The time for cognac is back at WF


November 24, 2024

The time for cognac is back at WF

Let’s see what we have on the tasting table today… (only great ones I'm sure)...

Balade des Pères Noël

Bache Gabrielsen ‘Lot. 89’ (45.7%, OB, Grande Champagne, LMDW, single cask, cask #B-12, 70 bottles, 2024)

We’ve tried a few offerings from Bache Gabrielsen, though we wouldn’t say we’re well-acquainted with the house. The standout memory remains the remarkable ‘Le Sein de Dieu’ cuvée from 2015, which featured only pre-phylloxera cognacs, including one dating back to 1790! (WF 91). This ‘Lot. 89’ was distilled a mere two centuries later, which feels rather contemporary by comparison. Colour: full gold. Nose: wonderfully lively and bright, brimming with kiwis, rhubarb, and redcurrants at first, before ripe vineyard peaches and a few sultanas join the fray. A gorgeous freshness persists, gradually giving way to notes of vanilla, crème brûlée, and a subtle touch of jasmine. Mouth: a delightful bounty of fruit pastilles, underscored by a hint of white pepper. Lovely soft liquorice, mirabelle jam, apricot preserve, and even exotic fruit compotes—perhaps banana and pear? It’s jammy yet airy, with superb balance and a natural strength that feels spot on. Finish: medium in length, with the return of liquorice and exotic fruits, leading into oranges and a faintly nostalgic nod to an old bottle of Grand Marnier. Comments: superbly bright, fresh, and absolutely spot-on. What a splendid start!
SGP:651 – 90 points.

We always try to start our sessions gently. Well, this time, that’s gone out the window.

Ferme 1719 ‘Lot 88’ (50%, Authentic Spirits, Grande Champagne, 2024)

Made from Ugni Blanc, and another single cask. For clarity, Ferme 1719 isn’t a house name but rather a nod to a farm established in 1719. Now there is a Cognac brand called ‘1719’, though whether there's a link here is unclear. Colour: amber. Nose: it’s that lively fruitiness again, but this time leaning more towards ripe apples and pears, with a touch more oomph and a definite rustic edge. Quite farmy, as it were. Frankly, I adore this style too. Pan-fried apricots and mirabelles join the fray. With water: hints of damp earth and dried flowers emerge. Mouth (neat): starts with a whisper of old Calvados before honey takes over, wrapped in a well-integrated, peppery woodiness. Fir honey increasingly dominates, beautifully coating the palate. With water: splendidly ‘rural’ Cognac, it must be said. Finish: long, with a touch more acidity lifting the tail end of this gorgeous drop. Comments: it almost feels like tasting straight from the cask—do you know that sensation?
SGP:651 - 88 points.

Guillaume Duluc ‘Lot 87’ (50.1%, Authentic Spirits, Grande Champagne, 2024)

Crafted entirely from Ugni Blanc, from a 40-hectare estate in Touzac. Colour: deep gold. Nose: reminiscent of the Bache, with that lively, fruit-forward tension that feels irresistibly inviting. Stewed rhubarb and vineyard peaches lead the charge, followed by a delicate wisp of tobacco and nougat. Ferns and hints of wood varnish add a refined complexity to this utterly charming nose. With water: magnificent, bringing out sesame and orange cakes alongside a medley of bold honeys—heather, linden, and chestnut. Mouth (neat): flawless. Honey, oranges, cinchona, bitter orange, dried figs, and a touch of nutmeg create a rich tapestry, with a playful sense that it’s flirting with Highland malt territory—and could easily outshine many in a blind tasting. Delightful. With water: perfectly balanced, seamlessly weaving fruits, honeys, and gentle spices. Zero fault (if I may be so casual). Finish: liquorice and resinous notes take the baton, with orange zest and honey lingering beautifully. Comments: I’m smitten with these notes of ‘true’ honey. The value here is almost laughable—though I suspect it sold out in mere moments.
SGP:651 - 90 points.

Cognac Grande Champagne ‘Lot 87’ (59.4%, Rhum Attitude, 213 bottles)

As whisky aficionados continue to flock towards quality Cognacs (leaving the generic stuff behind), it seems rum specialists are now following suit. An intriguing note here: this cask was used to top up others, meaning it was theoretically exposed to more oxygen. Fascinating—but interestingly, the alcohol level has hardly budged. Colour: dark gold. Nose: wonderfully rounded, with a honeyed richness and a delicate menthol edge. There’s also a hefty dose of maple syrup—fabulous—and roasted apricots drizzled with honey and a pinch of cinnamon. Irresistible, really. It’s true, 35–40 years is often the ideal age for such spirits. With water: subtle meaty undertones, perhaps chicken broth, adding a tertiary layer of depth not found in others. Mouth (neat): intensely fruity, almost reminiscent of an Yquem, before peppery notes creep in and a nervy young Sauvignon Blanc-like brightness arrives to bring structure. Flawless. With water: a touch of tannin now, alongside brown tobacco, black tea, and bitter chocolate—an evolution worth savouring. Finish: the tannins and darker notes persist, but the fruit fights back admirably. Comments: a complex, jubilant old Cognac that knows exactly how to fan out its peacock’s tail, as they would say in the country. I’d say it was bottled at just the right moment.
SGP:651 - 90 points.

