Mike And Matt Taste George Washington’s Apple Brandy

On a recent trip to Washington D.C., we had lunch at Mount Vernon. While there we picked up several bottles of their products, including their four year old apple brandy. I like a good apple brandy and we were not disappointed with this bottle. It is a bit expensive – over one hundred dollars for a 375ml bottle, but I look at it as a donation to Mount Vernon and I get a good bottle of apple brandy in return. The profits from the sales help support the work they are doing there, including the distillery. Matt and I sat down to taste this brandy the other day and here are our tasting notes.

George Washington’s Apple Brandy

Proof: 80

Age: Four Years Old in used cooperage

Nose:

Mike: Buttery fried apples, vanilla and oak wood.
Matt: Buttered corn, golden apples, prunes, nutmeg and oak wood.

Taste:

Mike: Apples, vanilla, white pepper and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apple and oak wood are enhanced. Tasted with a pecan and the vanilla becomes a rich French vanilla.
Matt: Buttery fried apples and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out prunes. The pecan made it rich with buttered fried apples, prunes, nutmeg and oak wood.

Finish:

Mike: Medium long with oak, white pepper and apples. The dried cranberry enhanced the apple in the finish. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, apples and French vanilla.
Matt: Medium long with oak wood and apples. The dried cranberry added a note of butter to the finish. The pecan made the finish long with buttered fried apples and oak wood.

I would pair this fine apple brandy with a My Father Le Bijou cigar. The rich vanilla and dried fruit in the smoke would pair well with the vanilla and fruit of the brandy.