A visit to Pasquet and a spread of cognac

Ryan's Notes


Let's continue on our trip through France. So far we've had a trip to Navarre and dinner with the owners of Bertrand. There are some other cognac houses we visited that we will talk about at some point, but at the heart of this visit to Cognac was our stay with Amy and Jean Pasquet.  They were our hosts, our translators, our navigators, and our tour guide all in one.  Aside from the pleasure of spending time with them and their family, we did tour their property and cellar.

Things I learned:

• The Pasquets are growing their grapes using entirely organic methods, trying to do their part to be environmentally conscious in an area riddled with pesticide use.  
• Jean's father still assists in distillation each season.
• There will be a 100% Folle Blanche Pasquet produced release in the future, which really highlights the difference in flavor profile from an Ugni Blanc cognac.
• Having had the opportunity to taste several different eaux-de-vie side-by-side, two of which were from the very same grape harvest, it is amazing just how much of a skill and art it is to produce a quality distillate and how different the eaux-de-vie tastes in a side-by-side tasting.  
• Transparency is important to the Pasquets. On each bottle label there is a code. At the most left is LXX which designates the year of distillation and this is followed by a date on the right which signifies when it was bottled.
• You can pretty much count the amount of producers in the region that don't have contracts with one of the three big labels on two hands. Pasquet is one of them. 
• Amy and Jean's relationship building, exposure for small producers, and work as non-contracted growers is important work for the integrity and future of cognac. 

The most memorable moment of the entire trip? It might be in the photo below. I think it was at this moment where Jean was pouring some of their Tres Vielle Reserve from their 3rd and final cask to be bottled. It struck home to me just how lucky and fortunate we were to be drinking any cognac, let alone one passed down from the previous generation that was so old its actual age is unknown.  A spirit that depends on the success of so many variables from quality oak casks, to methodical distilling methods, to the most important of all, a good harvest.  It struck home how it all comes back to the grapes.  While tasting through the Pasquet's core range I asked Amy if there were plans to set casks aside for older stock and to start expanding past the 10 year range (a very good youthful and fresh cognac, by the way).  I am going to paraphrase here, but the answer was very plan and simple: No, they can't.  They produce from what they grow and there just isn't enough to expand beyond the demand of the current lineup (the upside to this is the motivation for the L'esprit de Famille label and traveling to private cellars to find the hidden gems that would otherwise end up in a Hennesy or Martell blend).  Another point to take away is that there is a distillation season. Brandy isn't like the whiskey world where distillation goes on pretty much year round, pumping out hundreds of thousands of barrels worth of commodity crop distillate.  In the brandy world, eaux-de-vie distillation is only as productive as the harvest that precedes it.  So yea, this stuff is special.

Pasquet vines

Tasting Notes

I'm going to go through some notes on a handful of releases here. The majority of these are cognacs coming from different small producers throughout the region that have been uncovered by Amy and Jean and released through the Pasquet label.  Again, we're fortunate to have transparency here. The L'esprit de Famille line, if it is news to you, is all about transparency and sharing the stories of small cognac producers and how these unique spirits ended up in our bottle.  We'll finish with the most recent Tres Vielle Reserve. The last remaining cask of "old" Pasquet produced cognac.  A real treat.

L'Esprit de Famille "Le Cognac de Bernadette" 
44.8%

1974 vintage

Nose: Peach and strawberry, caramel, sweet bubble gum

Taste: Strawberry, cream, honey, and then slightly medicinal - cherry halls lozenges.
Finish: is a bit farmhousy, a bit musty, a bit medicinal.

I find this one to be different and interesting in a great way. Not just interesting, though. Also very good.

B+

 L'Esprit de Famille "Le Cognac de Jean" 
49.6%

"a blend of 1969 and 1977 eau-de-vie from Jean Biais"

Nose: A relatively light nose. menthol, floral notes, citrus - tangerine, a denser sweetness - buckwheat honey
Taste: Grapey, obvious - but there it is. Milk chocolate. Honey. Berries. Citrus Zest. Syrupy mouthfeel.
Finish: Slightly mushroomy, musty. Like walking through an old dank cellar. Syrupy cherry notes. There is some bite on the back of the tongue as the oak comes through.

A cognac with heavy flavors that almost brings you to the dark cellar I imagine it rested in for so many years. Justin mentioned it as rustic to me, and that resonates. Another one that falls in the interesting category. It's a counterpart to the freshness that we sometimes get with cognacs of this age.

B+

"Jean" 1995 / cask selection for T5C and friends
50.3%

A younger cognac from the same producer, Jean Biais. This was a cask that Justin, myself, and a few others selected and at the time of tasting there was one note that stood out to me - chocolate. 

