Audry Memorial Cognac

The Memorial bottling is a gorgeous rendition with tremendous facets and complexity both on its nose and palate. This opens with a beguiling aromatic mix of spun sugar, crystalized ginger, cocoa, chicory, pepper, pipe tobacco, apple, orange peel, grilled pineapple, and dried apricots. On the palate this has a tremendously supple mouthfeel with crystalized ginger, tobacco, cola, grilled nuts, charred stone and tropical fruits, some forest floor and pepper on its long finish. D&M Tasting Notes March 2024

So much tension here between delicate and brooding, familiar and exotic, finesse and power, shifting and surprising with each whiff and sip. Audry Memorial is an elegant, dark amber blend of 30- to 60-year-old stocks from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. At first, the nose is deceptively bright, offering aromas of violet, fresh apple, pepper and candied lime peel, but it quickly reveals its depth with fleshy tropical-fruit notes indicative of seriously evolved rancio. In the mouth, it’s both linear and generous, revealing layer upon layer of flavor: sharp ginger, licorice and tobacco balanced by softer notes of honey, ripe pear and juicy plum. At the midpalate, it reaches another level with intense flavors of grilled mango and pineapple. The smoke-tinged, grilled-nut, linear finish lingers forever. A beautiful Cognac and a tremendous value. (42% abv) 98 PointsJason Wilson Vinous September 2019