Malternative "Avant" Cognac Borderies 1925 Belgium 49%

Today’s review is of a 1925 Borderies from Malternative, an independent bottler based out of Belgium (owned by Pieter Knape) focusing on bottling 30+ year cognacs. Honestly, it’s nice to see cognac get more attention from indie bottlers run by spirits geeks (outside of the Norwegians who were definitely first to the table and been in the cognac game for at least a minute). 

This bottling dates back to at least 1925 but is likely a tad older - when dealing with spirits this old records simply disappear into the void and bottlers have to rely whatever archival information they can find. It was obtained from a French family related to Rene Rivieres and distilled in the Borderies region. There are not a ton of Borderies options on the market which makes this bottling even more interesting. I will say that I don’t fall for what I call the “terroir trap,” meaning I don’t have strong preconceived notions about a cognac’s profile or quality solely based on where the grapes were grown...at least not yet. Ryan was messaging me the other day saying that he’s been noticing some distinctions between the regions and that there might be some truth to terroir profiling. 

With that said, onto the review…

N: plenty of fruits up front...apricots, citrus, and Trader Joe's dried mango strips...along with some confectionary baking spices, rose petal, and a decadent creamy note that I can’t put my finger directly on, but I want to say it reminds me of ChiChi’s fried ice cream (oh those childhood memories).

P: it's amazing how NOT oaky and fresh this is, even if it spent a substantial amount of time in a demijohn. The fruits from the nose translate to the palate (so apricots and mandrin)...the citrus takes on more of a creamy texture rather than the typical acidity notes, and I’d say the citrus flavors are similar to something you’d get from orange marmalade...there’s some sweet cereal notes hanging around in the background (I’ve been eating Honey Nut Chex so lets say that) and hints of green apples. 

F: very nice length, the whole experience is finished off with a mild smokey note that reminds me of burnt incense (like when it's finished burning and there are small wafts of char in the air that you can subtly taste).

Thoughts: This is a very nice cognac and checks all the boxes for what you’d look for - a standard setter. But with that said, there wasn’t that extra “wow” factor that would cause me to aggressively chase down a bottle. If I was drawing analogies, this bottle is more of a Scottie Pippen than a Michael Jordan. But remember that Pippen is a legend in his own right, and this bottle is fantastic. If I had a spare $400 would I buy one? Heck yeah I would. But this was an extremely limited release and tough to locate these days - so am I going to aggressively pursue one? Probably not.

Thanks Zac for the sample!

Grade: A Minus  

Navarre Cravache D'or Grande Champagne Cognac 45%

 

Here’s another cognac by way of PM Spirits. Ryan briefly reviewed this bottling while visiting the Navarre estate, but I think ultimately it was overshadowed by the incredibly intimate experience he had (Ryan kept telling me he couldn’t keep track of all the fantastic spirits he drank while in France). This is the youngest of the OB Navarres you can buy and is a blend of ~20 year cognac. PM Spirits was nice enough to send me a sample for review.

N: There’s tons of fruits here...mango, lychee, papaya...also getting some woodshop sawdust, citrus peel, and wax candy (orange Starbursts)

P: The body is rich...and waxy, not incredibly waxy but noticeably, indeed. Flavor-wise the mango jumps right out along with papaya, traces of orchard fruits, and pear skin...it also has one foot in white wine, perhaps a tad resiling-esque (I am by no means a white wine expert).

F: nice length and balance, there is literally nothing harsh or offensive about this spirit.

This is truly an everyday cognac. It's something I could drink in the morning, afternoon, or at night...I could drink it with friends, while reading a book, or relaxing and channel surfing on the couch. This is the very definition of “everyday” when spirits geeks refer to the word “everyday.” It’s priced at $150 which is a little more than I would like it to be, but at the same time it's not going to stop me from buying these (cough cough please stock these Binnys cough). To me, this is the Talisker 10 of brandy - something that will always have a place on my shelf...something I’ll take to the grandparents at Christmas...or on camping trips...or to parties attended by carefree drinkers. 

Grade: B+ (a high B+).

Corman Collins 50 Year Old Spanish Brandy

Review by Patrick:

Nose: Insanely dense. Sweet PX sherry smacks you in the face with rich chocolate and currant jelly. After a bit of air, some of that tart fruit comes in which reminds you that you smell a brandy and not just sherry.