1995

Nose:  caramel, nuts - peanuts, pecans, spiced chocolate,
Taste:  Chocolate pudding, figs, raisins. Caramel.   In the finish we have Mexican melting chocolate, cinnamon sugar.  Some more sweetness from those figs.

This is a rich candy bar cognac.  Buckets of chocolate. No sharp edges to this one.  It has a soft and lush mouthfeel and dark sugars that make you wonder whether to keep drinking it from the glass or just to pour it over a bowl of vanilla ice cream. 

No grade

1973 L'esprit de Famille "Le Cognac de Andrè"  / cask selection for Aficionados   
50.3%

A cognac that when bought was originally resting in a large format cask. Upon purchase was split into two smaller casks. The first of which is being bottled for the upcoming L'esprit de Famille release. A portion of the other cask went to the online spirit group "Aficionados". 

Nose: Dense and deep oak aroma.  Some chocolate  and caramel. Figs. Earthier notes of leather.
Taste: Just as dense as the nose suggest. Dark fruit sugars up front. Cherry, figs. Followed by passion fruit. Some chocolate sauce in here, too. Followed by warming spices - ginger, white pepper, and I swear a slight hint of chipotle.
Finish. A strong transition from sweet to umami. A slight funk, musty oak. Slightly overripe fruit. This is all good, though.  It works.

This is big cognac. Far from typical with plenty of depth and layers of flavors. Both sweet and savory represented here. Well done all around.

A-

1992 cask selection for Aficionados
61.4%

All I know about this particular cask is that it comes from a small producer whose last name is Brisson and has cellars in both Petite Champagne and Fins Bois.  This particular release comes from Petite Champagne.


Nose: Standard dark fruits - plums and raisins, brown sugar and pungent oak

Taste: Very heavy on the brown sugar. Chocolate covered fruits - raisins, currants, plums.  A nice tartness there.  Towards the finish there is some slightly rough oak spice.  Also some light notes of wood polish and bitter walnut.  There's a sharpness on the finish that lingers with all of that brown sugar.

This is downright sugary and there's also a certain roughness to it that almost makes me think of cask strength bourbon.  It's easy for me to see how this will be a hit with some. I don't find it very complex, but it's an enjoyable cognac that leans more towards the heavy sugars. 

B

Tres Vielle Reserve (#3 / 2019)
44%

From Amy - "the TVR is age unknown cognac (found by JLP in 1970 marked as “tres Vieux cognac” or very old Cognac) and 1972 and 1974. "

Nose: It is amazing how a cognac so old can smell so fresh. We have lots of tropical fruits here.  Mango, kiwi, passionfruit.  Candied citrus peel.  Cherries.  Fragrant oak.
Taste: This is immediately juicy. Tart citrus - navel and blood orange. Also mango and kiwi. Mouthfeel is slightly syrupy coating the tongue with these fresh fruits. Towards the finish there is some lightly drying oak. Crystallized ginger.  Citrus peel.
Finish: A long finish.

A stunningly fruity, age defying and knockout cognac.

A
 

New Blogger - Patrick

To expand the blog, keep things moving, and add more diversity to the reviews, Patrick will be joining us on this site. He is Kentucky boy with bourbon roots that has recognized that promise with Cognac (and brandy in general). He's also got a decent palate and good taste in Scotch!

We look forward to his brandy reviews! 

Prunier 1969 Grande Champagne 54.5%

I’m checking out the Prunier vintage-dated 1969 Grande Champagne today. Prunier is a really old negociant, i.e. independent bottler, that's been around since the 1700s. They source cognacs from all regions and seem to be well respected within the cognac community. They have their own aging facilities and even a paradise cellar! I don’t think Prunier currently has distribution in the United States (but I may be wrong); however, they did have distribution in the past and dusty(ish) bottles of Prunier can be found on shelves from time to time. The Prunier range consists of the typical VS, XO et al., a few fancy decanters with uber-aged brandy, and true vintage dated cognac. It’s the last category that I’m interested in.

I’ve noticed that Prunier has a large footprint in Europe - especially the Scandanavian countries - and that a large portion of their bottles land in viking territory. Watching those guys move from opening one vintage dated Prunier to another and so on really piqued my interest. So I conjured up the cash  and splurged on this 1969. It wasn’t cheap by any measure - about $450 to my door - so this was an expensive buy to go in blind. Here’s what I think:

Nose: Neccos candy and menthol...there is a sweet / herbaceous thing going on here...also plenty of eucalyptus, crushed daisy flower petals, coffee grounds, and a slight note of caramel candies.

