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Prulho XO Fregate Cognac
Recommended 81 /100
- Cognac age
- XO
- Growth area
- Blend
- Bottle size
- 700ml
- ABV
- 40%
Taylor C.
Reviews written: 41 (see reviews)
Average Score given: 86
Review Overview: Best & Most rated, All Reviewers & Reviews
Bio:
French wine, and the concept of terroir, captured my interest early on. Naturally, curiosity took me to spirits, in particular Cognac. Today I'm proud to be a member of the Cognac Expert team managing B2B projects, working on Cognac Expert Originals, and writing bottle reviews for the English Blog. I love to taste anything and everything - rum/rhum, whisky(ey), Armagnac, etc. - but no other spirit grabs my attention quite like Cognac, and all of its subtleties and nuance. Santé !
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Prulho XO Fregate
Recommended 81 /100
Nose: Dipping my nose into the glass I’m greeted by a Cognac that smells reasonaly rich. I smell creamy milk chocolate, caramel, hazelnut spread (finer quality than Nutella of course), and buttery pastries. As mentioned above, the aroma notes are rich but very mellow and easy-going. I do also pick up the tiniest note of sweet citrus underneath everything. If this sweet citrus shows up on the palate, I have to believe it will contribute freshness to the Cognac, which would indeed be a good thing.
So this is a pretty agreeable nose. It’s easy to get along with and seems to offer zero challenge to the taster. Some of the more refined spicy oak notes are absent, which diminish the overall complexity, but let’s not forget that this is an XO Cognac and should smell like one. And this does a wonderful job at that!
Palate: Creamy. Well-behaved. Round. There is no spice whatsoever, and the chocolate, caramel and nuttiness sets in on the palate as suggested by the nose. On the midpalate to the finish there is a fine fresh streak lurking that does wonders for this Cognac. Without it, the Cognac could risk feeling a tad one-dimensional, dark, and heavy. But thankfully that’s not the case here. I cannot say if this fresh streak is the sweet citrus I smelled, but whatever it is, it’s present and working well with this Cognac.
There is an underlying sweetness that contributes to the overall rich feel to the Cognac. At the same time, the mouthfeel is relatively fine and gentle on the palate. Sure, this is not a model of complexity, but it tastes really quite good, and offers the taster an idea of what a classic XO Cognac should taste like. Just getting started in Cognac? This could very well be the one to pull you into the rabbit hole. Be careful.
Finish: The finish is short to medium. The flavors stick around for a minimal amount of time before leaving and forcing me to take another sniff and sip - something I won’t disagree with. Ideally, I'd have liked to see a touch more persistence and grip, but I must remember that this XO must be evaluated relative to other XO Cognacs. And when doing so, the finish is just fine. I often find that short to medium finishes enhance the experience for folks who are new to Cognac or for people who prioritize drinkability in their spirits. This is highly drinkable Cognac.
Tags
Flavour
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.
20/25
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.
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?
16/20
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?
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?
21/25
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?
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?
16/20
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?
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
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?
Total: 81/100
- 80-84: Recommended
- 85-89: Highly Recommended
- 90-95: Exceptional
- 96-100: Superlative