Wow that's harsh

I had a glass of Trimbach’s Grand Reserve Kirsch last night. It’s a cherry brandy, and is very harsh. I’ve never understood the fascination / interest in this clear spirits category - grappa, marc, eau de vie etc.

I do expect some bite but this is so much fiery than a cognac.

Think I’ll stick with Trimbach’s wines.

Yup,Arv…I love The Alsatian eau-de-vies…but only to smell. On the palate…they’re pretty harsh/alcoholic.
Tom

I never understood the interest either. In any of the spirits - Scotch, rum, whiskey, bourbon, vodka, etc. The brandies are kind of interesting in that they do have some flavor and the fruit ones some nice aromatics, but mostly those are just a burn for me. I’ve had a few bottles of liquor for over 30 years and never use them except once in a while for pastries.

In 2004, I spent a week in Croatia. Each night at each restaurant, we drank grappa. I couldn’t stand the stuff on nights 1, 2 and 3. By night 4, i started developing an appreciation for it. By the end of the week, I was hooked. Try the grappas from Nonino. Outstanding stuff.

While I have not tried this particular eau de vie from Trimbach I must say that I am very gond of the best eau de vie from producers like Mette and Windholz. Not all flavors but both made on a grape base or on other fruit bases. The Mette Gewurztraminer EdV is fantastic. I also appreciate some rhum, grappa, whisky, calvados so I guess it’s just just ‘to each his own’. I almost always have a digestive after the meal when on holiday in France & Italy - completes the dinner so nicely.

How long would you estimate they last?

It took me a while to come round to grappa, initially preferring the softened effect of the oaked versions, but these days leaning towards the single grape variety versions (typically the sweeter/fruitier grapes e.g. Moscato, Brachetto). Also quite taken by the Trentino herb-infused versions, though some are more of a grappa liqueur at ~ 30% alc

In some ways it’s a case of looking past the alcoholic burn, to the interesting aromas/flavours behind that. We’re generally not accustomed to such alcoholic burn, so it typically takes centre stage in our thoughts, making it harder to see what else is there.

I think some of the bitter digestive drinks can suffer the same thing on a first experience, before one becomes accustomed to the bitterness.

Kyle, you could get an unopened bottle of kirsch to last a century.

Paraffin was the closure/neck, stand upright in a cool dark temperature-stable (very important!) place, write the year of storage on it, and forget about it forever and let someone find it.

It will still be drinkable, if somewhat changed (not evolved like wine, but certain compounds do break down over time).

He might mean once opened. Like any spirit you’ll notice degradation over the course of several months to a year or so. How much is left in the bottle seems to factor into the equation due to oxygen ingress and dilution. I don’t buy these so I don’t know if they degrade faster due to the intense aromatics.

For my part I find these almost shocking due to the disconnect between the ripe fruit scent and the briskness of the spirit once tasted. Makes for an interesting sip but not something I choose to spend money on.

FWIW, the best eau de vie I’ve ever had are made by Laurent Cazottes. So far as I know Astor Wines is the only place in the country that carries them.

With thanks to Thor who first introduced me to them.

I can get Cazottes in VA - agree it is very good.

Re once open yes true that more oxygen contact = faster degradation

How much change you can stomach is up to you

Man, I love eau de vie. Grappa, stone fruit and particularly Marc de Bourgogne and other marcs from southern France.

Trimbach’s Eau de Vie is not very good, in my opinion. While all Eau de Vie does have some alcoholic burn, the best have such an incredible freshness and concentration of fruit that it really helps me to look past that heat.

I find most people who say they don’t like Grappa haven’t tried any good ones. The 2-3 that you see everywhere are crap. Marolo makes really good Grappa. For an unaged example, I’d try their Moscato Grappa. It’s delicious. Their aged Grappa di Barolo, especially the 20 Year, are very impressive for their complexity, and the aging seems to integrate the alcohol very well.

Yup, Jonathan…the Noninos are particularly good.
Originally, most Italian grappas were made traditionally. They would take the pommace (leftover skins/seeds/stems after pressing),
add sugar & water, and referment. The resulting “false wine” was then distilled to make grappa. The alcohol could be pretty fierce
with a lot of higher alcohols (congeners) that do bad things to your head.
I believe it was Nonino who abandoned the traditional method of production and just simply distilled the wine (mostly pure ethanoi)
to make their grappas. Much less harsh in character.
Enrico Bertoz, winemaker of ArbeGarbe in NapaVlly used to be winemaker at Nonino way back when. The ArbeGarbe
wines are outstanding.
Tom

Happy to spread the gospel.

When I first encountered clear spirits of this type I hated them too. But I eventually grew to adore the entire category, which discovery was unquestionably helped along by spending a lot of time in Alsace or with Alsatian friends and relatives in Lorraine. Obviously there are better and worse examples, and sometimes it’s not entirely clear which is which until the next morning; some distillations are cleaner than others. In any case, the alcoholic burn is inseparable from the product and not everyone can or will learn to like that component.

Trimbach’s EdVs (and note they’re made by a relative) are pretty straightforward — I’d usually keep the kirsch around for fondue because it’s relatively inexpensive and widely available in the States and very occasionally snag a poire william for sipping — but they’re certainly nowhere near the top of the class.

What I love about them, whether distilled from grapes or other things, is the purity of expression; it’s like peering into the soul of the thing being distilled. Of course, sometimes the soul turns around and spits in your eye; it was via a experimental postprandial eau-de-vie somewhere in (I think) Ammerschwihr that I first learned how much I hate unadulterated gentian.

For people who are intrigued but repelled it’s probably easier to begin at the “other” end with wood-aged distillates. The amazing era of affordable — if not always available — Romano Levi worship is, alas, behind us. But plenty of grappas and many eaux-de-vie are available…not from everyone, but from some…in oak-aged versions that can be a lot more accessible to someone who embraces whiskies and especially brandies like Cognac and Armagnac. It’s a small step from those to Calvados, and another small step from Calvados to oak-finished poire william or Fine Bourgogne, and after that it’s just a matter of learning to appreciate the spirit without the wood.

As for how long they keep: the aforementioned relatives had a once-fearsome quantity of what were essentially moonshine eaux-de-vie made before, during, and just after WWII that were breathtakingly good despite decades of indifferent storage and extremely dubious closures. This applies to pure distillates, though; the halved-alcohol liqueur versions often suffer from long exposure to the elements.

Was going to post but Thor beat me too it. Trimbach’s are not made by them and not nearly the best from the area. The area, by the way, is known for their eaux du vie. The best I’ve had was my landlord’s in Germany not far from Alsace. They had a beautiful plum tree for which the fruit was delivered to a producer who then gave my landlord half the production. Clean, dry, and bursting with bright summer fruit.

FYI, Cognac is not only aged, but double distilled, which takes off some rough edges.

All this talk of clear spirits makes me want to go have a sip of grappa, or maybe make a martini.

I was blown away by how flavorful and aromatic the not-for-sale marc was at Chateau Ste. Anne in Bandol.

Hans Reisetbauer’s eaux de vie are tremendous. His Blue Gin is also great…

Another favorite is G. Miclo Coeur de Chauffe Framboise Sauvage. For years, Fauchon sold it under its label and I first tasted it there. Good stuff.

I heartily endorse Jayson and Mark’s recommendations.

Tempier’s Marc remains a treasured and very judiciously portioned bottle buried behind almost everything else I own, lest I reach for it on a whim.