Palate: it has a nice silky texture...the palate is initially sweet, nutty, and then quickly turns bitter...Roasted almonds, tobacco, and apple juice jump out at me. After that initial wave it becomes a bit spicy, with allspice and cardamom coming to mind. The oak is definitely present and the palate is not incredibly complex.

Finish: decent length...the spices really dominate towards the end.

Grade: B

Final Thoughts: This is a decent cognac. But when we start talking about QPR it’s pretty apparent that it’s not $450 good - not even close. I don’t feel ripped off. Instead, I consider this a “learning experiment." Also, this is a single vintage cognac from a single producer from an independent bottler, one that is (and has been) doing really interesting things with cognac for quite some time. So while I won’t be buying another Prunier 1969, it’s not fair to pass judgement on all Prunier bottlings and I DO think I’ll end up buying other vintage dated Pruniers in the future...probably a few.

Bertrand XO, Heritage, and Ye Olde Schoole

Ryan's Notes



Here's a three part review looking at a lineup of cognacs from Bertrand.  The Bertrand property is located in Petite Champagne where they maintain 82 hectares of land, growing both Ugni Blanc and Colombard grapes to be used in their eaux-de-vie.  Much of their grape production is contracted out to the larger labels, but we are fortunate that the Bertrand brand exists today, and as such we get to enjoy their own cognac expressions, which are produced solely from grapes grown on their propery.

While in France I had the pleasure of sharing dinner with Seph and Thérèse Bertrand, which was special as Justin and I were awaiting the arrival of our Bertrand cask selection and they were a relatively unknown cognac house to me.  Distribution is limited and in the past it's been challenging to find their cognac, even when searching the standard overseas online shops.  My impression upon meeting Seph and Thérèse is that they are two people passionate about their product and brand, and who truly enjoying meeting and interacting with other cognac enthusiasts. They shared their story of hosting some Norwegian enthusiasts at their property and that while tasting cognac straight from the cask they were encouraged by these enthusiasts to bottle a particularly excellent cask of old cognac.  This would be the first time that they had considered the idea of a single cask and cask strength selection.  So they went ahead and bottled it.  That release is the second one reviewed below and was aptly named Heritage as it contains eaux-de-vie produced by Thérèse's grandparents in the 1960s.  A true "heritage" bottling.  The first cognac reviewed is their XO, a part of their core lineup.  A blend of eaux-de-vie aged around 35 years old and bottled at 40%.  The third cognac reviewed is another older eaux-de-vie and similar to the Heritage, a "succession" cognac, meaning it is one of several casks once set aside to age untouched with the intention of being sold off in retirement.  This one is thought to be well over 60+ years old now, possibly 70+ years old, although the exact vintage is unknown.   This was presented to Justin and others in Chicago as a potential cask selection and it instantly impressed the group.   I feel truly lucky that we are able to taste cognacs such as these today which represent the history of a family run house dating back to 1731.




Bertrand XO
Blend of eaux-de-vie around 35 years old
40%

Nose: A nice dynamic nose. Lots of different fruit notes - currants, raisins, guava, orange peel. It shows its age, as well, with some wood varnish and old cabin notes.

Taste: Green apples, cherries, jolly ranchers, almost a sticky sweetness. The sweetness transitions into a slightly more complex and punchier finish that lets us know it's not a young spirit.  Reminiscent of sweet vermouth. Light bitters, walnuts. Very little of the typical oak spice, but rather that sweet astringency we often find in older cognacs.

This is an excellent cognac that hits a lot of the right marks for a producer's core lineup XO. The mouthfeel is a bit light, but it is sweet, complex, layered, and easy to enjoy.  I'm impressed.  I can only hope that we see distribution expand so that this cognac is more readily available in the future.  As always, I would appreciate being able to save a few $$ and purchase the cognac without the fancy decanter. It is a beautiful presentation, though.

B+



Bertrand Heritage
500 bottles
49.2%

Nose: Lots of fresh fruit and honey up front. Caramel, apple cider and lime.  Candied pecans, as well.

Taste: Sweet, jam/stewed type concentrated fruits - grape, asian pear,  cherries and caramel. Mixed in with the fruits there is vanilla pods. More fruit as it transitions on the palate, slightly more towards citrus - sugary lemon and lime.  In the finish there's some notes of wood varnish, sweet tobacco and walnut bitters. A long finish on polished oak and fruit syrups. 

Overall: This is a stunning cognac.  It's all the right things - it's rich, shows multiple layers of sweetness, complexity from the oak comes through.  Would I peg it as a 60+ year old cognac? I'm not sure, probably not... but it's delicious, nonetheless.

A


Bertrand - Ye Olde Schoole
274 bottles
51.5% ABV

Nose: A complex nose. Very nutty - walnuts and almonds. Deep sweetness -  honey and peaches.  A bit floral. Leather, musty cabin full of old library books.

