A.E Dor Cognac

A.E Dor is a cognac, meaning a grape brandy distilled and aged in oak, and the listing gives no age grade (VS, VSOP or XO), ABV or tasting profile. What follows is what to expect from the category, not a measured profile of this bottle. Check the label for the age statement, since it decides how you'll want to use it. Cognac of this kind usually shows dried apricot, orange peel, vanilla and light toasted oak, with a warm, rounded finish. Younger grades tend to be brighter and more fruit-driven, while older ones lean toward dried fig, walnut, leather and baking spice. For sipping neat, use a tulip glass or a small snifter and pour about 30 to 45 ml. Serve it at cool room temperature, roughly 18 to 21°C. Cupping the glass in your hand warms it slightly and opens the aroma. Skip the ice and chill, which mute the fruit and oak. A small splash of room-temperature water can loosen a tight, spirity nose. If the label shows a younger grade, it will do well in mixed drinks. A Sidecar of cognac, orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice, shaken hard and strained into a chilled coupe, lets the fruit come through. A Brandy Alexander, with equal parts cognac, crème de cacao and cream shaken cold and finished with grated nutmeg, suits a fuller, rounder bottle. A cognac Sazerac is another option: rinse a chilled glass with absinthe, stir the cognac with a sugar cube and Peychaud's bitters over ice, strain, and express a lemon peel over the top. At the table, cognac goes well with dark chocolate, roasted nuts, aged hard cheeses and baked apple or pear desserts.