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André Petit Les Quatre Années de Berneuil

Recommended 83 /100

see 13 reviews

Cognac age
Special
Growth area
Bons Bois
Bottle size
700ml
ABV
44.3%
Grape Varieties
Ugni Blanc

Valentin A.

Reviews written: 6 (see reviews)

Average Score given: 71

Review Overview: Best & Most rated, All Reviewers & Reviews

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Interesting Bons Bois

72 /100

Colour: Old gold, orange lights. Irregular medium tears.

Nose: Earthy and musky notes at first. A tad on citruses too. Quite heady. Ample nutty scents on roasted hazelnuts and dry walnut. A few caramel sweets/toffee smell in the background.

Mouth: Very sweet texture. Still on walnuts but surrounded by heavy salted butter caramel notes. Nice bitter chocolate aftertaste. Cooked fruits aftertaste on plums and figs. Hints of candied orange too.

Last Notes: Cooked vegetables and herbs scents now. Caramelized carrots, leek cream, and fennel. A tad of rancioted notes on overripe orchards and rotten peach. Hints of wood scents, mainly on varnished wood. A little freshness with mint leaves smells. Back on the palate, you find caramelized plum notes melted to spiced aromas on white pepper and caraway. Strong caramel sweets aftertaste underlined by a little touch of acidity on tangerine juice.

Not too bad. Maybe it could be better with a tad more balance. A bit like the VT L’Essentiel, a little too much wood influence in my humble opinion.

Flavour

Wood 5/10

Spice 5/10

Fruit 5/10

Flower 2/10

Bottle / Package Design 3/5

Where is the Love? Ordinary Nice Beautiful A sight to be seen!

Value for Money 1/5

Overpriced Low Average Bargain Steal

Tasting

Nose

What aromas do you get when you sniff the Cognac? Do you get hints of fruits or flowers - perhaps it's sweet? Is it intense or rather flat - and most importantly, is the nose coherent to taste and finish? The nose is the most important part when tasting Cognac.

18/25

True to category
Array of smells
Intensity of smells
Balance of smells
Presence of ethanol

Mouth

A small sip: Allow your taste buds in the various areas of your mouth to distinguish the different flavours. This part of cognac tasting is described as ‘the palate’. Don’t just swallow it down; allow the liquid to touch all the regions of the mouth. Doing this is necessary as the taste buds pick up contrasting flavours in the different areas of the mouth; on the tip of your tongue to the sides, for example. Take a tiny sip to prep your palate for the sensory experience to come. Take a second larger sip, and gently roll the cognac around, etting it come into contact with every corner of your mouth. Focus on the perceived textural sensations. Are the sensations round and rich or fresh and elegant? Is the overall mouthfeel intense, balanced, disjointed, or lacking presence? In short, how does the cognac feel in your mouth?

15/20

1st impression
Body
Texture
Alcohol level

Taste

Quite simply, what do you taste as you gently roll the cognac around in your mouth? Pay close attention to any flavors of fruits, flowers, oak, and spices - or a complex combination of those elements. Are the flavors cohesive with the Nose and the Mouth, giving a sense of balance and complexity?

17/25

True to category
Complexity of tastes
Distinctiveness of tastes
Intensity of tastes
Balance of tastes

Finish

The ‘finish’ is the experience you get after you’ve swallowed the cognac. What flavours can you detect? Is it a flat or rough finish and rather sharp, or is it a slight 'punch' you like? How long does the finish last? Also think about overall balance: How does the finish compare to nose and taste?

14/20

Flavours
Length
Power / “Smooth”
Balance

Overall Impression

Consider the Nose, Mouth, Taste, and Finish simultaneously - the cognac as a whole. Is there cohesion between the four categories, or does the cognac shine in some areas and appear dull in others? Quite simply, is the memory from the tasting experience one that will last your lifetime; is the memory good but nothing extraordinary; or is the cognac’s impact entirely forgettable?

8/10

Total: 72/100

  • 80-84: Recommended
  • 85-89: Highly Recommended
  • 90-95: Exceptional
  • 96-100: Superlative
Flat Acceptable Fine Excellent Ethereal Thin & weak Disjointed Balanced Exquisite Bland Ordinary Good Excellent Spectacular Non-existent, or rough Acceptable Good Memorable Endless Uninspiring, or rough Ordinary Good Excellent Memorable
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