St Agnes

XO Imperial 20 Year Old Brandy 700mL

• 

  Vintage
  97 points

We’re getting to the pointy end of St Agnes now, and the extra 5 years of age on this brandy will set you back an additional $120 over the XO, but 20-year-old Australian spirits are as rare as hen’s teeth and we’re still at a comparable price to imported French brandies of a similar age. There’s more oak on the nose here, but it’s still beautifully integrated and light. Less perfumed than the XO 15, there’s a wonderful crème brûlée creaminess and that excellent note of orange peel now developing into orange-oil wood polish. I often find Cognac on the thin and over-oaked side, where this still has all the fruit texture you want to back up that oakiness, especially on the wonderful, powerful front palate that fades to creamy oak. An outstanding brandy by any measure. Take that, France!

• 

  Vintage
  95 points

Five more years in the minimum age of the spirit here (compared to the youngest of the XOs). The colour is not overly more developed though the nose has deepened and evened out, fruit notes of poaching orange and mandarin, the roast nuttiness suggesting whiter almonds and cashews with a caramel of light brown sugar, all woven gently through the palate with muted oak barrel feels. Smoothly balanced with a sense of sophistication throughout.