Taste: A lush mouthfeel. Melted spiced chocolate jumps out right away. Fruits now. Sweet and slightly tart. Juicy. Kiwi, grapefruit. This is unique.  Jammy delicate fruits - raspberry, apricots - more milk chocolate, caramel.  It finishes on spiced chocolate.

Overall: This is a luscious rich candy bar cognac.  Like the Heritage, I think it drinks younger than its 60+ years, but it is a gorgeous spirit presenting layers of complex sweetness.  The rich chocolate notes balance out all the fruits and distinguish it from the Heritage, which I find to be a bit more singularly fruit focused.  It is one that impresses me in that it continues to reveal more to me each time I pour another glass.

No grade for this cask selection, but suffice it to say that I like it quite a bit



An excellent trio of cognac!  The XO and Heritage are both available at online stores cognatheque and cognac-expert.

Navarre "Souvenir Impérial", 40%

Ryan's Notes



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-

Jacques Estève "Excellence" 43%

Ryan's Notes



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

1977 Domaine de Mounisson Armagnac (Fitte et Laterrade)

A review from Ryan



Late last year a handful of single cask Armagnac were released in the US through Astor Wines & Spirit by a bottler named Fitte et Laterrade. Another negotient searching the country side looking for worthy brandy to put in a bottle with their name on it.  Tough job but somebody has got to do it.  This Armagnac comes from Domaine de Mounisson in Ténarèze and is a 1977 vintage bottled at 41 years of age and at 41.7%.

Here are the notes:


Nose: Honey dipped apples, strawberry, apricot. Jammy. Touch of smoke, but we're primarily in sweet fruits.

Taste: Soft entry of mixed berries and stone fruits. Peaches, apricot. Sweet fruit reductions. Caramel. Some toasted oak as we move towards the back.

Finish: Very little drying oak. Just more rich fruit sugars. Peach syrup. Just a touch of herbal astringency to remind this did actually spend some time in oak. It really all goes down very easily.

Overall: This is great. Mouthfeel is soft and inviting, but not in an underproofed way. The syrupy fruit notes are a highlight. It is not the most layered and complex spirit but finds its niche in being a very drinkable and enjoyable armagnac.  The price is a bit steep at $195 and can still be found at Astor Wines.


Solid B+

1988 Château de Léberon, 44.9% (selection by Beast Masters/PM Spirits)

Ryan's Notes



This is a selection by a spirit enthusiast group called the Beast Masters Club and PM Spirits.  It is a 1988 vintage armagnac from Château de Léberon. Bottled at 44.9%, 30 years old and dark as night. Another one of those cool producers that ages their brand in oak harvested from the trees on their property. A combination of Ugni Blanc and Colombard grapes used in their production.

Nose: The nose promises a lot. Dark sticky molasses, walnut liqueur, lacquer, stewed fruits - plums, strawberries, light hints of tobacco.  I'm not a glass fanatic, but it's a nose that really opens up nicely in a larger glass like a canadian glencairn.

Taste: It starts off sweet and actually a bit juicy. Spiced chocolate pudding.  Thick sugars of stewed raisins, plums, figs, cherries, citrus.  Chewy mouthfeel. Lots of herbal bitters. Angostura. Actually a bit manhattan-esque. 

Finish: Tobacco leaves. No surprise we have some more lacquer and spicy oak notes that follow through in the finish.   Those dark fruits still linger underneath the oak. 

The profile doesn't change too much with the addition of water, but perhaps softens the dryness and offers a touch more sugars.

Overall: Overall this is both thickly sweet and drying at the same time.  With how dark this armagnac is I picked up a bottle of it thinking it would be way heavy on the oak for my tastes.  If you've read any of my reviews it's no secret that I love oak only in modest balanced doses. Well, I'm glad I grabbed a bottle as it's balanced nicely and a great brandy.  Just excellent.  It's full of complexity and the finish sticks around forever.  A really nice selection.   Well done.

A-

COMANDON SINGLE CASK 1977 THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE 59.7%

Thanks to a unwelcomed mid-April winter storm (let’s call it a midwesternr’), my social media feeds have been blown up with Game of Thrones themed posts. “Winter is coming...winter is NEVER leaving...I think I just saw the Night King having a pint at Revolution Brewery.” So I figured what better time than now to try this heater of a cognac - the LMDW TTGV 1977 Comandon - which weighs in at 59.7%.

