Tasting Notes Winner of a Gold Medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2015. Koya X.O. Brandy is crafted from Ugni Blanc grapes (like those favoured for Cognac) distilled using a Charentais pot still and a column still and aged in oak barrels from Limousin in France for over ten years. Although clearly inspired by Cognac this is a proudly Chinese spirit. The grapes are all grown in Yantai on the Shandong Peninsula. This cool region has a long growing season not dissimilar to that of Bordeaux and the coastal climate is perfect for creating the aromatic grapes required for top-notch brandy. The chief winemaker at the Yantai branch of Château Changyu Mrs. Zhang Bao Chun uses a unique 'Temperature Controlled Double Yeast Fermentation' method which was granted the first Chinese National Patent to protect it. As a result you will not taste another brandy quite like this one. The result is extremely impressive. This multi-layered and immensely rich 10-year-old brandy fans out in the mouth with notes of dried apricot ripe pear rose petals caramelised fig toast dark chocolate mulled wine spices butterscotch jasmine toffee and Tokaji. Smooth as silk but with a comforting weight and a gently warming fire in its belly this is sensational stuff. Sip Koya X.O. with a meal after dinner or as a nightcap treating it as you would the finest Cognac. The Changyu Pioneer Wine Company or Château Changyu as it is more commonly known was founded in 1892 by Zhang Bishi. This entrepreneurial diplomat imported more than 500 000 vines from the US and Europe almost singlehandedly laying the foundation for Chinese wine production. Located in Yantai Shandong his endeavour is China's oldest and largest wine producer. Although famed for their exquisite wines and the Bordeaux-style châteaux that are spring up throughout the country they have also been receiving gold medals for their high-end brandy for a century. So this bottle of Koya represents a rare opportunity to sample the delights of China's premier and first brandy producer. Product Details Country: China Alcohol by volume (ABV): 40% Volume: 700ml
