St Agnes Distillery XO 30 Year Old Centenary Reserve
At 55% alcohol, the Centenary Reserve has a lot more punch than St Agnes’ other brandies. Still, they’ve chosen less active casks here as the orange peel sweetness is far more apparent than oak on the nose, which is super cool for a spirit so old, especially when so many Aussie spirits are over-oaked at a 10th of this age. Whisky makers take note! The alcohol does present a bit of a barrier to nuance on the nose, but there’s still toasted almond and mint ice cream to be found. The entry on the palate is incredible, with big, warm, marmalade sweetness. Where the high alcohol hides some things on the nose, it explodes them across the tongue. This is my favourite palate of any St Agnes I’ve tried. The finish is still gentle with that hallmark St Agnes creaminess, and the fact that they can bottle at 55% without any burn is awe-inspiring. Remarkable.