The Comandon is from the Borderies cru, the smallest (acreage wise) of the regions. The history with Comandon is pretty interesting. They are an old house that used to produce cognac but currently they operate as an independent bottler. I imagine that since the label on this LMDW TTGV says “Comandon” that Comadon produced this cognac...but I also wonder if there is a chance it was merely purchased from Comandon by TTGV and produced by another house. Unlikely, but maybe? I guess I’ll have to look for some timelines and google a little more extensively (GoT is on in 15 minutes so I’m a bit limited time-wise right now). The Comandon website has a lot of info on the house and the link is provided below.

On to the review...

N: chocolate covered raspberries, canned peaches, apricot...a little cinnamon and coriander hiding in there, too.

P: Initially a sweet and creamy palate...apricots, peaches and cream...then baking spices and some herbal qualities like green tea...There is a little heat strikes it off-balance a little - not awful but definitely noticeable. The palate reminds me of a Frapin 89 I had, but with more oomph (since its cask strength). Aside from helping the baking spices pop more, a little water just muted the other flavors rather than teasing them out.

F: has a very nice length with a little burn...a little pleasure and pain commingled that booze masochists wont mind.

Thoughts: This is not a bad cognac by any measure. Serge gave this a lowly 79 points, which in my mind is a death-kiss score (at least by his measure). I have to respectfully disagree and say this is definitely a decent bottling. If it was still around at retail I would snag a bottle for myself (this was part of a bottle split with amigos).

Grade: B Plus

https://www.comandon.com/

Jean Fillioux XO Cognac Premium Barrel # 96 100% Ugni Blanc 45%

Here’s a quick review of a new(sh) Jean Fillioux single barrel released in the USA. It was selected by “Heavenly Spirits” and I think it’s seeing distro in a couple of states, limited to 240 bottles. The elevated proof and barrel number are definitely shiny objects that will draw the eyes of whisky drinkers. I do not know if there are any additives in this particular bottling, but per the Norwegian website, other Jean Fillioux bottles do have elevated sugar levels (I linked the Norwegian page below). However, in the grand scheme of things, they don’t appear to be the worst offenders when it comes to adding sugar. Lets see if this bottle gives me a toothache...   


N: very “cognacy,” like when non-cognac drinkers refer to cognac...this really walks the middle of the road with one foot on the sweet side and the other stomping on flowers...apricots, roses, prunes and peaches...vanilla, bamboo stalk, and these weird old timey candies I got at an old timey general store in an old timey town when I was a kid (don’t ask for more details - it’s one of those olfactory memories that have stuck with me for 30+ years)

P: the apricots really translate from the nose, along with melons, custard, flower stems, marshmallows, and some other stuff...nothing really jumps out ahead, just a nice balance of flavors that are neither showy nor offensive. 

F: decent medium length, doesn’t last forever but doesn’t flee right away, either.

Comments: This bottle is fine. If we were playing dodgeball and picking teams, this bottle would probably get picked in the very middle of the selection - it’s not going to change the outcome of the game but it’s also not going to tank your team. For what it is I’d say it’s overpriced ($125 retail) by about $50, but its not like there are many more similar cognac options stateside right now. 

Changing gears a little, I want to say that the Fillioux estate looks beautiful and I love that their cognac is a family affair. Check out the Heavenly Spirits link below for some fantastic pictures and more details on Fillioux offerings.

Grade: B

Additives: https://www.vinmonopolet.no/vmp/search/?q=fillioux

US Distro: https://www.heavenlyspirits.com/products/cognac/jean-fillioux/

1994 Gilles Sarraute Bas Armagnac, 43.5%

Ryan's Notes




1994 Gilles Sarraute

The name on the label is Gilles Sarraute, but according to Astor Wines, the producer is Domaine Camille Sarraute. Either way, not a whole lot comes up when I do a search on this producer. Anybody have any info? Please share in the comments!

One interesting detail: according to Darroze, Gilles Sarraute has been overseeing grape production at Domaine de Salié for the past decade.  There's another familiar name that is related to this domaine that some armagnac and more specific L'encantada fans may recognize: Le Frêche.

So, now that we've got that fairly exhaustive overview of this producer out of the way, let's move on to the tasting.

  
Nose: Fairly straightforward nose that doesn't give too much away. Some fresh fruit. Berries. Orange liqueur. There's also almonds, leather, some bitter chocolate.

Taste: Oranges, lemons, caramelized sugars.  Very juicy upfront.  It transitions to some heavier notes of burnt caramel, milk chocolate. More fruit. Strawberries and cream. Towards the finish there's a sweet nuttiness - like candied roasted nuts. Some more typical oak notes of light tannins, wood polish.  The fruits and tannins all come together really nicely.

Overall: This is a juicy armagnac with enough sweet complexity to keep it interesting.  There is a balance from the oak that comes through in the finish, but we aren't even close into "oaky" territory.  I find this style very enjoyable.  It's fresh which is always a plus for me.  This is available from Astor Wine for $115. Worth grabbing one, especially if there's a 15% off sale.

