Somerset Cider Brandy 5 yo (42%, OB)
All of the Temperley’s brandies - barring one or two experiments - are matured in ex-sherry casks. Colour: White wine. Nose: Apples! Although it’s a real variety of apples that you get. A dense apple crumble with a buttery aspect but also green apple peelings, a tart cidery quality and some sweeter, red apple notes as well. There’s also an almost gloopy custard note (although that may be my brain ‘filling in’ for me), along with gooseberry jelly, a hint of soda bread and a slight - yet appropriate - farmy quality. Mouth: it has good density in the mouth with a slightly bitter arrival that is suggestive of crushed apple pips. Some white pepper, nettles and even a few cereals as well. The breadiness is louder here and rather wonderfully savoury - like a good buttery pastry. The apple side is very much towards that tart, cider apple quality. Finish: Medium with notes of golden syrup, brown bread and more appleyness. Even a sense of rhubarb and custard sweets. Comments: If you like characterful eau de vies that carry a distinct sense of their component fruit then this is for you. Charismatic distillate!
SGP: 530 - 84 points.

Somerset Cider Brandy 10 yo (42%, OB)
The only difference in the ages is age. No re-racking, no dosing with sugar, no tricksy colouring agents. Colour: Gold. Nose: The extra five years is pretty apparent. The same apple richness is there, only here it is more concentrated and silky on the nose. Around it there’s lots of nectar, pollen and syrupy notes. Golden syrup, some shortbread, notes of mirabelle eau de vie and even a needling hint of hessian. There’s also still a big, generous splodge of apple pie in the middle of it all. Mouth: toast with plenty of butter and honey. Apple sauce, grated pepper, nutmeg and some young VS Cognac. Feels younger in the mouth than on the nose this one. An earthiness also makes its presence felt along with some slightly sappy and spicy wood. With time a little herbaceous touch and some apple resin (I’m sure such a thing doesn’t exist, but it’s an impression). Finish: Good length, spicy, earthy, lots of apple peelings and a hint of honeyed porridge. Comments: Similar ballpark of quality but we’ve moving incrementally upwards. The overall character is more concentrated although the complexity remains about the same, which is interesting.
SGP: 540 - 85 points.

Somerset Cider Brandy 15 yo (42%, OB)
Colour: Light amber. Nose: Ah, the difference here is much greater than between 5 and 10.  This one starts to possess a curious mix of aged Calvados and older Armagnac aspects with these dense earthy and stewed apple notes. Rich aromas of caramelising brown sugar, dates, damson compote, old madeira, dried cranberries and runny honey. Many pastries, a touch of butter, some very old mead and wild flowers. Mouth: a beautiful combination of yellow flowers, mead, cloves, olive oil, sultanas, black pepper and a hint of white balsamic. The apples are starting to coalesce and become more singular and integrated. In the same way that many spirits can converge as they age, so this one starts to display more classical brandy and rum qualities. Lots of earthiness, some estery fruits and savoury bready qualities. Finish: Long, elegant and full of stewed sultanas, fig jam, some pomegranate syrup and apple sauce. Comments: Really quite beautiful and characterful distillate. We’re flying quite high now.
SGP: 550 - 88 points.

Somerset Cider Brandy 20 yo (42%, OB)
Colour: Amber. Nose: Again it strides in a new direction. This one is farmier than the 15, more leathery, sooty and full of concentrated dark fruits such as dates, figs and sultanas. Some black cherries, fermenting cider, charcoal, wet earth, hessian, graphite and walnut oil. With time some marzipan, sheep wool and muesli. There’s also this wonderful mix of honeys, brown breads and toffee apples. Mouth: despite the age there is still a balancing savoury bite to it. Notes of umami paste, black pepper, biltong, game and aged pinot noir. This is the benefit of natural aged distillate un-bothered by sugary nonsense. A sense of boot polish, coal dust and apple sweets balanced by these light tannins from the wood. Finish: Long, perfectly drying and throwing up all these earthy, honeyed, bready and apple qualities. Comments: Really terrific. I had been unsure when I originally tried these whether I preferred the 15 or the 20 but, side by side, the 20 wins hands down. Worth seeking out and a genuine malternative I’d say.
SGP: 561 - 90 points.

Marie Duffau 1942 (40%, OB, Armagnac, +/- 1990s)
Marie Duffaux is a small family producer based in Lannepax with 42 hectares of vineyards. Colour: Deep amber. Nose: A beautiful concoction of polished hardwoods and tropical fruit syrups. Some mushroom powder, damp cellars, tea tree oil and many dark, concentrated fruits. Maybe a tad simplistic and straightforward, but it’s beautiful and perfectly precise old Armagnac.

Delord 70 yo 1937/2007 (40%, OB, Bas-Armagnac)
Colour: Deep amber. Nose: More reserved than the Duffau, at first this is all soft brown breads, toasted seeds, little touches of rosewater, dried herbs, lavender oils, precious hardwoods, tool boxes, walnut wine and old chalk. Much more complex. Goes on with increasing fruitiness that manifests as dried apricots, sultana, prune essence and even some dried mango. Hints of sunflower oil, malt loaf and wet earth. Also a touch of strawberry wine and the tiniest scraping of lemon rind. Quite beautiful.