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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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December 25, 2022 |
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Christmas Special, a Verticale of the Grandest Cognacs... and Peace, hopefully |
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| At Whiskyfun, it's become a tradition to try cognacs on Christmas Day, even more so when Christmas falls on a Sunday, while let's remember what Gustav Mahler said, 'tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.' Hope the spirits industry as a whole will remember that forever. Good, as for this little verticale, we'll focus on the 1948-1919 vintages and assume that the lot numbers are vintage statements in moderate disguise. Which, between us, they are. Right. Let's just have a little 55 years old youngster as the apéritif… |
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Petite Champagne 55 yo 1967/2022 (57.3%, Michiel Wigman, Precious Moments, 120 bottles) 
I know, hardly a youngster. But all people involved are indeed youngsters, Michiel who did the bottling, Hans who did the label, Jimi who composed the soundtrack in 1967, and obviously the lady on the label… Colour: amber. So, no purple haze. Nose: cracking. Some maltiness (really), then abundant yellow jams (mirabelle, melon), then raisins and really a feeling of a perfect old ex-refill Speysider, such as an old B******e from Dufftown. Quince jelly. With water: I said quince jelly! And popcorn, nougat, crema Catalana… Mouth (neat): boy does it rock. Big, loud, massive, full of mirabelles, quinces, turmeric, even ginger, cinnamon, white pepper… You would almost believe this was a very old cognac that's been treated as if it were malt whisky. By some fearless Scots, for example… With water: great fun with water. If you keep it above 50% vol., it's malt whisky (quite), whereas if you bring it down to +/-45%, raisins, preserved peaches, figs and plums would make it totally… Cognacqy. That's all rather spectacular, who said water was unnecessary? Finish: rather long, still a bit between both worlds. Comments: kudos to everyone involved, except that this makes for a bad apéritif: too high, but my fault.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
On to the very old ones... |
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François Voyer 'Lot 48 – La Montgolfière en Bois' (49.2%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, 2022)
This post-WWII Grande Champagne had been kept in a demi-john, we don't know when it was drawn out of wood. Montgolfière means hot-air balloon, the Montgolfier brothers having invented that nifty device (first flight in 1783). Colour: amber. Nose: it's a wonderful, aromatic and yet rather earthy and herbal old cognac, with first the much expected quintet of aromas, liquorice, raisins, preserved peaches, camphor and eucalyptus. It doesn't stop there though, displaying many half-dried, half-fermented fruits, especially figs and apricots, plus orange blossom and meadow honey. Some wonderful touches of peppermint and furniture polish in the background. This one's kept all of its original brightness, and yet has become superbly mature. Mouth: I believe they shouldn't have waited another week when they decided to fill this demi-john. Neither should they have done that one week earlier, as there is this slightly fragile, but perfect feeling of equilibrium between everything from the wood and everything from the spirit, plus everything that's been generated by 'the interplay' over the years. Long story short, there's rather a lot of chocolate, also flower jellies and syrups, also many tertiary flavours, rather around teas, herbal Xmas tea (star anise, thyme, clove)… Add to that strong, tannic honeys, such as our beloved chestnut honey. Finish: even in the finish the wood doesn't show as such. Wonderful. Mint, chocolate and chamomile in the aftertaste. Comments: a feeling of liquid thin mints at times. Love thin mints!
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
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Maison Prunier 'Lot N°47' (57.8%, Through The Grapevine, LMDW, Grande Champagne, 2022)
This glorious 1947 cognac first spent 70 years in wood in a damp warehouse (chai humide), and was then transferred to demi-johns, where it only spent 5 additional years prior to bottling. Colour: dark red amber. Nose: it's not uncommon that some old cognacs would first nose like some great old bourbon, such as, in this case, Old Fitzgerald. Amazing varnishes, ripe bananas, savoury/honeyed sauces, hoisin, furniture polish, also wisteria and lilies, humus, black garden earth… With water: love this wood glue! And the pine needles, dried porcini, meats (beef jerky, bresaola), orange zests, and even these few drops of old oloroso. A few tropical fruits way back in the background. Mouth (neat): I'm not sure I've ever tasted any 70 years old spirit that was this powerful. Once again, there is a lot of chocolate, then black tea, liquorice wood and thyme tea… I believe water is almost obligatory. With water: it's rather funny that it would now 'join' the 1948 as far as styles are concerned, with a similar feeling of 'cask disgorged just at the right moment'. We're right on Jaffa cakes and, indeed, thin mints. Finish: long, this time with some tobacco and something a little rustic (very pleasantly so) that would perhaps rather hint at some very old Ténarèze. Old walnuts, walnut wine, amontillado, clove, marmalade… Comments: we sometimes say that old spirits converge. Well, that's even more the case between (some) cognac and (some) armagnac, which should surprise no one. Another perfect old cognac that's older than most of us.
