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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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October 27, 2024 |
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A few top cognacs to prepare for November |
After all, cognac pairs well with fallen leaves and the very last mushrooms of the season, doesn’t it? … So why not start with some from the Borderies, the smallest of the crus?
Pied-bleu mushroom, Lepista nuda, formerly Rhodopaxillus nudus. Superb mushroom that grows in winter (Sultiver les Champignons). |
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Fanny Fougerat ‘XO Iris Poivré 10 ans’ (44.6%, OB, Borderies, 888 bottles, 2024) 
There was a previous version at a more modest 40% vol. which was nonetheless excellent (WF 86), and here we have a new bottling at a more... whiskyesque strength. Colour: pale gold. Nose: there’s a certain tension here, with some touches of polish, curry, patchouli, and an unusual but very appealing hint of juniper that a malt lover would appreciate. A bit of thuja wood, green apples, notes of jasmine and violets, and only later do you find ripe peach, orange blossom, and sultanas. Mouth: we quite enjoy the relative greenness, that peppery, herbaceous, spicy, and floral side. Poppy seeds, cinnamon, violet sweets, and then some fir honey. The curry notes remain present. Finish: a variety of peppers take over, alongside liquorice, pistachio, and service tree berry eau-de-vie. Comments: pistachio and service tree berries, that always works! A lot of presence in this young version.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Cognac Park 5 yo ‘Mizunara’ (43.5%, OB, Tessendier, Borderies, +/-2024) 
Here’s one of those Cognacs finished in mizunara, as Courvoisier is also now doing. It’s certainly not traditional, but after the initial mild shock, one realises it’s important to keep an open mind. To be honest, I’ve tried it before and found it rather enjoyable. Colour: gold. Nose: it certainly doesn’t have the depth of the Fougerat, but this gentle, woody side—sandalwood, incense, cherry blossom, and Earl Grey tea—works quite well. Just a tiny hint of fir buds. Mouth: it’s rather soft and fresh, but it feels much older than 5 years, no doubt the magic of that mizunara. A lovely trio of liquorice, mint, and raisins. Finish: good length, even more liquorice, but the overall profile remains the same. Comments: not a fan of the pretty hybrid concept, but I quite like the result (so perhaps I was wrong, once again).
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
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Tiffon ‘Très Vieille Réserve Fins Bois’ (40%, OB, +/-2024) 
There’s also a Très Vieille Réserve Grande Champagne. This Fins Bois is a blend of very old Cognacs, over 70 years of age, so it strikes me as a bit odd that they’ve reduced it to the bare minimum of 40% vol. Colour: amber. Nose: all about delicacy, with old papers, beeswax, pollen, and a faint coastal touch (sea air, umbrella pines), followed by some splendid honeys, notably heather honey. There’s something precious about it; you almost want to nose it in a large balloon glass aka fishbowl glass like our grandfathers used to do, but we’ll stick to our trusty tulip glasses. Mouth: peach and apricot liqueur, touches of fudge, more of that wonderful heather honey (honestly, there’s an old Highland Park feel here and there), and a very soft pepper. Careful now, at 40%, it slips down like Franz Klammer on the slopes of Kitzbühel. Finish: not so short, with gentle earthy notes, prunes, and pipe tobacco. Comments: inevitably a little frustrating for a malt lover, but this is quite an extraordinary spirit. How to give it a reasonable score?
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
Please another fins bois, s’il-vous-plaît, but at a much higher strength… |
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Mauxion ‘70’s Decade’ (61.2%, Through the Grapevine, LMDW, 42 bottles, 2024)
A micro-bottling composed of strictly all the vintages from the 1970s. The bottling strength is quite remarkable; one imagines some demijohns were involved. Colour: dark gold. Nose: peach liqueur, maple syrup, beeswax, and wood varnish. At 60%, it’s already showing beautifully! With water: the varnish lingers, while bay leaves, cherry stems, and mandarins join the party. Mouth (neat): we’re almost veering towards old bourbon territory, with a touch of Calvados as well. Peach, grape seeds, and glue hold sway with confidence. With water: service tree berries return, alongside fruit skins, and even a hint of banana and pineapple. It’s almost like ‘any’ fully rounded brown spirit of high level. Finish: long, now almost youthful. A bit of liquorice and caramel, reminiscent of a classic French sweet called ‘Batna’ from Kréma. Comments: this one too is just awesome.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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François Voyer ‘Lot N°81’ (52.2%, Spirit Co-Op, Grande Champagne, cask #BA-81/1) 
The house of François Voyer seems to be making a well-deserved splash among whisky enthusiasts, thanks to a few particularly sharp independent bottlers (this one hailing from China!). Colour: gold. Nose: it’s quite elegant, almost discreet but also very complex, starting with delicate herbs and flowers (mint, borage, wisteria—though wisteria isn’t exactly subtle…) followed by dried fruits, figs, dates, apricots, and a variety of honeys. Really very elegant. With water: admirable notes of hay and the skins of peach and mango. Mouth (neat): superb fruitiness, not so discreet after all. Vineyard peaches reign supreme, resting on a bed of honeys, roses, and muscat. Well, more or less. With water: no real change, except perhaps a hint of persimmon making an appearance. Very good indeed. Finish: long, soft, honeyed. Liquorice in the aftertaste, as is often the case. Comments: have they planted a bit of Gewürztraminer in Grande Champagne? Just kidding. An excellent old Grande Champagne with a magnificent fresh fruitiness.
