When referring to the quality of cognac young age is commonly associated with inferiority. This is not the case with Maxime Trijol Elegance however. With only 10 years on its back Elegance is the youngest in the family but has still managed to win gold in competitions like the International Spirts Challenge in London 2005. Although young, Elegance is a pure Grande Champagne cognac and is a worthy adversary to most V.S.O.P.s and even some XOs. The palate entry is led by a dry-yet-fruity medium body with delicate notes of under ripe pears. Creamy vanilla appears followed by a soft bite that could only be expected by a cognac of this age. There is surprisingly good complexity and depth something I find rare among younger cognacs. Comparing price to age I can see why some people would be put off. I must emphasize though that Elegance is of good quality and worth every penny spent.

VERDICT: When comparing this to the available range of V.S.O.P.s I find it slightly superior to most. That being said you can get a cheap XO (but not necessarily of better quality) for the price of a single Maxime Trijol Elegance.

  (7.1/10)