Malternative Belgium Buche de Noel XO 44%

MALTERNATIVE BELGIUM BUCHE DE NOEL X.O VALLEIN TERCINIER 44%

After the François Voyer Extra Christmas and le Cognac de Noël, I had to taste this Christmas cognac released by M.B a year ago. This one is a 20yo X.O (multi-cru blend) from Vallein Tercinier cellars bottled at 44%. Here is the Malternative Belgium Buche de Noel!

Colour: Old Gold, gold lights. Irregular medium tears. 

Nose: Very « creamy »  nose on bourbon vanilla and hazelnut marmalade at first. A few leathery tones. Heady scents of orange blossom and verbena infusion. Stunning salted notes on black olives tapenade. Hints of pistachio too. 

Palate: Opulent acidulous texture with a sweet aftertaste. Arlequin sweets and fig berlingot sweets. Hazelnut cream. Cocoa powder. Same creaminess as previously perceived. Strong chocolate aromas counter-balanced by a tad of acidity on tangerine liquor. It ends on mint chocolate. 

Last Notes: A bit more on citruses with more air. Still a little salty in the background. Still this strange smell of black olives. And what about the palate? Heavy chocolate and pralines notes. A tad of rancio on cooking cream and chocolate meringue (my grandmother used to cook the best on Earth). A nice aftertaste on bitter chocolate and nougat. A tad on apple/cinnamon infusion too. 

Easy cognac without any shortcomings. A little lack of complexity but it remains a solid 20yo XO. Special thanks to V.T and Pieter for this delicious (post)Christmas treat. 

My very subjective note: 87/100

Malternative Belgium website