B+

1994 Fanny Fougerat (Through the Grapevine), 52.8%

Ryan's Notes




Quick thanks to Justin for keeping things going while I battled an epic head cold that just didn’t want to go away.

This is a review of a 1994 vintage cognac coming from Fanny Fougerat.  It was bottled by the La Maison Du Whisky label - Through the Grapevine - which highlights single cask, cask strength, vintage cognac from small producers.  We’ve reviewed some of these TtG releases in the past. There have been some true gems in there (Lot 87 Remi Landier (A-), ‘71 Francois Voyer (A) ). After Master of Malt discontinued shipping to the US, these bottles became even more difficult to obtain.  Recently, a handful of TtG bottles were brought into the US market, thanks to the work of Kate Perry, who is the North American Market Manager for LMDW & Velier.

So, who is Fanny Fougerat? Like so many of the small houses, they only sold their cognac to the big labels for many years. It was only in 2013 that they first began releasing cognac under the Fanny Fougerat label.  Their production is split between two regions - Fins Bois and Borderies with 30 hectares of Ugni Blanc vines.  All of their cognac is distilled on site. From what I’ve gathered they bottle their cognac without additives, and their official bottlings range in proof from the traditional 40% up to a more respectable 44%.

This particular cognac is from their Borderies grapes (some really wonderful fresh fruit-forward cognac has been produced in this region - I’m thinking of the 1974 Giboin (A-) ).

The details:

Producer: Fanny Fougerat
Distilled: 1994
Region: Borderies
ABV: 52.8%

The tasting notes:

Nose: Honey, floral, heavy on walnuts, some caramel, sawdust 

Taste: There’s an initial hit of juicy sweetness. Loads of citrus and green apple. Also bittersweet cocoa, caramel. Brown sugar. The mouthfeel is thick and even slightly sticky. More tart fruit. tangerines, grapefruit, and sticky candied apples.   Lots of thick sugars in this cognac. 

Finish: A slightly medicinal twist on the finish with wood polish, propolis, echinacea. I like this. It starts off very traditional and ends with a more challenging set of flavors.  There is enough lingering sweetness with the layered complexity that continues to invite you to take another sip.

Thoughts:  This is a cognac I keep coming back around to and continues to reveal more layers with each visit. I’m a fan and hope there is more to taste from Fanny Fougerat. Are some of these small houses a one stop show never to be seen again? I hope note. No regrets on this purchase. It was around $150 at K&L.

B+/A-, but let's say a strong B+

Bourgoin Cognac Brut de Frut 22 Year 55.3%

Here’s a quick review of a brandy from Bourgoin Cognac, a small grower/producer located in the Fins Bois region (at least from what I can tell looking at the AOC map). BC definitely caters to the whisky crowd by producing untainted, un-boised, un-sugared brandy. Their website even says “save whisky, drink Bourgoin Cognac.” At least they have a target market in mind. This review is of one of their cask strength offerings and can be found in some spots in the USA (mostly the left and right coasts).

On to the review (from a sample from a friend)...

N: a little new make’ish, like cedar, and also pears, dried mango, lychee, and no. 2 pencil.

P: the pears really pop, some light tropical fruits, almond slices (like the ones on a summer salad)...a little heat but its not too hot.

F: the pears and mango ride a wave of gentle heat until it’s gone.

Notes: this is a bright, fruity cognac...a summer brandy if you will. And I like that Bourgoin isn’t messing around with what goes into the bottle outside of the actual distillate. With that said, this one was dumped a little too soon despite 22 years in oak - it tasted young. And the pricing is pretty high (over 100 for a 375ml in some places). Overall, this teetered on the B / B+ line, but I can’t ignore the subtle heat (and pricing here in the States).

Grade: B

https://bourgoincognac.com/

“Mars” Domaine de Pouchegu for K&L Wines 49.6%

I’ve heard a few people say we are in a “golden age” for brandy. I don’t disagree. There are amazing bottles of cognac and armagnac that you can purchase right now without breaking the bank. It takes a little leg work, research, and an open mind with an equally open palate to figure out what brands to explore. But if you are making the effort today, I think you’ll be able to reflect on your exploration and purchases with a smile.

Yet, while we may be in a golden age, I don’t think we are in a brandy “renaissance.” Small houses - the places that have produced the best brandy I’ve consumed over the last year - are thinning. I fear that the the slowly changing landscape will chip away at the elements which currently make brandy the best pound-for-pound spirit on the market (rum and mezcal are not far behind). The increase in contract distilling due to big-house demand...the consolidation of vineyards...the cellar clearing and blending of liquid antiquities by big-houses...the end of legacy distillers...it's all part of a death by a thousand tiny cuts. I wonder if parallels can be drawn to other spirits? Hmmm...

