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.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller