I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s on banners, souvenirs, shot glasses, T-shirts, and just about anything “Spain” from the actual Spanish flag to car bumpers in Madrid; and if you’ve ever gone for a road trip in Spain, you will see its gigantic black silhouette on hills and fields everywhere. The Osborne Bull has indeed become a cultural symbol of Spain.
What originally began as an advertising campaign for Osborne Sherry brandy in 1956, overtime became a renowned national icon by international visitors. It wasn’t until 1994, though, after a law was passed to outlaw billboards on roads, that the Bull, created by artist Manuel Prieto, was officially recognized as a cultural asset by Spanish courts and became a permanent sight of the Spanish landscape until today.
Well, it was only fitting that, living in Spain, I would visit the Osborne sherry company in Cadiz, and become acquainted with their brandy. I mean, this stuff is very popular in this country and incredibly affordable when compared to French Cognac; testimony to another little quality I have come to appreciate about the Spanish: thriftiness. It is this quality that helps keep their most cherished products very reasonably priced.
The Osborne Magno, though not a special reserve by any means, is touted as elaborated from the estate’s best grapes and is aged in American oak. As with all of their brandies, the Magno is distilled in a way that is unique to the Jerez (sherry, also spelled Xeres) region, and thus possesses certain qualities that in my opinion make it recognizably Spanish.
The most outstanding characteristic of this sherry brandy, is an incredibly smooth palate that makes it one of the most drinkable spirits in this proof. You’d be surprised how easily you can put this down; before you know it, you’ll have probably downed more of it than you really intended to.
The Magno is the color of reddish oak. It has a rather intense nose with clear notes of oak, molasses and honey. Distinct indications of sherry wine are all over it. It is semi sweet on the palate, with notes that are also reminiscent of a fine port. I got delicious notes of molasses, which dominate at first, as well as smooth oak and a tinge of citrus rind in the finish. I would say that it has adequate viscosity for a brandy in this category.
I have yet to open my bottles of the Osborne Gran Reserva brandies—the Independencia and Conde de Osborne—but so far I’m sold with their little Osborne Magno. I keep dreaming of Joya de Nicaragua Antaños as the smoothness of this authentic Spanish sherry coats my senses.
