Today's malternatives, cognac again


October 1, 2023

Today's malternatives: cognac again

As much as cognac was, not long ago, considered in our area as a postprandial beverage, meant to counteract the effects of duck confits, cassoulets, and other choucroutes royales, and while whisky was mostly consumed as an aperitif with sparkling water and ice cubes (and with a straw, please), the roles have now blended, and one savours either invariably and on any occasion. At least, among people under seventy!

Cornelian cherry (you can eat them)

So, it is not surprising that the best makers are gradually abandoning boisé and caramel if they hadn't done so a long time ago, and thus the colours of the best cognacs are becoming increasingly lighter, which is fortunate. Which makes that supermarket cognacs have become much darker (and younger) than cognacs for true connoisseurs. It's funny, isn't it? Let's go get a few good ones…

Normandin Mercier 7 yo 'Very Superior Old Pale' (41.5%, OB, Petite Champagne, +/-2022)

Whoops, they say it is 'Well suited to aperitif or long drink: Cognac on ice, Surfer (Cognac Tonic) and other cocktails'. No good news but maybe is that only marketing speak. The house has got a very good reputation. Colour: light gold (as we said). Nose: fresh liquorice wood, fennel, very dry raisins, honeysuckle, peaches stewed in honey syrup, tiny hints of preserved lychee, touch of black nougat… Why add tonic? Mouth: rather on the sweeter side but I'm sure it's all natural. Some good grassiness (stalk, stone fruits, almonds) plus honey and raisins. It never feels too young. Very nice oranges and peaches taking oven then. Finish: medium, with an unexpected salinity and even a small bit of ham. Some menthol too. Very good, very intriguing finish, with a coastal side. Comments: excellent little drop. Have it neat! (If I may…)
SGP:562 - 85 points.

Tesseron 'Lot N°90 X.O Ovation' (40%, OB, Cognac, +/-2022)

A blend of Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne and Fins Bois. Since many houses use the 'Lot N°' trick to display 'possible age- statements', several amateurs will believe that this is a 1990 but I seriously doubt it is. It's a bit unfortunate that they bottled it at 40% vol., but let's see how it turns out... Colour: gold. Nose: classic, smooth, fruity cognac, with dried figs and pears, fresh apples and peaches, a touch of liquorice and some nice meadow honey. Gentler and easier than the Normandin on the nose. Mouth: starts well, similar to the Normandin, with some pleasant freshness and even more peaches, but it tends to lose a little bit of steam because of the low strength. Now it would take off again, surprisingly, with notes of pineapple of quince jelly, plus apricots, mirabelles and lime honey. Spectacular recovery. Finish: medium, with some awesome liquorice + lemon + mint + honey combination. Muscovado in the aftertaste. Comments: one can only imagine what it would be like at 46% vol.
SGP:651 - 87 points.

More Tesseron please…

Tesseron 'Lot N°53 X.O Perfection' (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, +/-2022)

They say this one aged for more than two generations in Limousin oak, which might corroborate the number '53', but that's no evidence. Colour: full gold. Nose: we're closer to… old Macallan, seriously. Some beeswax, old books, roasted nuts, various honeys, dried figs, honeysuckle, apricot jam, a tiny smokiness, very dry raisins, touch of pipe tobacco… I'm finding all this very elegant, still pretty classic (no new-age cognac), while the wafts of menthol that then rise to your nostrils are superb. Mouth: 43 or 46% pleaeaeaease! Flower jelly (mullein), peaches, mirabelles, quinces, lavender honey, not that many sultanas, a little bit of rice pudding, custard. Superb freshness. Finish: medium, with a few soft spices but the mirabelles remain firmly at the helm. Touch of pine resin and chartreuse in the aftertaste. Comments: some Vivaldi in a bottle (note to self, try more Tesseron).
SGP:641 - 90 points.

Prunier 1975/2023 (43.5%, Swell de Spirits for The Antelope, Private Garden, Borderies, 50 bottles)

What is also fantastic about Swell de Spirits is that you don't need sunglasses to admire their packaging. No, of course, I won't name names. What's more, these Borderies are not extremely common. Colour: bright gold. Nose: this is much straighter than that Lot 56, with fresh squeezed oranges, cassata, overripe mirabelles and just mirabelle eau-de-vie. Botrytised sémillon. Of course there's no sémillon. Mouth: this time it is a notch more rustic (but wasn't 1975 the main year of Van Halen?) Stalk and pips, then orange skins and apple peel, then just triple-sec and sultanas. It is almost refreshing. Finish: medium, with more sémillon, Sauternes, triple-sec and raisins. And yet it remains refreshing. Comments: one could drink a magnum of each and still not manage to decide which one is the best, between the Tesseron and this one. Let's call it a draw, if you don't mind.
SGP:651 - 90 points.

Mauxion 1960/2023 (46.6%, The Whisky Jury, Belgium exclusive, Fins Bois, 85 bottles)

Another micro-bottling for ueber-freaks. I imagine all these bottles are snapped up by whisky enthusiasts; I would be curious to know what cognac aficionados would think of them. On the label, a character of a certain age, likely of Flemish origin, sporting a moustache and a goatee; isn't it a bit ridiculous? Colour: deep gold. Nose: it's a perfect blend of honey and yellow fruit jam, really. Mirabelle, acacia, quinces, white heather, clover, jujubes, cornelian cherry… I believe it's the first time we're finding cornelian cherry in any spirit, and yet they make for awesome eaux-de-vie, but those are rare. Mouth: exquisitely fruity, vibrant, with a few sour spices coming through after, wait, 2023-1960 = 63 years (which is impossible). Gracious old white wines, crazy arracks, old fig wine… I'm even wondering if I'm not finding some cornelian cherries again. A good friend of ours is distilling them here in Alsace, I'll go steal a bottle whenever I can and report back extensively. Finish: rather long, with an awesome sweet and sour development leading to old Meursault 'and stuff'. Comments: some stewed power, shall we say.
SGP:551 - 91 points.

Check the index of all cognac we've tasted so far