Cognac for Boxing Day

Delamain Pale & Dry Grande Champagne (70 proof, OB, late Nineteen Seventies)
A well-known home positioned in Jarnac. ‘Pale & Dry’ primarily means ‘with out sugar’. Color: mild amber. Nostril: leafy and delicate, with dried apricots, some caffe latte and caramelised brown sugar. It does certainly really feel a tad extra ‘pure’ in the way in which it presents aromatically. Some lighter notes of sultana and quince paste emerge as effectively. Mouth: tender on arrival however you are feeling that it’s certainly a drier and barely firmer type that included tobaccos, mushroom powders, bouillon shares and sticky preserved darkish fruits. Muscovado sugars, dried mint and marjoram. Has the richness of Grande Champagne and these tender wee spices deliver a sense of classiness to proceedings. End: medium, most likely a tad brief, some spiced toffee, prunes, extra apricots and extra leathery tobacco vibes. Feedback: these 40% ABVs are all the time an issue for whisky palates. Nevertheless, let’s not overlook these had been drinks designed for giant mouthfuls and complete bottles to be demolished post-dinner with cigars and many others. The drier and barely extra pure profile additionally works a allure right here too.
SGP: 561 – 82 factors.

Frapin Chateau de Fontpinot Grande Champagne Réserve du Château (41%, OB, Nineties)
From an property positioned solely throughout the Grande Champagne area, that is additionally Cognac that is produced and bottled by the home itself. Color: deep amber. Nostril: fairly wealthy and strong on the nostril. Leaf mulch, tobaccos, burnt raisins, quince paste, dates, fuzzy peaches and a few almond oil too. In my nonetheless very restricted expertise, I might say it appears like typical Grande Champagne. Mouth: even 1 single further diploma of alcohol already appears like an asset right here. Some heat and slightly beneficiant spiciness, darkish chocolate, toasted Brazil nuts, cloves, umami paste and crystallised citrus rinds. Extra of those earthen cellar and leaf mulch vibes too. End: medium, flippantly peppery, some honeys, leather-based, cocoa and dried herbs. Quite charming aftertaste. Feedback: a properly chunky, classical, effectively balanced and uncomplicated GC Cognac that I am certain would go down a deal with whereas falling asleep in entrance of The Nice Escape on a Christmas afternoon.
SGP: 561 – 83 factors.

Martell V.S.O.P Medaillon (40%, OB, Sixties)
One in every of Martell’s flagship bottlings, containing Cognac from Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois all minimal 4 years previous. Though, how related that recipe was within the Sixties I could not inform you. Color: deep mahogany. Nostril: finely polished and slightly impressively scented. Earthy, with many tobaccos, black truffle, dried mushroom and wee touches of bergamot and clove. With time there’s Seville orange marmalade and that the majority classical of Cognac aroma: peaches! Mouth: not as ‘collectively’ because the nostril, loses a bit of definition and has this  tiny notice of cleaning soap. There’s nonetheless some very good cocoa and leaf mulch flavours occurring, together with crystallised orange peel and a few pretty rancio. End: medium, slightly chocolatey, properly natural and bitter with a fair spiciness. Feedback: loses its approach on the palate a bit, however total a really high-quality and surprisingly good Cognac at instances. Exhausting to attain although. The nostril by itself was value simply 88 for my part. I believe one other previous bottle of the identical liquid might inform a special story… 
SGP: 561 – 80(ish) factors.

Normandin Mercier Vieille Grande Champagne ‘L’Essentiel’ (41.5%, OB for Cognac-Knowledgeable, 60 bottles, 2020)
Normandin Mercier is a small producer positioned simply exterior La Rochelle. That is a part of an ongoing collection of micro bottlings by the superb Cognac-Knowledgeable on-line retailer. Their weblog is an efficient place to go to study extra about Cognac. Color: orangey gold. Nostril: now we’re speaking! Many flowers, pollens, wild herbs, citrus rinds, some slightly agency notes of flower honey and issues like peaches in syrup, dried apricots and even slight hints of verbena and mead. The type of aroma that places you in thoughts of some 1972 Glen Grant. Mouth: very a lot on honeys, nectars and wooden resins as soon as once more. Natural extracts, wintergreen, citronella, bergamot and issues like lemon thyme, aniseed and candied orange peel. An ideal instance of a Cognac that is about finesse and element. End: lengthy, flippantly spicy, warming, resinous citrus fruit notes, wooden extracts, natural cocktail bitters and hints of leather-based. Feedback: to me, with such Cognacs, the phrase that always involves thoughts is ‘stylish’. That is pure, pure, simple to take pleasure in Cognac that is additionally vastly elegant, advanced and expressive.
SGP: 651 – 89 factors.

