Two cognacs at this time, each of which have been chosen on the Grosperrin cellars.
First up is the most recent bottling within the L’Essentiel sequence from Cognac Professional. The provenance is defined with nice particulars on their web site. As you’ll see within the pretty images, it comes from a small grower in Matha Le Goulet, who saved a few barrels in a pig hut behind his backyard.
Grosperrin cognac A29 – Fins Bois (47,8%, Cognac Professional ‘L’Essentiel’ 2022, single cask #940, 152 btl.)
Nostril: good Fins Bois tends to have these ethereal hints of tangerines and wax. Verify. Additionally nice rancio, leathery notes and whiffs of menthol and verbena. Golden raisins and clove studded oranges. Then additionally tender hints of stewed apricots and delicate resin. Fairly nice.
Mouth: a pleasant mixture of oily notes and fruits once more. Mirabelles, berries, (blood) oranges, alongside mentholated notes and mead. Now sweeter, thicker than anticipated. Tremendous polished oak units in, with a little bit of natural tea and cinnamon. Touches of tobacco and leather-based as nicely.
End: lengthy, extra spicy now, with mint, nutmeg and oranges.
An amazing mixture of vibrant fruits, refined rancio and balanced minty freshness. And it’s completely drinkable as nicely. Briefly: simple to suggest and there are nonetheless bottles out there from Cognac Professional.
The subsequent cognac is rather a lot older and comes from the Petite Champagne area. Though this lacks the romantic story of the L’Essentiel, we are able to rely on Grosperrin’s excessive requirements once more. This 73 cognac is unique to Ardour for Whisky who lately additionally bottled a Pasquet Lot 71.
Grosperrin cognac No.73 – Petite Champagne (54,6%, OB for Ardour for Whisky 2022, lot #969, 64 btl.)
Nostril: extra strong and jammy, filled with damsons, ripe quinces and mirabelles, with furnishings wax and ginger biscuits within the background. Gourmand, as they are saying. Some thuja wooden and hints of cedar, in addition to some cardamom notes.
Mouth: an intense, minty profile, with wooden polish, leather-based and wonderful rancio. Nonetheless some plummy notes and raisins. Then orange peels and white pepper, in addition to some tobacco leaves that go away a drying fingerprint. Earthy notes and sandalwood because it fades.
End: very lengthy, very minty, with resinous notes, oranges and honeydew. Drying oak within the very finish.
This exhibits extra grittiness and energy, underscored by the upper ABV. It’s a drier profile with extra wooden affect – each are fairly glorious. Accessible from Ardour for Whisky. Rating: 90/100