Anyways, this review is of a bottle that potentially screams “golden age brandy” at you, the “Mars” Domaine de Pouchegu for K&L Wines. Domaine de Pouchegu is a small house armagnac producer. The details of this bottle are provided on the K&L site, which is linked below; David OG has a very nice and informative write-up. Unfortunately, the distiller, Pierre Laporte, passed away in 2013. One thing to note about this bottle is that the spirit, which is a distinguished 38 years old, was aged entirely in new oak.

Onto the review...

Nose: graham cracker, Hershey chocolate, rose petals, a hint of gourmet black licorice, and oak...a lot of oak.

Palate: dark, rich, and dense...this is a flavorful spirit. Oaky flavors and tannins jump right out, and behind the woody veil are a bunch of other tasty notes like blood orange, rum raisin, vanilla, coffee creamer, and a ton of other nuanced things I’m probably missing.

Finish: it has a real nice length and depth - it doesn’t last forever but it doesn’t leave after the first act, either...I'll say its medium-long???

Thoughts: I want to reiterate this is dark, rich, and dense (that could be a title to an Ohio Players song, I dunno). A word of caution here: you better be a woodchuck if you plan on snagging a bottle of this. The oak is very in-your-face. With that said, if you like chewing on toothpicks (I do), you might really like this bottle. I’m not oak-sensitive if that helps with interpreting this review. I primed the palate with the Lincoln Road L’Encantada “Le Freche” (A minus grade), and side-by-side, I slightly prefer the Mars - it’s richer, a tad more concentrated, and feels more mature. With that said, I don’t think the Mars deserves a better grade than the Le Freche. Instead, I’m giving the Mars the same grade. I guess all “A minuses” are not the same, which incidentally is something I learned while working as a teaching assistant in college. 

Grade: A minus

Link: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1390663

Jean-Luc Pasquet L'Esprit de Famille "Le Cognac de Bernadette" 44.8%

Following up from the earlier JLP “Jean” review, here is a review of the “Bernadette,” the other fall special release by JLP. Below is the story on the Bernadette:

“Le Cognac de Bernadette

In 1974, Bernadette Grimaud took over her father’s Bouteville, Grande Champagne vineyards.This bottle contains 500 milliners of a barrel of the eaux-de-vie that she distilled from her very first grape harvest that same year. At the time, she worked 15 hectares of Ugni Blanc vines. During her career as a wine-grower and distiller she went on to add three more hectares to the vineyards she inherited from her father, Gabriel, who, likewise, had followed in his own father’s footsteps.

Pierre Grimaud, Bernadette’s grandfather, had come to the Charente from the neighboring Deux-Sèvres department with his four brothers, in order to repopulate the Cognac region after the Phylloxera crisis forced many farmers off their land. In addition to tending his livestock, Pierre decided to replant grafted vines. The vineyards flourished and when Gabriel, Pierre’s son and Bernadette’s father, took the reins of the family business, he installed a pot still shortly after World War II. The 15 hectoliter still, modern for the time thanks to the auger system supplying the charcoal pellets to burn, is the one Bernadette used her entire career. Having no heir, she turned to a young Bouteville wine-grower to pick up where she left off.

Bernadette was a pioneer for women in cognac. Her mark remains in the finesse of the flavors contained in this bottle. The result of a manual harvest, native-yeast fermentation, small-pot still distillation, and maturation in a single cask until 2018, this cognac is remarkably elegant.”

Another great story and one thing of particular worth noting: this was distilled by a woman. The spirits industry tends to be a bit masculine and dominated by men seizing their family heritage and following their grandpappies traditions of making booze...seldom do we hear about a daughter taking over the means of production from her father. The gender landscape in spirits is definitely changing and women the likes of Rachel Barrie and Marianne Barnes are taking the helm of production at well known distilleries. But the keyword in the previous sentence is “changing.” Historically, there are not many stories about women being involved in the production process of spirits. That’s not the case with the the JLP Bernadette, which from my perspective makes this bottle pretty remarkable.

Lets put ‘Ole Bernadette's first swing at distillation under the microscope and see if she retained what she learned from her father…

Nose: sweet sugar candies jump out right away, including Smarties and Pixie Sticks...a bunch of citrus fruits including tangerines and grapefruits...nectarines show up, too...then there are some sweet floral qualities, too, like lilacs and honeysuckle...some muted blueberry underneath all of that.