Giboin Borderies ‘L’Essentiel’ (46.5%, OB for cognac-expert.com, 2021)
Giboin is positioned in Cherves-Richemont and it is a mix of three casks of ugni blanc from 2002, 2005 and 2009. Color: pale amber. Nostril: way more rustic, punchy and strong. Fairly placing to leap from GC to Borderies like that. Clear notes of dried flowers, runny honey, marmalade, citrus curds, pollens and small impressions of fruit salad juices. Some good notes of breads and toasted seeds additionally emerge together with a slightly rustic spiciness and hints of fennel seed. Mouth: an actual departure, brown breads unfold with honey and orange marmalade. Additionally touches of mango, lemon curd and peach schnapps. I even discover some notes of hessian, baked banana and apple pips. In time it turns into pure banana bread with sultanas and wee hints of chocolate. Over time the spices, aniseed and fennel come to dominate. End: good size, slightly natural, many dried flowers, crystallised fruits, mineral oils and wooden saps. Feedback: the extra strong and highly effective facet of Cognac. There is a rustic side right here which may make you consider Armagnac at instances, but that is Borderies via and thru. Wonderful as soon as once more.
SGP: 561 – 87 factors.

Hermitage 10 yo 2008 (45%, OB, Grande Champagne)
Single barrel and single property apparently, and fewer than 200 bottles. Color: pale amber. Nostril: has that slightly agency and richly bready profile that youthful GCs typically appear to show. Additionally some raisins, milk chocolate and prunes. Some good threads of liquorice as effectively. Fairly easy and easy however very simple and pleasurable thus far. Mouth: much less fascinating right here, extra on bitter chocolate, workplace black espresso, some walnuts, treacle and pomegranate molasses. It is all very high-quality however maybe a bit of undefined. End: medium, slightly peppery, a bit of bitter, some wooden extracts and cough mixtures. Feedback: first rate glugging Cognac at a great power, however not significantly advanced or refined I’d say.
SGP: 451 – 82 factors.

Daniel Bouju Cigare Connaisseur (59.9%, OB Germany unique, Grande Champagne)
One of many first Cognac homes to do and promote greater ABV expressions. A reputation that is already gathered fairly some respect from whisky folks. Color: amber. Nostril: wealthy and emphatically spicy, on darkish grained breads, cocoa powder, aniseed, Earl Gray tea, leather-based and white miso paste. What’s nice is also that it noses extraordinarily simply at full power – all the time an important register my wee guide. With water: dried herbs, cough medicines and chai tea. Extra spiced darkish breads, umami paste and bitter orange. Mouth: nice arrival, extremely concentrated and thick, lots of fruit syrups, flower nectars and wooden spices unpacking from beneath that. Extra cocoa, extra sturdy earthy teas, some liquorice and really slight crystallised tropical fruit notes. With water: wonderful now, goes in direction of liquorice root, fennel, paprika and mint. Varied marmalades, chopped dates and classical rancio notes. End: lengthy, peppery and riddled with tender wooden spices, teas, polished leather-based, cocoa and dried flowers. Feedback: with Cognac, as quickly as you hit cask power, you actually discover it. Extra highly effective and terrific work from Daniel Bouju.
SGP: 561 – 88 factors.