The magnificent cognacs are lining up like pearls on a necklace today. Perfect for Christmas ;-).

Pasquet ‘Lot 85’ (52.3%, Poh! Spirits, Petite Champagne, 90 bottles, 2024)

Pasquet – naturally, that’s Jean-Luc Pasquet, the esteemed house. Are there other Pasquets crafting such splendid cognacs? Colour: deep gold. Nose: this time we’re veering more towards patisseries and baked delights – think walnut cakes, richly cooked jams, fruit tarts, Linzertorte, and fully ripened damsons. With water: I’m quite taken by this touch of old metals (copper coins, polished silverware) followed by a whisper of smoke. Mouth (neat): it’s utterly sinful, with a fleeting impression of agricole rum – dare I say Neisson? – before moving into Catalan cream piled high with honey-soaked baked plums and a handful of raisins. Hints of mint, a touch of liquorice, and a drizzle of heather honey bring further intrigue. With water: yes, splendid – a dollop of quince jelly now joins the fray. Finish: rather long, staying gentle and on the rounder side. Did we already mention an old Sauternes today? Comments: perfect once again. Beware, this goes down like mother’s milk.
SGP: 651 - 90 points.

What a disaster, it seems to me that we’re not going to manage to bring our scores down much today...

Vallein Tercinier ‘Lot 74’ (48.7%, OB, Grande Champagne, cask #0278, 571 bottles, 2024)

Colour: deep gold. Nose: utterly exquisite, with an almost surreal purity of super-ripe fruits—peach, melon, quince, mirabelle plum, and apricot. One might nearly mistake it for a blend of eaux-de-vie from these fruits, aged together in wood. Beware of those peach stones, though—cyanide lurks within, which distillers must handle with care. But let’s not digress too far... The nose is astoundingly precise, truly beautiful, with a delicate touch of miso that’s simply sublime. Mouth: astonishing vivacity, brimming with herbal teas, honeys, citrus, and raisins. Think chamomile and thyme, oak honeydew, blood oranges, golden sultanas, and tiny muscat grapes. A slight hint of pine bud adds a subtle backbone, perfectly balancing the bright energy of the whole. Finish: the oak steps forward here, as expected. Notes of coffee beans, dark chocolate, black tea, marmalade, and a faint trace of aged white wine right at the very end. Comments: magnificent, as anticipated. The oak is more present in the finish (and no, we’re not talking about that mass-market ‘boisé’ flavouring, are we?). Let’s remember this Cognac has likely spent 50 years in cask—or perhaps 49. It doesn’t seem to have been stored in demijohns either.
SGP:651 - 91 points.

One last one, we'll head down towards the Rolling Stones. In a manner of speaking...

Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘L.70 Le Cognac d’Arlette’ (44.6%, OB, Trésors de Famille, Petite Champagne, 366 bottles)

Ah, 1970, wasn’t that the year of Sticky Fingers? This beauty hails from a family estate in Lagarde-sur-le-Né, and one of the joys of these cognacs is the geography lesson they bring along—an intricate lacework of charming little villages and hamlets, brimming with delightful folk. Colour: Full gold, radiant and inviting. Nose: we’re firmly in the realm of master woodworkers and spice merchants. Notes of gingerbread, crème de menthe, Turkish coffee, and spruce wood (Christmas trees, naturally) waft up first, alongside a touch of pitch, then creamy cappuccino and fresh potting soil. After a few minutes, the fruits timidly emerge: quince and those tiny apples you’d find in an ancient orchard around Lagarde-sur-le-Né—well, that’s probably pushing it a bit, but you get the idea. Mouth: here the fruits take the lead, particularly dried ones, though the seasoned woods, tobacco, and menthol are ever-present. Think Christmas cake, figs, raisins, baked apples flattened and dried in the old Loire tradition (pommes tapées), and marvellous dried apricots—the kind that deserve a moment of reverence. The balance between dried fruits and gentle spices is nothing short of a masterclass. Finish: this awesome cognac departs quietly, almost imperceptibly, which might just be a cunning ploy to coax you into pouring another glass. Comments: honestly, there’s nothing to fault here. The overall harmony is sublime, well done Arlette.
SGP: 651 – 91 points.

It's incredible how the VT 74 and the JLP 70 are neck and neck when you have both in front of you. Another Senna-Prost situation, really. So, make sure you don't have the entire bottles in front of you—it could be dangerous. And just to be clear, Whiskyfun will accept absolutely no responsibility for any suddenly uncontrollable behaviour on your part, including, but not limited to, divorce.

By the way, apologies for all the perhaps overly enthusiastic adjectives and adverbs today, but we truly were among some of the very finest cognacs.

Good, next Sunday, we'll be sampling a fine selection of vintage cognacs from before 1970. Not sure the average score will be as high as today, but stay tuned!

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