SGP:461 - 91 points. |
Alienor.org, Musées de la Ville de Cognac
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Prunier 'Lot 40' (55%, The Whisky Mercenary, Grande Champagne, 42 bottles, 2021)
Perhaps another demi-john, or is this older than 80 years? This is certainly a 1940, so clearly wartime cognac. No ideas if they keep distilling in wartime Ukraine, we certainly hope so, perhaps their famous vodka 'Nemiroff'? They also make 'cognac' brandy but I don't think I've ever tried any. Colour: dark amber. Nose: some burnt oak and many spices at first, surely some dark chocolate and some espresso, then molasses, black raisins and tamarind. It's not that it's locked, but water should make wonders here… With water: old style, more on meaty, savoury notes, beef stock, lovage, onion soup, olives, and even a little shochu, plus camphor. This is terrific. Many dried figs, large or small, are singing in the choir in the back. Mouth (neat): very concentrated, very piney and even tarry at first, with a lot of toffee, raisins, and a feeling of 'old sherry monster from Speyside'. Absolutely! No gamey flavours so far. Oh and it wants, even begs for water. With water: water brings out more wood, black tea, raw chocolate, grape pips, and simply oloroso. Now many currants do keep it afloat, so to speak. This part would suggest that this cognac did, indeed, spend its whole long life in oak. Finish: long, and rather more on old pineau, PX, or Banyuls, but always with a lot of chocolate. More spices in the aftertaste, led by cinnamon, then caraway and clove. A little oregano, perhaps. Comments: I believe we shall use the word equilibrium once more.
SGP:361 - 90 points. |
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Vallein Tercinier 'Lot N°38' (42.6%, Through The Grapevine, LMDW, Petite Champagne, 2022)
So, a 1938, aged for 60 years in wood, then in demijohns until it was bottled at natural strength this year. Colour: dark amber. Nose: perhaps not as fruit-forward as other old cognacs by Vallein Tercinier, but it's still a fruity one, with many jams, cordial and syrups. Triple-sec, old Bénédictine, Mandarine Napoléon, plus some homemade chocolate liqueur, and nocino. Some dark honeys too, some molasses as well, old rancio and amoroso, glazed chestnuts, black turon, and a moka-spoonful of Bovril and even one of malt extract. No, not obligatorily Marmite. Mouth: I do not mean to bore you, but I'll use the word 'equilibrium' once more. Indeed the oak feels, with some old walnuts, chestnut purée, black tea, oak spices and dark chocolate, but the fruits and flowers remain there too, flying the flag of (a relative) freshness. Tamarind, black raisins, figs, dates, also peels (apricot, peach) and thick-skinned pinot noir berries. Finish: long, rather on tea liqueur, more peach skins and always rather a lot of dark chocolate. A little very old balsamico in the aftertaste. Comments: we always try to keep a cold head, whenever we taste some extremely old spirits. That's not always easy to do… Anyway, another marvellous old Vallein Tercinier, perhaps just a tiny tad less bright than others.