Daniel Bouju ‘Brut de Fût Royal’ (60%, OB, Cognac, Grande Champagne, -/+2019)
Color: reddish amber. Nostril: narrower and extra on splendidly highly effective notes of flints, freshly roast espresso beans, bitter chocolate and acacia honey. Roast chestnuts, wintergreen, aged orange peel (cheng pi) and a few properly resinous hints of balsamic and rancio. Some date molasses and treacle emerge with time, together with an impression of caramelised demerara sugar. With water: extra fragrant, deeper, extra earthy, plummier and with a barely extra pronounced rummy high quality. Mouth: a bit less complicated than the Cigar bottling, however maybe extra emphatic and profound. Deeply earthy, peppery and darkly fruited – all on sticky dates and plums stewed in Armagnac – with hardwood resins and natural extracts. With water: these breads from the Cigar version are again! Pretty rye bread spiciness, treacle, cloves, large pipe tobacco notes, leather-based, earthen cellar flooring, leaf mulch – the entire shebang! End: lengthy, very focussed on liquorice, chewing tobacco, paprika, earth and umami paste. Some sweeter molasses notes rising in direction of the aftertaste. Feedback: extraordinarily good. Little marvel whisky folks are so into these bottlings. Critically, if you’re a fan of huge, gutsy cask power drams, then it is best to endeavour to style considered one of these Daniel Bouju bottlings.
SGP: 561 – 89 factors.

Daniel Bouju ‘Très Vieux Version Dully’ (53.4%, C. Dully Choice, Switzerland, Grande Champagne, 2019)
Let’s attempt one other Daniel Bouju, this time chosen by our Swiss mates – between lunchtime pints of Tokaji essencia and their afternoon Toblerone. Color: ruby mahogany. Nostril: now we’re speaking! Beautifully thick, layered and concentrated. Sultanas, crystallised citrus peels, some lengthy aged demerara rum, costly liquorice after which many tiny notes comparable to cedar wooden, dried herbs, leather-based tobacco pouches and an more and more elegant menthol side. Beautiful! With water: works terrifically with water, changing into extra fragile and sophisticated. Many dried flowers, crystallised unique fruit and even wee issues like 5 spice and Szechwan pepper. Mouth: a surprisingly simple arrival, lots of tender and complicated spices, bitter darkish chocolate, dried herbs comparable to oregano and thyme, then pure liquorice root, miso and tarragon. Sweeter notes come from these pretty sticky darkish fruits comparable to sultanas, fig and prune. With water: as soon as once more the feel stays fantastically thick, with lots of clear and punchy spices, hardwood resins, spiced marmalade and extra miso. End: lengthy, nonetheless slightly amazingly contemporary, nonetheless exhibiting many wee spices, preserved fruits, herbs, liquorice and menthol qualities. Feedback: unsurprisingly, excellent previous Cognac that balances energy and age with freshness. The focus on show, and the feel are additionally actually spectacular.
SGP: 661 – 90 factors.

Vallein Tercinier ‘Rue 91’ (45.3%, OB for Wu Dram Clan, Fins Bois)
Love Vallein Tercinier. Love Fins Bois. And I suppose additionally love Wu Dram Clan 😉 Anyway, expectations are excessive right here… Color: deep gold. Nostril: very typical Fins Bois, fantastically tender, mild, expressive and generously fruity. Stuffed with citrus marmalades, flower honey, mirabelle, peach stones and simply the tiniest rooty and earthy contact, one which additionally incorporates a bit of damp rancio. This type of easiness and pleasure is what Fins Bois is all about in my very humble guide. Mouth: actually on fruit jellies, flower honey, crystallised grapefruit peel, lemon curd and this splendidly syrupy texture. Not essentially the most advanced, however goes down with the deadliness of a stealth ninja! End: medium size, syrupy fruits as soon as once more, but in addition now barely sappy and resinous with wormwood and liquorice. Feedback: Easy, direct and really typical Fins Bois, but in addition simply vastly quaffable. The type of bottle you might idly demolish over Christmas with out altering your slippers.
SGP: 651 – 88 factors.

