Jacques Estève is a 6th generation producer with 49 hectares located in Celles, in the Petite Champagne region. In fact the back label on this bottle indicates that the family has been growing grapes in the region since 1800. A long tradition. This is Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie and was aged in 350 liter casks. This particular release is a 1992 vintage, although due to the laws around being able to put a vintage on the label, they decided to just name this release "Excellence" and let the brandy speak for itself. Bottled at 43%. This particular bottle arrived in 2017, so about 25 years old, and they have been bottling it by hand to order. I learned on my recent trip to Cognac that the Jacques Estève brand will be coming to an end with the current generation of ownership, as the next generation plans to sell their remaining casks in bulk. That is sad news for us as we face the loss of another small cognac house.
Nose: A nose that is slightly dominated by oak - mainly some pungent spice and sawdust. Mixed in are some hints of peaches, plums, and honey.
Taste: There is some grape jam immediately on the palate. After the initial sweetness there's a slightly drying oak presence that comes through the palate. Still balanced by some sweetness, though. Spiced honey comes to mind. A lot of ginger and pepper. Overlaying the oak and spice are those light touches of stone fruits, as in the nose. Mainly plums, peaches, and nectarines. A little bit of chocolate and a light pecan nuttiness towards the back. The aromatic spices come through again in the finish, but what actually lingers beyond that are the fruit sugars.
Overall: It's a very nice cognac and like many of the cognacs we seek out, the quality is without question, high. Being critical for a moment, it's still a touch light at 43% and the fruits and oak spice seem to be a bit in contention with each other. It also lacks a bit of character to separate it from the pack. On the other hand, it's very enjoyable to drink, only costs $75 at Astor Wines and that makes this a great cognac with a decent proof to have on the shelf.
B
No comments:
Post a Comment