

The Ile de Ré is an island off the west coast of La Rochelle in the Cognac region of France, where Camus ages a range of spirits, including the Cli side Cellar Cognac XO Brandy. This bottling gets barrel-aged twice: first in cellars, and then in the Fort de La Prée, a monument constructed in 1626 overlooking the ocean. That results in a saline, vanilla-scented Cognac with perfectly extracted oak notes. It’s wonderfully saltysweet, with caramel-like notes playing off an almost peaty earthiness. Enjoy it neat, just like a Scotch.
Spirits Type:
Brandy
ABV:
40%
Importer:
CIL Amerique, Manhasset, NY
Price:
$99
This story appears in the print issue of Winter 2013.
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