Cognac Lot 19 ‘No.70’ 49 yo (49.2%, The Whisky Company, Petite Champagne, 234 bottles, 2019)
It has been far, far too lengthy since I attempted something from The Whisky Company. This ought to be a Nineteen Seventies classic. Color: amber. Nostril: we’re into earthier, mulchier and darker territories. Stewed darkish fruits all sticky with syrups, roots, tobaccos, herbs and cigar humidors. Some candied citrus peels, bergamot oil and high-quality orange marmalade. Very cohesive and seductive. Mouth: slightly stewed and targeting earthy, damp tobaccos, bitter darkish cocoa powder, natural extracts and cocktail bitters. Plenty of leather-based, sack fabric and a really classical rancio character. In time it begins to include some flippantly gamey, meaty elements too, comparable to meat shares, suet and gravy. All of the whereas there’s these darkish fruits within the background. Pretty stuff! End: good size, very targeted on leaf mulch, damp tobacco, earth, sultanas, fir resins, liquorice and earthy black teas. Feedback: we’re approaching this type of previous Cognac that makes you are feeling as if you’re sipping some type of liquified historic library. Which, come to consider it, is definitely the title of a Whisky Company bottling collection – guys, I believe you missed a trick right here!
SGP: 561 – 90 factors.

Borderies D65-A54 (56.7%, Grosperrin for C. Dully Choice, cask #A1, 2019)
Needs to be from 1965. I am additionally a giant fan of Borderies cognacs. Color: vivid bronze. Nostril: an exquisite mixture of jellied citrus fruits, flower honeys and mulchy earthy tones. Additionally issues like previous shoe leather-based, cabinet spices, yellow plums and mineral oils. Tremendous complexity within the nostril. With water: peaches, pressed flowers, pollens and tinned apricot in syrup. Nonetheless splendidly luscious and vibrant. Mouth: nice arrival, highly effective and assertive on wooden spices, dried herbs, preserved darkish fruits, hardwood resins, furnishings oils, lanolin and natural cough medicines. Wormwood, orange oils, fruit liqueurs and crystallised unique fruits. Beautiful! With water: actually good now! An exquisite mixture of wooden spices, natural extracts, resinous crystallised fruits, honeys and pollens – virtually a 1965 Glen Grant! End: lengthy, completely natural, medicinal, intricately earthy, syrupy and extra of those resinous unique and citrus fruits. The aftertaste specifically turns into virtually embarrassingly unique. Feedback: excellent previous Cognac that nods in so some ways to nice old skool Speyside malts.
SGP: 661 – 91 factors.

Otard 21 yo 1929/1950 (70 proof, Grants of St James, French Brandy)
One other public sale acquisition of mine. There’s nothing on the label saying ‘Cognac’ however having already sipped a couple of tipples from this bottle I’ve sturdy confidence. Additionally Grants of St James was a kind of posh London wine retailers that would really like not have bottled any previous tat. Curiously the label states: “This brandy was shipped in 1930 and was bottled by Grant’s of St James after being held in cask for 21 years. A big amount of the unique cargo was misplaced throughout this era as a consequence of evaporation, and the rest has developed into an impressive brandy with a mellow bouquet.” How very cool that they would supply such element again in 1950! Color: deep gold. Nostril: riddled with fruit jams and preserves, feeling virtually sticky with them and exhibiting great focus. Wildflowers heavy with pollens and nectars, citrus marmalades, peach syrup, melon and flower honeys. The freshness is simply wonderful, it is feeling virtually playful. Mouth: these sticky preserved fruits, cordials and syrups are entrance and centre on arrival. Pears and peaches baked with spices, extra flower honeys, mentholated tobacco, eucalyptus oil, lemon verbena and baked apple that makes you suppose briefly of previous Calvados. End: lengthy, completely resinous and exhibiting firmer spicy and peppery tones now, surprisingly highly effective and natural within the aftertaste. Feedback: one other sensible previous Cognac/brandy that appears to completely shine in relative youth.
SGP: 651 – 91 factors.

