When I visited France last summer I promised Justin we'd check out Lheraud. How could I not? It was one of our gateway cognacs... I'm thinking specifically of a 1966 Fins Bois and a 1974 Grande Champagne. Two cognacs that I think would make a believer out of anybody. Their vintage selections might be where the glory is, but we shouldn't forget their less expensive but still impressive Charles VII. Lheraud also puts more attention to detail and aesthetics then any other producer I'm familiar with, and there's certainly a sense of grandeur to their whole presentation, especially with the vintage selections. Usually this would be a turn off to me, however my experience in drinking Lheraud cognac is that the quality of the vessel is often a reflection of the cognac inside it. This is maybe that rare case where the whole package is a welcome part of the experience, from the giant box, to the hand written letter, to the gorgeous bottle, to the excellent cognac inside of it - and I have to admit, I've become a sucker for it. With a visit to Lheraud on the books, I was curious at what to expect and I think what we encountered was perhaps partially what I was anticipating. From their pristine grounds to the immaculate cellars I almost felt like I was walking through a stage set for a cognac house rather than one that is actually functioning. It wasn't until after the tour was over that I realized we never even saw a still. That raised the question to me of whether or not they do actually produce their own cognac, although Justin and I have since found some photo evidence to suggest that they do distill. The tour was unlike any others that I experience on that trip, mainly because it felt like we were being shown the "bottle" instead of the "cognac". At any rate, we finally sat down for a tasting through their core range. It was at this point that I suggested the idea to our tour guide that perhaps a group of us enthusiasts here in the states might select a cask to have bottle especially for us. There was excitement at the idea and I was sent home with a few vintage samples. Two of them were fantastic, and one of them was a clear stand out, a 1973 Grande Champagne. We've since had a portion of this cask bottled for Legacy Brandy at 46 years of age and 48% abv. Tasting notes are below.
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| Pristine cellars full of very old cognac dating back to the 1800s |
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| Pristine cellars full of very old cognac dating back to the 1800s |
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| calligraphy station for handwritten notes inside each box |
Lheraud
1973 Grande Champagne
Bottled for "Legacy Brandy" on Feb 24, 2020
48%
Nose: Honey, raspberries, pecans, fresh citrus, tobacco leaves.
Taste: Immediate fruit sweetness with a thick honey viscousness that fully coats the tongue. Mixed berry jam - blueberry, strawberry, raspberry. Ripe apples dipped in honey. Candied orange. An almost cotton candy like sweetness. Transitions towards wood varnish, tobacco, cedar, white pepper, szechuan. There's a second wave of fruit - more towards tropical - passion fruit.
Some spirits take time to unfold their flavors and leave an impression, but this cognac makes its mark immediately with punchy rich fruit sugars and a mouthfeel that coats the tongue and sits heavy for its 48%. The influences of the oak are prominent but not even close to overbearing. We're at 46 years of age at the time of bottling, but I'm fairly certain that the sample we tasted to choose this cask was a bit younger. I've got to wonder how much longer this could have gone in the oak. It seems like it could've taken on another 20 years. On the other hand, it's rather perfect just how it is now.