Destileria Sofa Plantation One-Time 2010

Plantation draws this single vintage from Destileria Sofa in Venezuela, a 2010 distillate of molasses run through a column still and given twelve years of maturation before Maison Ferrand applied its signature cognac cask ageing. Bottled at 52% and left unsweetened, it sits apart from the softer, dosed Spanish style sippers it shares a shelf with, trading some of that roundness for grip.

The extra strength carries vanilla and caramel into drier territory, with raisin and dried apple, gentle cocoa and walnut, and a wood spice that reads clearly of the cognac influence. The finish turns woody and spicy, holding its line rather than fading into sugar. For drinkers who like the Venezuelan vanilla and fruit profile but want more proof and an honest, dry frame, it keeps the familiar shape while adding structure.