Maison Prunier Petite Champagne 1919 (43%, OB)
Color: coppery gold. Nostril: one other degree solely. On deeply scented unique fruits – mango, papaya and guava – with many additional notes of bergamot, dried flowers, mentholated herbs, lemon peel, peaches and even issues like previous materials. Fairly astonishing freshness and element. Mouth: the factor is, the label says 43%, however I’ve an e-hydrometer at hand which tells me 45% and it actually feels that approach on the palate. That is beautiful and completely highly effective. Fruit salad syrups, winter spices, lemon verbena, natural wines and a gloriously resinous honey profile. Additionally quince jelly, hessian and even lanolin. Excellent energy, texture and focus of flavour. End: lengthy, warming, stuffed with peppers, honeys, wooden resins, natural liqueurs and fruit nectars. Feedback: a real previous glory that we’d even name ‘previous type’ Cognac. What I really like is that it clearly is not a very previous distillate, most likely round 30 years previous, and but the freshness and complexity and vibrancy of the flavours is uniformly great all through.
SGP: 651 – 93 factors.

Grand Superb Champagne Cognac 1865 ‘Superb Outdated Liqueur Brandy’ (OB, -/+ Forties)
A really previous bottle I purchased lately at public sale. Color: deep mahogany. Nostril: extraordinarily scented with furnishings oils, hardwood resins and beeswax polish. Additionally some historic leather-based, over-extracted mint tea after which this seemingly large natural side that retains constructing and constructing. You may be nosing some Nineteen Fifties Fernet Branca combined with cola syrup. In all probability riddled with boisé I’d guess – to the purpose of being excessive. Mouth: certainly, excessive is the phrase. It is not a lot like previous Cognac as like chewing herbs, grasses, gentian and liquorice roots and issues like angelica, woodruff, wormwood and wintergreen. Belle Epoche Absinthe with flip of the century American root beer! Psychological! Having mentioned all that, it isn’t ‘unenjoyable’, it is simply that you should like natural bitters. End: fairly lengthy simply by advantage of this excessive herbaceousness. Medicines, gentian, liquorice and angelica as soon as once more. Feedback: a helpful, and humbling, reminder that not all these previous pre-phylloxera Cognacs are vintage glories. Fascinating to attempt however undeniably smothered by boisé and who is aware of what different components. Additionally, who is aware of what has occurred to this bottle throughout the intervening a long time? One other humorous historic oddity that’s not possible to attain in any significant approach. In any case, as a natural bitter it is truly excellent 😉
SGP: 582 – 65ish factors.

Domaine du Clos Michelet Superb Champagne 1865 ‘Reserve Unique’ (OB, 1/2 bottle, -/+ Nineteen Fifties)
A humorous wee half (or third?) dimension bottle that I additionally nabbed at public sale lately. Let’s have a look at how rather more cash I’ve wasted. (Thank God, Lucy doesn’t learn Whiskyfun!) Color: deepest mahogany as soon as once more. Nostril: we’re comfortably in safer territories right here. Deeply earthy and mulchy although. Traipsing via an enormous cigar humidor in an historic Tokaji cellar. Some pretty notes of candy tobacco, darkish chocolate cocoa, century previous balsamic, pure tar extracts and fir wooden resins. Definitely has that pronounced rustic, very old skool edge which I discover typical of many pre-phylloxera Cognacs. Buried inside all this dank cellar should and rancio there are glimmers of blood orange and candied prunes. Mouth: you possibly can inform there’s sugar at work right here too, but it surely’s way more balanced by roots, earths, tender natural resins, wormwood and plenty of thick rancio notes. Liquorice root, eucalyptus bark, sturdy natural teas, aniseed and even a wee nodule of kumquat. Additionally numerous candied citrus peels. Excellent and intensely decadent – which is not possible to be in opposition to. End: medium, mulchy, tender pipe tobacco notes, bitter chocolate, inexperienced Chartreuse and delicate wooden spices. Feedback: ‘previous type’ in Cognac can imply extra rustic kinds of distillate, but it surely appears it may well additionally imply way more aggressive deployment of boisé. This one is way extra balanced, with no scarcity of magnificence, but it surely’s additionally not good both. You’ll be able to really feel there is a extra pure historic spirit inside longing to get out.
SGP: 561 –  87 factors.