Not many brand ambassadors have a true personal stake in the product they endorse. If they are able to promote a brand and sell X amount of cases, cool…if not, maybe they get fired and move on to the next job. That is definitely not the case for Amy Pasquet. Coming from the “sticks” of North Carolina, she now resides in the “sticks” of France and is married to a Frenchman that just so happens to be the master distiller of Jean-Luc Pasquet Cognac…his name is Jean Pasquet – how coincidental! Unlike other brand ambassadors, if Amy doesn’t sell JLP Cognac, she doesn’t just get fired…she might end up in the “sticks” of some other country…kids and (unemployed) master distiller husband in tow.
I’ve been chatting with Amy and she’s been great. She’s really excited about her family’s brand beyond the marketing and believes that it is genuinely a good product. So, when Cognac Expert put a few of JLP’s high-end bottles on sale, I jumped on them.
Speaking of Cognac Expert, they recently wrote a nice informational piece on JLP Cognac, which is linked at the bottom of the page. The stripped-down version is that they are a family grower/producer house that owns the vineyards their cognac is produced from. Jean's father, named Jean-Luc, bottled the first JLP back in 1977. In the early 90s, there were some issues with the vineyards so they converted to organic agriculture methods. I am not sure what that exactly entails or if it really makes a difference in the flavor profile, but there is apparently a certification for it called “Agricultural Biologique,” which JLP obtained in 1998.
The two bottles I’m reviewing are the Nostalgie and the Tres Vieille Reserve 44.2%. The Nostalgie is a blend of multiple casks, distilled from 1991 until 2000. The TVR is the oldest cognac in the JLP range and is comprised of ~45 year old cognacs.
Nostalgie 45.6%
Nose: it starts with peach, honeydew, and green melon…then candied pecans and white chocolate…dried tobacco leaf, and rose petals
Palate: somewhat fat body, its more rich than fruity, with molasses and caramel hitting up front, then dates, brown sugar, cumin, and candied pecans (just like the nose), and a little cherry liqueur
Finish: a nice medium long finish that really grabs the side of the palate
Grade: A minus
Tres Vieille Reserve 44.2%
Nose: tropical fruits and herbs, like mint, sage, and clove…daffodils, too
Palate: creamy texture, this one is straight floral and fruity. It starts somewhat tropical with guava and papaya, with some minerally citrus (think Flintstone vitamins), and then shifts quickly to a nice floral sweetness, like violet and honeysuckle. There is also some wafer hidden in there.
Finish: thick and lingers, the finish is really great with this one.
Grade: A minus
Thoughts: These are incredibly different cognacs. Nostalgie reminds me of the K&L Maison Park 18 Year Old "Lot 18 Borderies (my favorite out of the K&L Maison Park picks), and it does everything that one does but better. The TVR is a really good, well-aged Grande Champagne cognac that hits on the fruits and flower notes. I liked them both quite a bit, and its hard to pick a winner. I don’t think one is better than the other quality wise. Based on my personal preference, I liked the Nostalgie a little bit more, but that’s just because I am really digging rich, decadent profiles right now as opposed to more fruity, floral profiles. These bottles were just opened, so I’m sure they will develop with air.
Good job Jean and Amy!
https://blog.cognac-expert.com/jean-luc-pasquet-cognac/
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