Taste: Dark chocolate, almonds, dried apricot, dates. The mouthfeel is uncharacteristically thick for a brandy of this proof, which likely speaks to the amount of sherry influence

Finish: Coffee, toffee, licorice. Just a hint of green apple. It lacks in length but not bitter or unbalanced.

While not a surprise that this is a sherry head’s brandy, it’s worth noting that this is certainly a brandy and tastes nothing like heavily sherried malt. The whole experience is pleasant, though I do find myself wishing that both the distillate could speak more to me and that the finish lasted a little longer. All that said, I found the whole experience pleasant (as a sherried malt lover myself) without any glaring weaknesses.

B (for sherry lovers)

L’encantada Lous Mouracs 1983 Armagnac for Lincoln Road Package Store 48.6%

 

This bottling comes from the same Tenareze estate of the 1979 Mouracs that was distributed by PM Spirits...it’s just a little bit younger and bottled exclusively for Lincoln Road Package Store in Hattiesburg, MS. For the uninitiated, Lincoln Road is a fantastic independent liquor store that has some of the best barrel picks across many types of spirits; Jaimie Farris, the owner, knows his business. The cost is a tad over $200, so let’s see if it is worth it (TL;DR it most definitely is):

N: this is kind of reaching old Bernheim territory...Heath Bars and maple syrup and maraschino cherry liqueur, oh my! There’s some varnish’ish qualities along with some confectionary grape aromas, too.

P: Dense and rich with fantastic structure...great flavors all around! There’s toffee, chocolate covered coffee beans, cotton candy, and Faygo grape soda (whoop whoop).

F: Nice length with the fruit forward flavors continuing on and drowning out the rest as the party comes to its end.

Grade: A

I hate comparing brandy to bourbon, I mean I really really do. It casts a corn shadow over beautiful grape distillate which should otherwise be respected for what it is...and not be recognized on the basis that it shares some bourbon’ish traits. With that said, this bottling tastes like fantastic bourbon - like the bourbon of yesteryear that people irrationally chase with end-of-the-year bonuses and second mortgages. There is plenty of brandy character, too, which should please the burgeoning American brandy drinkers looking for good brandy (and not just bourbon-like brandy). This bottle is also completely different from the 1979 Mouracs; personally I prefer the 1979 but that comes down to preference and there is no distinctive quality difference between the two bottlings. I bought a couple of the 1983s, and I feel like maybe I should sell something to buy a couple more if they're still around.

L’Encantada Lous Mouracs 1979 Armagnac 50.6%

L’Encantada Lous Mouracs 1979 Armagnac 50.6%

This review is the result of free samples…FREE SAMPLES! To quote Steve Martin in The Jerk, “I’m somebody now.” Well, probably not, but its always cool to receive free stuff (what American doesn’t love Costco for that exact reason). I swear I’m not going to let that bias my opinion, however.

A few quick tidbits of info before the review. One, this spirit is insanely dark…probably one of the darkest spirits I’ve had (similar to the old Velier rums). Two, the importer / distro (PM Spirits) notes are posted below.

With that out of the way, to the opinions!

Justin’s notes:
N: nutty and sweet, some metallic notes show up with some blood orange citrus, too
P: walnuts, walnuts, and more walnuts...but not just the nuts, you get the bitter walnut skin...carob, ruby red grapefruit rind...beyond that oak, cigar box (like when you can taste smells), and a little raisiny sweetness
F: long, creamy...delicious

Justin’s grade: A. Easy A. Easy easy easy A. I Love it and glad I bought 3. History will remember this era of brandy as the golden era and this bottling is just another example of such. I hope they keep coming but I know they won’t, and I smile a little knowing people spend $1,000 plus on scotch / bourbon (cough cough Pappy cough) while I spend half that on multiples of bottles like this. Justified smugness I guess.

Ryan’s Notes:
Nose:  Big cherry notes, walnuts, exotic woods. Lots of what I’d call sugary oak (as opposed to drying oak).

