aged for an extra 6 years outside of Cognac can’t be called an XO. As the XO designation required cognac to be at least 10 years old. So drinkers who only look at age statements may not be drawn to this style.

On a personal note, I’m glad that I live in an era where I’m able to pay attention to the different experimentations being done in the spirits industry. I used to think that using different types of wood was the pinnacle of spirits production. But I’m glad to be so wrong. Now there’s more talk and execution of longer fermentation, using different yeasts and aging in different climates.

Yes, as whisky folk, we learned early on in getting into whisk(e)y that whiskey in Kentucky ages faster than whisky in Scotland because it’s hotter in Kentucky. But few of us get to taste a country’s spirit being aged in a different country. The few I think of are the Heaven Hill bourbon aged in Scotland which were bottled by Cadenheads. There’s the centuries old practice of Caribbean rum being aged in Europe. Now, I’m glad to be able to try a cognac that’s been partially aged in the tropics