SGP:451 - 91 points. |
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La Patine 1928/2018/2022 (40.2%, Malternative Belgium and Passion For Whisky, Grande Champagne, 240 bottles)
The name of the Distillers can't be disclosed, but it is known that this one was transferred to demijohns only in 2018, at the ripe age of 90. The records are impeccable. Mind you, ninety years! Quatre-vingt-dix! Or nonante, as our friends say in Belgium. By the way, the price is 500€. A famous brand in Speyside would probably sell something similar for £150,000, but granted, it would come with a ton of rosewood, crystal and PR. Colour: red amber. Nose: it's probably the fruitiest this far, with several kinds of raisins at first (Corinth, sultana, muscat..) then various honeys and old sweet wines. Add cigars, cedarwood, old leather, old peppermint liqueur (a touch), plus various mentholy herbs, dill, wormwood, mint thyme, costmary… Between us, this freshness is just flabbergasting. Mouth: same feeling, and even something that would remind us of G&M's oldest malt whiskies, as if this had been kept in American oak sherry casks (which it couldn't be). Wonderful, classic dried fruits, Christmas cake (may we mention Christmas cake on Christmas Day?) and assorted raisins. Figs again, dried apricots, dried pineapple, dried bananas, and only a tiny touch of beef bouillon. Dried fruits keep running this spectacular show. Finish: pretty long, with the usual 'dry' suspects chiming in, such as chocolate, coffee, tobacco, walnuts, cinnamon… Comments: in the glass and in my modest opinion, these fabulous old brandies cannot quite fetch the super-high scores that, say their 40/50 years old counterparts could sometimes reach when they're incredibly perfect (say 92/95). But this 1928 remains extremely impressive, nonetheless.
SGP:551 - 91 points. |
And now, quite a coup by Berry Bros & Rudd for Kirsch Import, three new likely 1922s from three different parts of Cognac, all from the house Tiffon! The brands (I agree the word 'brand' is vulgar in this context) Tiffon and Braastad belong to the same company. I've just learned from La Cognathèque that Sverre Braastad moved from Norway to Jarnac in the beginning of the XXth Century, where he married the heir of the house Tiffon in 1913. He took over Tiffon in 1919, and passed away in 1979, at the age of 100. Which just goes to prove that… Erm, no, nothing. Anyway, there's a Fins Bois, a Borderies and a Petite Champagne, which we'll rather have by ascending strengths I you don't mind… |
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Tiffon 'Lot 19:22 Petite Champagne' (41.2%, Berry Bros & Rudd for Kirsch Import)
This Cognac 'should' have been distilled exactly 100 years ago, or at least the grapes should have been harvested in 1922. Unless the mention '19:22' would rather be related to Proverb 19:22 in the Bible (not the Whisky Bible), which says that 'Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest.' That's exactly right! Colour: amber. Nose: this one has rather more wax than the previous ones, it's rather more on bee products, honeys of course, fresh pollen, with just a little liquorice wood and then old ripe apples, quinces and pears, which is always stunning. There's also the expected trilogy menthol/camphor/tobacco, but in all subtlety. No massive chocolate and tea this time, rather a tiny touch of mango completing this astonishing showcase of delicacy. Mouth: fruits all over the place! This is astonishing indeed, I had been expecting more wood. Same honey, wax and pollen combination at first, then same apples, pears and quinces, which is one thousand times less pedestrian as you would believe in this context. Tiny herbs and flowers are completing the picture, as well as our friends the dried figs, which we find in almost all very old aged spirits. Only a tiny piney/putty-like note reminds us that this was made four years after the end of WWII. Hard to believe. Finish: medium, rather honeyed, with notes of very, very old Tokaji. Say 6 puttonyos. A funny, infinitesimal hint of grilled and buttered maize in the aftertaste. Perhaps… Comments: no fragility whatsoever at this kind of age and strength. Should we really score such a divine old spirit? Isn't doing this a little vulgar too?
SGP:561 - 92 points. |
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Tiffon 'Lot 19:22 Fins Bois' (43%, Berry Bros & Rudd for Kirsch Import)
I don't think I've ever come across any such very old 'Bois', except in old bottles of blended cognac (I would suppose). Remember the ranking, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires. But that's all only theory, as we could find out, for example, at Grosperrin's. Fins Bois is by far the largest of the Crus. Colour: dark gold. Nose: less aromatic than the Petite Champagne, rather more on putty and fresh paint, almond skins, Wulong tea (blue-green tea), fresh bark, pine needles, apple peel… Green and yellow plums too, but no mirabelles. A little plain grass – imagine, 100 years old grass! And grassier oils, not quite olive oil, rather grape-pip oil… I have to add that I'm fond of this kind of more austere profile. Mouth: same feelings, this is relatively grassy, rather on green fruits, greengages, gooseberries, also star fruit perhaps… The Wulong tea is there too, as well as some melon skin, fresh French beans… And green melons. What's really spectacular, this time again, is that there's no proper 'oaky oak' standing in the way. Finish: probably not the longest ever, but this freshness is impressive. Even the aftertaste remains a wee bit grassy. Comments: far from being just 'a lowlander', I'm finding this tighter, more austere style of cognac, extremely pretty too. I just cannot believe that we're comparing pure 'Crus' that were distilled one hundred years ago. I'm not sure the bottlers and distillers know about the grape varietals, though, that would be interesting. Perhaps was there still some pre-phylloxera folle blanche?