Taste:  Sugary plums, currants, cherry jolly ranchers.  Thick brown sugar. There’s a medicinal sweetness. Manuka honey. Toasted walnut oil.  Adding to the medicinal profile are those awesome lacquer notes you get with the right kind of cask aging. We’re still swimming in oaky sugars, but it’s never drying.  The balance here is excellent  A long finish on tobacco leaves and medicinal cherry that just sticks around for days.

My wife nosed and tasted this one and looked at me and said “you must love this”. She’s right, I do.


PM Spirits Shelf Talker
“Lous Mouracs was a tiny estate in Tenareze, near the village of Larroque-sur-l'Osse. The vines that grew the grapes used to produce this spirit were torn up years ago, and the owner has since retired. On the 10 hectares of land, Ugni Blanc was the primary grape grown, with a small amount of Baco as well. The estate had two cellars – one very dry, one humid.
This single cask aged in the dry cellar, helping the spirit to develop nutty, balsamic-like characteristics. Additionally, this Armagnac spent all 39 years of aging in new, Gascon oak.”

Domaine du Manoir de Montreuil, Pays d'Auge Calvados

Ryan's Notes

We're switching gears and going to Calvados now and we're looking at a 1999 and 1984 vintage selection from Domaine du Manoir de Montreuil.  There's not a lot I can dig up on this producer.  They have very little internet presence beyond what I can find through their importer, Charles Neal.  The highlights: Run by the Giard family and located in the Pays d'Auge appellation of Calvados this is a family run outfit handed down from father to son. Farming on 30 hectares of red and green apple orchards with what sounds like a preference towards traditional and natural methods of farming and heritage varieties of apples.

If you'd like to learn more you can go to Charles Neal's website for further reading: http://www.charlesnealselections.com/domaine-du-manoir-de-montreuil.html

What follows are tasting notes on two vintage cask selections, a 1999 and 1984.



1999, 42%

Nose: Primarily of overripe apples and dark caramel.  Confectionery fudge-like richness. Some oak influence comes through. A little musty. Black pepper.

Taste:  Mulled cider. Candied apples, cherries. Rich caramel and toffee. Vanilla.  Slightly tangy towards the finish and light hints of oak. The finish tapers off fairly quickly.


This is very good.  It's heavy handed on the sugars, although it never gets sickly sweet.  All the fruits and candies play nicely.  The profile is immaculate, actually, and if I had to introduce somebody to calvados, this wouldn't be a bad choice.  But, still, the profile leaves me wanting a bit more.  It's possible the lower proof is at play here as I believe they did reduce this cask down to 42% over the years.

B

Available at Astor Wines for $150.




1984, 50%

Nose: There's no mistaking the apple DNA here as the initial aroma is of spiced apple sauce. There are berries, too. Mainly raspberries.  These fruits give way to darker sugars and loads of baking spices. Clove, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, all swimming in a base of oaky caramel.

Taste:   Like the nose it's all sweet fruits up front.  Baked apples and pears.  Cream.  Caramel. Spiced apple butter. Cinnamon, cloves.  Where it departs from the nose is these cooked fruit sugars give way to a medicinal sweetness.  Acetone notes of lacquer, spicy tannins, hints of tobacco, charred wood.  These heavier flavors play well with the orchard fruits through the mid-palate and linger well into a long finish.

This aged well, and while undeniably apple-y, offers a nice complexity beyond its more youthful sibling.  Not to get caught up on proof, but I do think the 50% is a better fit for this spirit.  I split this bottle with a friend, and I kept coming back to it. In fact, I found myself placing it just slightly out of sight to make it last a little longer.

A-


This was originally available through Astor Wines for around $215, but is now out of stock.  Let's hope Charles Neal brings us more vintage releases from this producer in the future. 

Lheraud 1973 for "Legacy Brandy", 48%

Ryan's Notes

 

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.

Pristine cellars full of very old cognac dating back to the 1800s

Pristine cellars full of very old cognac dating back to the 1800s

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. 