Palate: it starts with less-citrusy citrus fruits, such mandarins...then melons (honeydew), nectarines, orange liqueur, vanilla, and a final rich, tannic-earthy thing I can’t put my finger on (horse saddle?)...It’s not too tanic or woody though, not at all, and the overall spirit is incredibly balanced and bright...the alcohol is almost non-existent, but that doesn't mean there is a lack of flavor - this is a great, complex spirit...it's something I can just let sit on the tongue and slowly drip into the back of my throat while the waves of flavor just keep crashing over my palate.

Finish: it just goes, and goes, and goes...still going....it ends with a nice bitter citrus note.

Thoughts: I love this bottle. I bought 4 more and might still need to get one or two more. It reminds me of the VT Tres Vieux Fins Bois (which I personally loved) but with a little more staying power...the finish and balance on this bottle gives it a slight edge, and since I gave the VT TV a A minus, the Bernadette gets an...

Grade: A


Vintage liquors and Cognac Expert have this in stock - definitely worth snagging at least one.

Jean-Luc Pasquet L'Esprit de Famille "Le Cognac de Jean" 49.6%

This fall, JLP released two different 500ml bottles sourced from casks they purchased. The stories that accompany these bottles are chock-full of French romanticism and family heritage - I love it. These days, so much gets lost in the wake of corporate spirits growth and acquisition, fictitious narratives about brand history, non-transparent sourcing, etc..."True" family stories about historical production and relationships, like the ones accompanying the "Jean" and "Bernadette," are fleeting. I like JLP - and what they bottle for that matter - and these releases are just another one of the reasons why I do.   

Here's the background straight from JLP:

Le Cognac de Jean is a blend of 1969 and 1977 eau-de-vie from Jean Biais, who was a fellow vintner, distiller, and our neighbor. 

Just after the Second World War Jean, who was originally from Cognac, married Mauricette Clavaud and began working with his father-in-law on the family’s Eraville property. Jean and Mauricette had about a dozen hectares of vines in Grande Champagne (Eraville) and Petite Champagne (Chateauneuf) as well as livestock in the beginning, but no distillery. Jean decided to install an eight hectoliter, wood and charcoal-burning pot still in 1960 and another 14 hectoliter one a couple of years later, after falling in love with the intricacies of the distillation process.

Jean was also passionate about the life of his village; he served on the mayor’s council for a number of years and founded the town social and hunting clubs. Beyond his involvement in his community, he was elected as the first president of the regional wine-growers’ union. He played an pivotal role, alongside Jean Brillet and Paul Hostaing, in negotiating the first contracts between vintners and the big cognac houses they supply. Since then, these agreements have become the norm.

After 40 years, Jean retired, leaving his 14 hectares of vines to his two daughters, Clairette and Josette, who continue to make cognac on the property today. Jean passed away in 2005 at the age of 84, but his legacy remains.

Our bottling of Le Cognac de Jean ties our two families together, and we are proud to pay tribute to our friend and neighbor. When Jean-Luc arrived in Eraville, it was Jean who welcomed him and helped guide him. Subsequently, Jean-Luc has aided Clairette in the cellars, actually blending these two vintages with her. This is a cognac of character, like the man who crafted it from grapes to eau-de-vie. Intensely spicy yet round, bursting with aromas of citrus, oak, and ginger, Le Cognac de Jean finishes in a warming black pepper fade.

Amazing! And with that, here is my take:

Jean-Luc Pasquet L'Esprit de Famille "Le Cognac de Jean" 49.6%

N: violets and red grapefruits initially - I'd call it an earthy citrusness - followed with some other sweet candy notes...with more air I just get more and more citrus (and some lemon)

P: there is some bitter citrus but it doesn’t pop as much as the nose (but its definitely not weak, either)...vanilla, sweet walnuts, rose petals, and a nice spicy/peppery quality...I’d call this farmy cognac but I heard someone describe this as "rustic" and I think that’s a better description

F: the citrus returns and then a final floral note bullies off all the other flavors resting on the palate...there’s nice length and no lack oomph

Thoughts: I like this and will pick up another bottle at some point. While it's not overly complex, it’s very tasty cognac and if you're a fan of brandies containing the notes I listed above you'll definitely dig this one. It actually reminds me of some of the good VT Petite Champagnes I've had. Overall, I like the JLP Tres Vieille a sliver more, so I'm giving the the JLP "Jean" a very solid...

Grade: B+

I'll review the second bottle from this series, the "Bernadette," shortly, but as a quick preview I'll mention that I immediately bought 4 more bottles of the Bernadette after trying it (and will probably buy one or two more)...It's a fantastic cognac and my first bottle is just about drained already. Both the Jean and Bernadette can currently be found at Cognac Expert and Vintage Liquors.