SGP:461 - 91 points. |
After the largest of the six Crus, let's try the smallest… |
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Tiffon 'Lot 19:22 Borderies' (45%, Berry Bros & Rudd for Kirsch Import)
Indeed, Borderies is the smallest of the Crus, it is located in the immediate northwest of the city of Cognac and gathers less that 5% of all the vines in Cognac. It is said to display notes of violets, let's check that! Colour: amber. Nose: the fruits are back, both fresh ones and dried ones. In a way, it's the brightest of all three Tiffons on the nose, perhaps the most complex as well, as it's showcasing additional earthy and floral tones after the fruity and honeyed Petite Champagne and the grassier Fins Bois. We're even finding violets (there, they were right), otherwise wisteria and jasmine. Peaches and melons as far as fruits are concerned, a little heather honey, dried figs, marmalade… Perhaps is it also the easiest? Which, in my book, is a quality. Brilliant. Mouth: we're even closer to the Petite Champagne, there's some beeswax and pollen, some praline and liquid caramel, even a drop of sugarcane juice, many dried fruits, preserved peaches, a little liquorice, a tiny touch of chocolate and tea, a drop of oloroso and one of walnut wine, some apple crumble, a tiny cup of mead, some nougat, and there, in the background, a little resin, from the wood I would suppose. Probably the most consensual of them three Crus. Finish: rather long, this time with more spices, cinnamon… Marmalade and liquorice in the aftertaste. Oh and there, violets. Comments: the Fins Bois was more intellectual, while the Petite Champagne was not just an easy old sipper either. Which this Borderies rather is. Well, I am a simple, uncomplicated person, so this is my favourite.
SGP:561 - 93 points. |
… a 'blend' of those three Tiffons is perfectly naughty, especially on Christmas day. Now Hennes-sy told us that naughty was nice. Let's have some Hennes-sy then!
(Press ad for Hennes-sy, USA, 1990)
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Jas Hennessy & Co X.O. (OB, +/-1930s)
An old cognac in an old bottle this time. No ABV statement here, just this wonderful label bearing Hennessy's famous armed arm (bras armé). What's pretty funny is that 'Jas Hennessy & Co' remains the name of the company to this day. It is by far the largest cognac producer, bottler and exporter, and of course belongs to LVMH. Colour: dark gold. Nose: this is totally different, much earthier, more on oils and tobaccos, plus dried flowers, rose petals, patchouli, bidis, meaty soups and bouillons, mushrooms, polishes, old cigars and just 'a full humidor'. Now as for what's coming from the original distillate and what's the effect of OBE, I couldn't quite tell you. Probably both, perhaps for the better… Mouth: between old wines and old spirits. Peach and apricot, porcini, tobacco, earthy sake, Chinese soups (any, really), roasted nuts, marrow, glazed chestnuts, small bit of fudge, raisins… I find this amazing, with all these tiny flavours that have been created by time. Good body by the way, rather feels like 43% vol, so probably more when this was bottled, before WWII. Finish: pretty long, rather meaty, with marrow quenelles and rather a lot of mead. Typical very old bottle. Comments: Angus already tried this one and concluded his note with this line, 'I don't have a current bottling of the Hennessy XO to hand for comparison, but from recent memory, I'm pretty confident it would be sorely matched against this old beauty.' I do concur.