SGP:751 - 90 points. |
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François Voyer 'Lot No°71' (56.6%, Aesthetic Amber Alchemy, Edward Zeng & Viktor, Grande Champagne, cask #BA-71/1)
Colour: dark amber. Nose: ah yes, we’re back with that lacquered profile, leaning towards polished woods (cherry, thuja) and an array of dried and stewed fruits. Plenty of figs, mind you, with a subtle touch of almonds, cherries, and a hint of kirsch… oh, and peach jam alongside blood orange marmalade. With water: molasses, caramel, and agave syrup—everything harmonising perfectly, as if it were all choreographed. Mouth (neat): oh, absolutely. Glue, pepper, peaches, varnish, pears, dark tobaccos, very deep honeys, cinnamon, jasmine… it all bounces around like a mountain stream. Magnificent countryside Cognac—or something along those lines… With water: utterly classic, utterly brilliant, but do be careful not to add too much water. Finish: precise, almost simple now, with a light earthiness before shifting into menthol and resinous notes. Absolutely adore it. Comments: this is the kind of old Cognac that reminds you it’s not some industrial concoction whipped up in a lab. I’m sure you get what I mean.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
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Vallein Tercinier 'Lot 74' (50.9%, OB, Wealth Solutions for Harmony Whisky & The Antelope Macau, Fins bois, 2024)
Colour: full gold. Nose: quite amusingly, you can really sense the more rustic character of certain 'bois' here, with whiffs of rubber boots, old apples, freshly cut grass, mosses and ferns, old woods in the forest, and mushrooms… but there are also peaches, apples, honey and all that. With water: the old apples and musty cellar vibes become even more pronounced. Mouth (neat): old calvados, pepper, rubber, old apples, lemons, oak honeydew… With water: not much change on the palate either. Finish: medium length, with hay, mosses, mushrooms, and still those old apples. Some figs add a touch of sweetness in the aftertaste. Comments: I find this style absolutely charming, with a little nostalgic twist that reminds one of the famous The Connells’ ballad '74 – '75. Just a bit…
SGP:451 - 90 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet 50 'Lot 70' (52.1%, Maltbarn, Grande Champagne, 84 bottles, 2024)
Over 50 years in well-behaved oak, and hold on tight—it’s 2% of the price asked by several Speyside distilleries for the same age, and for what might be lesser spirits. That’s enough to make a brick weep. Colour: full gold. Nose: honestly, this could pass for a great old Speyside of similar age. I mean it. Honey, very ripe melon and mango, white chocolate, butterscotch sauce, roasted nuts, peach and apricot jam, a very light smoky note, toasted bread, and dare I say it, shades of 1950s Macallan. With water: superb, with the faintest metallic touches. Mouth (neat): splendid fruitiness, honeys, roasted hazelnuts, tiny touches of molasses, a bit of sherry (though of course, there’s none), marrons glacés, and a hint of mocha. With water: hints of camphor, sultanas, and a touch of eucalyptus. Finish: long yet gentle. Oranges, mint, a drop of olive oil, and a beautifully liquorice-laced aftertaste. Comments: and of course, guaranteed without paxarette or… French brandy. Well, there obviously is some of that (not paxarette mind you).
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
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Zind Humbrecht 1998-2002-2003/2024 (57%, Amateur Spirit, eau-de-vie de vin, Pinot Noir Heimbourg)
Technically, this is a fine, meaning an eau-de-vie de vin much like Cognac. The wine used is Pinot Noir, as in Burgundy, though the terroir is incredibly close to WF HQ—barely a hare’s leap away (I can see it from my desk). Colour: deep gold. Nose: it opens with a lovely mix of glue, varnish, and acetone, which we always appreciate when well-balanced, followed by moss, ferns, grape stems, rich soil, and saffron, with hints of quince, apricot, and celery. There's absolutely nothing 'winey' about it. With water: water brings out a delightful wave of baked goods, particularly amaretti and other almond biscuits with a touch of bitter almonds. Mouth (neat): powerful and much more expressive on the palate, packed with spices giving it a distinctly oriental vibe. Think turmeric, paprika, saffron again, candied lemons, those bitter almonds, and finally black cherries—such a Pinot Noir marker. The wood is well in check. With water: the texture thickens and it bounces around your mouth like a superball. Spices, candied fruits, and even a faint hint of salinity. Then again, the sea was still here, after all, only about thirty million years ago. Finish: long, candied, spicy, and peppery. You could almost imagine enjoying this eau-de-vie with some robust Indian cuisine. The bitter almond note makes a comeback in the aftertaste. Comments: I’m not sure whether it’s oak or beech—the Domaine uses both for their eaux-de-vie—but the result is quite thunderous (update: it’s oak). Naturally, we adore it.
SGP: 672 - 90 points. |
Alright, I think we'll try to add more aged wine eaux-de-vie and marcs matured in wood to our cognac or armagnac tastings over the next few months. |
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