On a recent trip to France I was fortunate to have been able to visit the cognac house of Jacky Navarre. Justin has previously written about a favorite of both of ours, Navarre's Vielle Reserve. It is a fantastic old cognac at a higher proof and is one of the better cognacs I've had the pleasure to own and drink. I was excited to see their domaine which was a really beautiful property. The house on the label is the very one you see when you enter their driveway. Like many of the other domaines I had the pleasure of visiting their production is quite small, as is their operation. One still. Bed for sleeping in while tending the distillation still present despite no longer relying on steady coals through the night. They have a long history of producing cognac that dates back to the 1800s. They have a warehouse full of old stock dating back 50, 60 years. No additives in their cognac. I learned recently that they used to only have the single Vielle Rerserve as their one and only release. A 35 year old blend, but 35 years here is the average age, so we've got some older stock in there. Jacky Navarre's motto at the time was "I'd rather do one thing well, than many things poorly". Today they have three offerings. The Vielle Reserve. A younger 20 year blend named Cravache d'Or, which I found to be just OK. Interestingly, unlike the two other offerings which have both spent more time in oak, this one is a bit too heavy on the oak and spice for my tastes. Lastly, Souvenir Impérial, a 50 year blend, again that is the average age. This is a newer release from them and it is naturally reduced down to 40%.
On to the tasting... Navarre Souvenir Impérial, 40%
Nose: Very aromatic, perfumey. If perfumes are made of tropical fruits and exotic woods. Papaya, mango, honey'd apples, ginger, sandalwood. Just slightly drying.
Taste: Immediately fruity. Papaya, passion fruit. Lots of guava. A touch of eucaplytpus mixed in. Fresh and lively.
Finish: More sandalwood and other exotic wood flavors. Walnut oil. An earthy umami note. Lingering oak sweetness.
This, to me, is well-aged Grande Champagne at its best. This reminds me of some of those excellent Grande Champagnes we've tasted from Vallein Tercinier and Lhéraud. Utterly fruity, but layered and complex through the finish. This is a touch light in body due to its 40%, but very rich in flavor. That's what we get with these cognacs that have naturally reduced over time. The body isn't dead in the water. For sure, light. But, what it lacks in mouthfeel it makes up for in its fullness of flavor. And I relate this almost to the difference of drinking espresso versus a pour over filter coffee. At the expense of body and mouthfeel, the precision and patience of a very good filter coffee often offers an impressive array of clarity and flavor. I think that's what we have here with a cognac like the Souveir Imperial. Another excellent offering from Navarre and deserves a spot on the shelf next to the Vielle Reserve. This isn't yet available in online stores anywhere, but will be released sometime soon. I paid around $100 for my bottle at Navarre, but expect it to be well north of $200 after being imported to the states. This bottle is worth the plunge, but I think we will see it pop up at a much more attractive price sometime soon over at online store, Premier Grand Crus.
strong A-
