The name means ten thousand bottles, and that same spirit of scarcity has defined the house of Ximénez-Spínola since 1729. Chestnut casks older than most of us give this brandy a softness oak rarely matches.
Expert's Description
Bodegas Ximenez-Spinola Diez Mil Botellas is a Spanish Brandy, bottled at 40%.
The winery was founded in 1729 by Phelipe Zarzana Spinola and was originally called Zarzana Spinola. When a major English customer found the name impossible to pronounce, it was changed to Ximénez-Spínola, the name the house still carries today. From the outset, the house has worked exclusively with the Pedro Ximénez grape.
What sets this brandy apart is the use of chestnut casks during ageing, a tradition that nearly disappeared in Spain after the civil war of 1939, when large parts of the country's chestnut forests were felled. The casks at Bodegas Ximénez-Spínola are all at least 70 years old and therefore release only a very limited amount of tannin.
The brandy is distilled from a Solera founded in 1984 and subsequently ages for a minimum of 12 years in the old chestnut casks, giving it a rounder, softer taste than brandy aged in oak.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Unmistakable notes of plum and raisin.
Palate
Smooth with a light sweetness that masks the alcohol and lends a pleasant roundness.
Finish
Round and soft, with lingering dried fruit and a hint of spice from the chestnut wood.
Specifications
Name: Bodegas Ximenez-Spinola Diez Mil Botellas
Distillery: Ximénez-Spínola
Country: Spain
Type: Spanish Brandy
Age: Minimum 12 years, Solera
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Chestnut Wood
EAN no.: 843700199803
Serving suggestion: Enjoy after the meal, alone or with a cigar
Flavour Profile
Plum · Raisin · Dried Fruit · Chestnut Wood
Did You Know?
The casks this brandy is aged in are all at least 70 years old and date from a time when enough chestnut wood could still be found in Spain to build barrels, a tradition that largely ended after much of the country's chestnut forests were felled during the civil war.