SGP:461 - 91 points. |
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Louis de Salignac & Co. 75 yo (OB, late 1950s)
No A.B.V. statement. There, we have our pre-phylloxera cognac, as this was clearly harvested and distilled in the 19th century. Well not sure it is totally pre-phylloxeric, but if we assume it was harvested around 1880 on average, they sure hadn't pulled up all the old vines yet. Angus did some research and concluded that the brand De Salignac has been absorbed by Courvoisier. So, err, Beam Suntory. This is obviously a bottling for the UK, as I believe age statements were nowhere to be seen in France at that time. What's more, it says 75 years old, not 75 ans d'âge. |
Colour: mahogany. Nose: oloroso, fortified with old brandy de Jerez, plus fumes, dark chocolate, dried mushrooms, walnut wine and the strongest black tea ever. Very old-school cognac, pretty spectacular but I suppose the palate will be hit-or-miss. Mouth: ex-tra-or-di-na-ry! Exceptional chocolates and tobaccos, various liquorices, meats, embrocations, and probably old substances everyone's forgotten about. Liqueurs, cordials, preparations… Finish: astonishingly long, rather on coffees this time. Moka and dry vermouths. Awesome salty, meaty aftertaste, with some old salty-ish amontillado as well. Comments: I'm not sure this was all-natural, it's not impossible that some sauces and 'liqueurs' had been added at some point. But this time, and only this time, we just shan't care. Monsieur de Salignac, we salute you.
SGP:462 - 93 points. |
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A last one, although I'm sure we shouldn't… |
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Fine Old Cognac (70° UK Proof, Saccone & Speed ltd. London, +/-1960) 
Not sure what to expect. London merchants Saccone & Speed used to import many brands, such as Otard or Hine, but this one's anonymous, or probably 'the house's cognac'. These tend to go for very cheap at auctions, but you never know, after all this is Christmas… Now, unless we're wrong once more, Saccone & Speed seem to have relocated to Gibraltar. Colour: dark amber. Nose: some sweet and jammy cognac, rather on raisins, old Sauternes, panettone, honey, brioche, dates… And with a little parsley and fern in the back. That is nice, the whole is nice. Mouth: it's all right, with some salty praline and some biscuits with slightly burnt raisins. Nice marmalade too, but thanks to the lower strength and given that it may have lost one or three more degrees in the bottle since it was bottled, it's nosediving towards the middle and would tend to become a little cardboardy. It is not going to improve anymore… Finish: short, dry. Office coffee and a soapier aftertaste. Comments: a fine old cognac indeed, but while it started very neatly, it all went pear-shaped around the middle of the palate. That's the fate of many an old bottle.
SGP:441 - 78 points. |
No, let's end this on a high note... |
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Grande Champagne 'Récolte 1900' (Woltner Frères & Cie Paris, +/-1935?)
Récolte meaning harvest, this is a genuine vintage 1900! The house Woltner were wine merchants and used to own châteaux in Bordeaux, such as La Mission and Laville, no less. The company's been absorbed but apparently, they're still active in the wine business. As for the vintage 1900, there's no need to further stress its massive emotional and symbolic value. Colour: dark reddish amber. Nose: just totally incredible, almost fat and heady, very deep, bursting with raisins and, to be honest, very old PX, or very old cream sherry, VORS and so on. The feeling of oneness is perfect, this one stayed perfectly focussed over all those years in wood and glass. Strictly no signs of overaging but an obvious savoury rancio, in its original sense. Remember rancio is bone-dry wine matured while in contact with oxygen, not unlike oloroso. Also whiffs of thyme tea and the usual camphor and eucalyptus. What an exceptional nose! Mouth: feels like 45% vol., certainly not 40. Still thick and fat, a bit sweet (PX style) but that was the style of the time. Loads of raisins and prunes, some molasses, chocolates filled with liqueurs, then a growing bitterness, towards long-steeped black tea and very dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more). This awesome palate is perhaps not as extravagantly impressive as the nose, but how could it be? Finish: long and it is almost as if you just enjoyed a whole artisanal chocolate bar. Some high-end spicy tones in the aftertaste, around saffron and capsicum. Comments: another one that would remind us of the very best old sherried malts. But let's not forget that some of those whiskies have been trying to mimic cognac for many decades and have even been open about that on their back labels.
SGP:561 - 92 points. |
Phew, what a session! Merry Christmas to you and to all your acquaintances and relatives. And pace & salute! |
(Thank you Angus and Nicolas) |
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