Thursday, April 5, 2018

Camus 1973 – Through the Grapevine LMDW 42.9%


One big turnoff for whisk(e)y geeks when it comes to cognac, and brandy in general, is its propensity to be bottled at low proof/abv. There is a pervasive feeling within the whiskey community that “if it ain’t cask strength, it ain’t worth drinking.” I have plenty of friends that think cask strength booze is sacrosanct, and I suspect that’s why a lot of geeks gloss over cognac – cognac tends to be bottled at low proof. Yet, one aspect I think a lot of whiskey geeks overlook about cognac is that the aging process (many years, humid cellars) lends itself to creating a low proof spirit. And in many instances, if water is added, its added slowly over years, which is more akin to a low barrel entry proof as opposed to dilution at bottling. Exploring cognac, I’ve tasted plenty of weak, low proof cognacs that just didn’t impress. But, I’ve also tasted some amazing low proof spirits that just burst with flavor…This Camus falls in the latter category.

Bottled through LMDW’s cognac line, this 1973 Camus is from the Bons Bois region. Its either cask strength or water was added slowly over the years. I suspect it's likely cask strength given there were only two hundred bottles and it is a single cask (and and true vintage dated for that matter). It’s rich and great, just check out the notes below… 

Nose: Martinelli's apple juice and white grape juice, cotton candy, brown sugar, grapefruit, some floral notes, too

Palate: pears, flower petals, creamy citrus (orange Julius?) and bitter orange rind…moss, too

Finish: medium length with a light lavender and citrus bitterness slowly fading.

Thoughts
This is good. Low proof be damned, and I think anyone who appreciates good booze SHOULD like this. Don’t be afraid – it punches above its weight.

Grade: A minus

Side note: it looks like the Grapevine line is going to touchdown in the USA (thanks to the new Velier/LMDW venture), and they have real interesting lineup coming. I'm really looking forward to trying them!

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