Ximenez-Spinola Cigars Club No.1 Brandy / 44.15% / 0.7l

Bodegas Ximénez-Spínola is a boutique winery specializing in the production of sherry and brandy wines, one of the oldest in the Jerez de la Frontera region. Since its foundation in 1729, the Ximénez-Spínola family has followed three principles in the production of its spirits, including great sweet wines: "time, patience and the ability to sacrifice". Today, the tradition and quality of the winery are cultivated by the next generation, headed by Jose Antonio Zarzana.

The flagship grape of the vineyard, from which its outstanding wines are made, is Pedro-Ximenez. The limestone soils and the proximity of the ocean make PX more subtle and elegant in relation to the wines of Montilla Moriles.

Ximenez-Spinola demonstrate the extraordinary innovation of the vineyard and the great potential of the PX grape variety, and their wines can be found in the best star restaurants in the world.

Cigars Club No.1 is a brandy distilled 100% from Pedro Ximenez grapes, with a yield of about 90 liters of distillate per ton of fresh grapes. Distilled to obtain "Holandas finas de alquitara" capable of producing wine brandy with organoleptic characteristics different from any other distillate. Until the invention of the Solera system in 1948, no winemaker dealing with the PX grape variety did something similar to us, even today our procedures are the only ones of their kind known in Spain.

After the distillation process, the product spends 12 years in 750-liter chestnut barrels and another 12 years in 250-liter American oak barrels. Then, after selecting barrels that are of the same quality as Fortaleza No. 1 cigars, they age for another year. This means that the average age of the product in the bottle is no less than 25 years. Since this is a product dedicated to cigars, the barrels used in the production process are selected based on their organoleptic properties, to determine those that will create a brandy that will go perfectly with the cigar.

Medium intensity colour with a delicate greenish opalescence, typical of 25 years spent in oak barrels. On the nose, after the first intense hit of alcohol, it slowly discovers subtle notes of raisins and plums, with wood accents appearing in the background. Very long and intense finish.

José Antonio Zarzana - Winemaker Ximenez Spinola, ninth generation of the Zarzana - Spinola family: " We were looking for the perfect product to make smoking low-intensity cigars even more enjoyable.
We are thinking mainly of Dominican, Nicaraguan and some Habanos cigars.
It is not a question of balancing the distillate, but adapting it to the perfection of the smoke of a fat cigar with a little astringency."