1987 Laterrade "La Chaou" 49.5%

Ryan's notes

This release was sold through K&L and comes from the negociant, Fitte et Laterrade. The armagnac inside the bottle was produced by the owner of a small vineyard who decided to put down some casks of his own product.  We get the sense through K&L's own description that this was not an ongoing project, but something that was only done over a couple of harvests.  Fitte et Laterrade acquired two casks, one from 1987 and the other 1988, and the brandy inside is said to have been aged in entirely new oak and was "undisturbed" in its aging. It's unclear exactly what that means and if or if not anything was ever added to the aged eaux-de-vie before bottling.  It's also worth mentioning that new oak armagnac, especially those coming from Lous Pibous and Le Freche, has a bit of a cult following in certain circles within the US and I think that is in part due to its abundance of bold sweet flavors and large mouthfeel. It represents something loved and missed dearly in American whiskey, and that if was to be sought out as bourbon, would cost, at this point in time, likely 3-4x as much and would fly off the shelves in minutes.  Ironically, here we have a product produced from a single harvest of grapes in very small quantities and aged over 30 years, and we are able to not only taste, but purchase these spirits at reasonable prices.  Below we're tasting the 1987 vintage.

1987 Fitte et Laterrade "La Chaou"
31 years old
49.5%

Nose: Pine, toasted walnuts, maple, lacquer. Definitely a heavier, more "rustic" style nose without a ton of sweetness.

Taste:  Caramelized brown sugar, cherry cough syrup, hazelnut, red twizzlers. Again, following the theme of the nose, lots of dark rustic flavors - leather, raw bitter chocolate, roasted almonds, gentian. An array of bitters, but not drying and balanced nicely by the sugars.  Some musty oak and light touches of spice in the finish.

Something about this one just keeps me wanting to go back for more. Rich, dark, sweet, a complex finish, and a great mouthfeel.  Justin surprised me with a large sample of this one, and it's found its way into my glass with some regularity since I first had a taste. This hits some awesome complexity with those medicinal bitter notes on the finish that reminds me of some of those uber-aged cognacs we've talked about here on the blog.  Bitter is not usually a flavor that we gravitate towards here in the US, but it's one that I feel plays really nicely with the fruit sugars and often takes a good brandy to that next level. 

In my opinion, this is unlike some of the other much sought after armagnacs aged in new oak.  It's not in the ballpark of a bourbon profile.  Instead we have a bold, dark and brooding armagnac here that, for my tastes, is one that settles very nicely into my brandy-centric wheelhouse.

A-


No longer in stock, but was originally made available through K&L for $140

Paul Giraud "Tres Rare" 40%

Ryan's Notes

When we arrived in Cognac our first house visit was to Paul Giraud.  I was previously unfamiliar with Paul-Jean's cognac, and it was with Amy Pasquet's guidance that we took a visit to what I learned is actually the best selling cognac label in Japan. The grapes for their cognac are grown solely in the Grande Champagne region on 35 hectares of land and the Giraud domaine is located in Bouteville.  Paul Giraud is one of the bigger names in the Cognac region, despite being a relatively small producer. Furthermore, they've been in the game for awhile, since the 1600s.  A family tradition passed down from father to son, the current owner Paul-Jean Giraud has been leading the ship since 1976.  He doesn’t add additives and claims to not add water through the aging process. To his younger cognacs he will dilute down before bottling to 40%, but states that by the time his cognac aging in his humid cellars has reached 25 years of age they have already naturally reduced down to 40%.  (This last point definitely raises some questions based on some of the much higher proofs we commonly see with cask strength releases of similar ages from other cognac houses.)  We tasted through a flight of his cognac releases.  High quality all around, but I was particularly impressed by a 1999 vintage release and his Tres Rare (40 year old blend of late 60s cognac).  Tasting notes can be found below for the Tres Rare.

Water from a natural spring being routed through one of the cellars to increase humidity for increased alcohol evaporation.

 

 

***Tasting Notes***

 

Paul Giraud "Tres Rare"
40%


40 year blend of Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie

Nose: Very well rounded nose - Honey, apples, pears, persimmon, walnuts, sweet tobacco, cedar

Taste: Lush and sweet with tons of dried fruits. Plums, peaches, persimmon, figs.  Following there is cinnamon oil, cedar and grapefruit peel. Lingering with the spices is sugared grapefruit.

It's a touch light in body, but it has an excellent mouthfeel and is rich in flavor.  I find it to be pretty immaculate on the palate.   A cognac for cognac drinkers.

A-


(The Tres Rare can be found stateside at Astor Wines for $230)

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+