”We’re getting to the pointy end of St Agnes now, and the extra 5 years of age on this brandy will set you back an additional $120 over the XO, but 20-year-old Australian spirits are as rare as hen’s teeth and we’re still at a comparable price to imported French brandies of a similar age. There’s more oak on the nose here, but it's still beautifully integrated and light. Less perfumed than the XO 15, there’s a wonderful crème brûlée creaminess and that excellent note of orange peel now developing into orange-oil wood polish. I often find Cognac on the thin and over-oaked side, where this still has all the fruit texture you want to back up that oakiness, especially on the wonderful, powerful front palate that fades to creamy oak. An outstanding brandy by any measure. Take that, France!”