Cardenal Mendoza Solera Gran Reserva Brandy NV

Ellen Clifford

Suppose you dissolved Werthers candies in bourbon then added a dash of coffee and...made it somehow richer without being cloying. It’s the alchemy of fractional blending in solera of used Sherry barrels sweet babies. I love Sherry de Jerez, it is great fun. It goes the distance.

David Kline

Smoky caramel-mocha nose shows broom straw and bamboo, vanilla bean, graphite, tea biscuit, cardamom, cinnamon-apple, attic nutmeg and cilantro. Rich and chocolate-y mouthfeel with warm cinnamon heat is exemplary. First taste puts the dully oaken nose to shame for insufficient suggestion. This thing brings a support beam of heavy oak in abundance. Cedar, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, tobacco; the gangs all here. Coffee is the magnet in the middle; two sugars, black, a millisecond before the heavy cream and drizzled caramel. Buckwheat, buckthorn, and dried pineapple are the lightning in this dark storm. Add ginger and dried lime and a drop of Fernet Branca and you’ve nailed it. Don Quixote used to nip this for breakfast. #brandy #cardinalmendoza #spanishbrandy #brandydejerez #soleragranreserva #jerez #sanchezromatehermanos #sanchezromate #grapespirit

John Matthews

Very port like in the nose. Dark brown with a little ruby. Some burnt toffee and vanilla with a little spice. Almost rum like. Let some alcohol bleed off and it softens nicely and rounds.

Anthony Lombardo

Barrafina. Super smooth after a little alcohol burned off