When I was at the incredibly immature age of 21, I think a shot or two of Courvoisier VS snuck in to the middle of the lineup of a massive list of booze downed at a notoriously shady bar one night.
The motivation to try Courvoisier was "The Ladies Man" - SNL skit turned feature film.
The motivation to try Courvoisier was "The Ladies Man" - SNL skit turned feature film.
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| It's the All American Classic |
So here I am, studying to be a Certified Specialist of Spirits, and I've never really experienced brandy. Brandy is even the main reason that I'm going for the CSS. As a CSW planning on becoming a CWE I should probably know something about the spirit made from wine, right?
What the hell is wrong with me? I should probably try this shit! In, like, a sober state of mind or whatever!
So I bought two nips:
Hartley's VS Brandy - $0.89 retail
Courvoisier VS Cognac - $4.25 retail
The first thing I noticed when I poured them is the color. Courvoisier is darker and just looks much more appealing. From just standing above the glasses on the counter, the air hovering above the Hartley glass is pure ethanol while the Courvoisier has me convinced I spilled vanilla extract somewhere.
I knew where this was going from the time I decided to do this experiment and it's already going that way.
Hartley is from Italy and made by Sazerac, apparently. It smells exactly like cheap cooking Sherry and an apple slice that's been left out too long and has gone brown. So it pretty much smells like oxidation. The flavor isn't all that bad but it's kind of obvious from the sweetness that there might be some flavoring in that coloring agent they use.
Courvoisier is from France. Aduh. The volatile alcohol is less harsh. The nose has aroma of vanilla, toffee and banana bread. The palate is pretty spicy at the beginning and on the finish, but there's a moment there in the middle where that disappears and it coats your tongue in a nice mellow silkiness. The oak attributes here are clearly real. It's still pretty rough, which leads me to imagine the appeal of Courvoisier's next tier must be that it's smoother.
WINNER: COURVOISIER VS COGNAC
I know the VS is the basic level for Courvoisier Cognac and it isn't the best Cognac out there. I'm no idiot. Alright, maybe I am but stay with me here... The Courvoisier is the clear winner between these two as everybody should have guessed. It's got more character. More authentic character as well.
I don't think there's anything wrong with the Hartley. I mean, it's supposed to be cheap garbage and that's exactly what it is. I bet it's actually world's better than other shit brandies now and throughout history. But it just got its ass whooped in this matchup.
This was fun. I think Distill Wars might become a recurring thing. :)
The first thing I noticed when I poured them is the color. Courvoisier is darker and just looks much more appealing. From just standing above the glasses on the counter, the air hovering above the Hartley glass is pure ethanol while the Courvoisier has me convinced I spilled vanilla extract somewhere.
I knew where this was going from the time I decided to do this experiment and it's already going that way.
Hartley is from Italy and made by Sazerac, apparently. It smells exactly like cheap cooking Sherry and an apple slice that's been left out too long and has gone brown. So it pretty much smells like oxidation. The flavor isn't all that bad but it's kind of obvious from the sweetness that there might be some flavoring in that coloring agent they use.
Courvoisier is from France. Aduh. The volatile alcohol is less harsh. The nose has aroma of vanilla, toffee and banana bread. The palate is pretty spicy at the beginning and on the finish, but there's a moment there in the middle where that disappears and it coats your tongue in a nice mellow silkiness. The oak attributes here are clearly real. It's still pretty rough, which leads me to imagine the appeal of Courvoisier's next tier must be that it's smoother.
WINNER: COURVOISIER VS COGNAC
I know the VS is the basic level for Courvoisier Cognac and it isn't the best Cognac out there. I'm no idiot. Alright, maybe I am but stay with me here... The Courvoisier is the clear winner between these two as everybody should have guessed. It's got more character. More authentic character as well.
I don't think there's anything wrong with the Hartley. I mean, it's supposed to be cheap garbage and that's exactly what it is. I bet it's actually world's better than other shit brandies now and throughout history. But it just got its ass whooped in this matchup.
This was fun. I think Distill Wars might become a recurring thing. :)
End of the month, I will spend 2 days with Cognac Guy Lheraud. I will try to take notes (I will the translator for those people) and I will share it with you. That will be very interesting, especially for the tasting and dinner :)) Winealex from twitter
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of Hartley Apple and Pineapple. I Live in Houston and here we have a huge Liquor chain named Spec's Liquor. I tried Hartley Apple because of the $8.99 price. I was impressed with the Smooth Taste , I just pour over ice and sip. Then one day I noticed the Pineapple and bought it, Wow just as Smooth over ice. Once I bought the Red Berry, Not as Smooth, I gave that bottle away. I am not a wealthy person ,but I do believe in sipping on Good Smooth Liquor. I like Hennessey it's smooth too over ice. But for my Budget Hartley Apple & Pineapple is all I need. I have introduced several people to Hartley and they all have become Big Fans that now but the Hartley Brand. I Love that Hartley, You should try it too. It's not bad at all. 5-10-2017
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of Hartley Apple and Pineapple. I Live in Houston and here we have a huge Liquor chain named Spec's Liquor. I tried Hartley Apple because of the $8.99 price. I was impressed with the Smooth Taste , I just pour over ice and sip. Then one day I noticed the Pineapple and bought it, Wow just as Smooth over ice. Once I bought the Red Berry, Not as Smooth, I gave that bottle away. I am not a wealthy person ,but I do believe in sipping on Good Smooth Liquor. I like Hennessey it's smooth too over ice. But for my Budget Hartley Apple & Pineapple is all I need. I have introduced several people to Hartley and they all have become Big Fans that now but the Hartley Brand. I Love that Hartley, You should try it too. It's not bad at all. 5-10-2017
ReplyDeleteIt's fine that you prefer courvasier. I think I do too. But calling Hartley " cheap shit / garbage" is way off. And doesn't bode well for your CSW.
ReplyDeleteHi there. This was two years before I earned my CSW and waaaay before I even started studying. I have not had Hartley since but I will revisit it.
DeleteHartley has been the number one brandy in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for decades - replacing Christian Brothers as the brandy of choice. It is by far among the smoothest and best brandies produced in this country today. Only Korbel comes close.
ReplyDeleteThis was a long time ago when I really didn’t know anything about spirits. I’ll revisit it.
DeleteI'm enjoying my first bottle of Hartley VSOP. At $18.95 for 1.75L in Florida, I am VERY impressed. I drink my brandy 0.2 oz B&B, 1 oz brandy. Hartley is as good as I have experienced, better than most.
ReplyDeleteI know a couple from Beverly Hills who can afford any beverages they want, and their go-to is Hennessey Cognac. At about $90-$100 a bottle, it's a bit rich for my blood. I might spend that on a very special whiskey. But if you're going to comment on the stuff, try a decent brandy. I recommend Cardenal Mendoza Solera Gran Reserva from Spain. It's $30-$40 a bottle but is amazingly delicious.
ReplyDeleteHartley is a Wisconsin and UP ice fishing tradition. Mates perfectly with an atmospere of cigar smoke and kerosene fumes. No place for Remy and a Waterford snifter. Great for making Brandy Manhattans.
ReplyDeleteHartley is a Wisconsin and UP tradition. Mates perfectly with an atmospere of cigar smoke and kerosene fumes. No place for Remy and a Waterford snifter. Great for making Brandy Manhattans.
ReplyDelete