It's Cognac Day


December 28, 2025

A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace!

It's Cognac Day! (A special selection)

In my family, as we’ve reminisced countless times, cognac was the quintessential digestif, a fixture of our Sundays and every festive gathering. And what better way to begin than with an apéritif to transport us back to those cherished days gone by?

(Print advertisement for Courvoisier, 1960s. The measures suggested by the brands bore little relation to the concept of moderation.)

Courvoisier ‘XO’ (40%, OB, +/-1985)

There are many versions of Courvoisier XO, and the packaging has often changed, though the shape of the bottle has remained the same. Worth mentioning (perhaps), Courvoisier was acquired from Beam Suntory by Campari two years ago. Colour: dark amber. Nose: you get caramel first, then dark chocolate and pipe tobacco, with rather restrained fruitiness at first, though that does emerge later in the form of dried raisins. In short, a very traditional nose. Mouth: this is good, no doubt about that, more complex than the nose, though the caramel and raisin duo rather swiftly takes over your palate and seizes the reins. It lacks the purity and brightness of those older, independent cognacs we now cherish. Finish: long, leaning a little towards coffee liqueur, with those same raisins and caramel still hanging about. Comments: note that this is an old bottle, certainly not representative of the brand’s current production. Still, it’s very decent...
SGP:631 - 78 points.

Right, the apéritif is done. Now, I suggest we taste a selection of cognacs at random, rather than going through a vertical tasting as we almost always do...

Borderies ‘Lot #78’ (44.5%, Spirit of the Day #7, 186 bottles, +/-2025)

A fine house and a fine cru—that’s more than enough, there’s hardly any need to know the estate… (well, almost) … Colour: deep gold. Nose: this glorious mix of poached peaches in Sauternes and honey, with fresh mint and dried meats, marches boldly into the realm of the great malts. What we’d call a true malternative, at least for now. Mouth: I simply adore this, it’s both young and old, direct yet intricate, rich yet refined… The stewed fruits are splendid, and those little notes of camphorated mint and liquorice add further dimension. There’s also a cooked, almost genuine Catalan rancio character here, though it stops short of becoming heady or suffocating, despite clear notes of coffee liqueur. Finish: long, with even a slight molasses edge, neatly cut by a touch of blood orange. Comments: what’s more, it retains that faintly rustic edge typical of Borderies. This is magnificent.
SGP:651 - 92 points.

La Fût-sée ‘Lot 91’ (49.2%, WV Baker & Cie, Bons bois, +/-2025)

What a playful label! The whole thing—name included—gives off a delightfully good-natured, if slightly cheeky, vibe. Colour: gold. Nose: this one’s more on the earthy and herbal side, very much in line with the character of most ‘bois’, leaning towards fruit skins (melons, peaches) and moderately aromatic flowers. Ultimately though, it’s the ripe apple that calls the shots. Mouth: superb freshness, lively and almost muscat-like, with notes of aromatic grape varieties—gewurz, viognier—the whole thing offset by candied sugar and oranges, then wrapped in a sweet curry paste with a fair bit of pepper and a pinch of ginger. Slightly off the beaten track perhaps, but I find it really lovely—and above all, dangerously drinkable. Finish: long, more peppery, more herbal too, which brings it all back into fine balance. Comments: a truly great Bons bois, for connoisseurs and everyone else (which makes no sense, S.)
SGP:661 - 90 points.

French Brandy 30 yo 1993 (40.3%, Casa de Vinos for Flower Drum 50th Anniversary)

On the one hand, it’s labelled ‘French Brandy’, which is never terribly reassuring, but on the other, we learn it was distilled in the Charente, which does provide a measure of comfort. No doubt a case of shaky appellation paperwork, and so on and so forth. And what’s more, it’s for Australia, so all’s well. Colour: coffee. Nose: to be perfectly honest, there’s something a bit Jerez brandy-like about it (isn’t there?) though the soul is unmistakably from Cognac, with stewed peaches and apricots in red wine, plus juicy sultanas. But it’s the palate that will have the final word… Mouth: sin in a bottle, with peaches, mint, and heaps of dark chocolate that bring out a rather drying, even bitter edge—in the best possible way. There’s also a lovely earthy, almost tarry side to it. Finish: long, bitter, chocolatey, minty, with a dash of oregano. Comments: certainly no classic Cognac, but its woody eccentricities give it real charm—you just need to listen. A spirit psychotherapist, now that would be a fine profession.
SGP:462 - 88 points.

Cognac Hors d’Âge (47.8%, Decadent Drams, Fine champagne, 116 bottles)

A blend of cognacs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, so clearly there’s a bit of a Keith Richards side to this one. Colour: amber. Nose: not a million miles from the Australian, though this is noticeably fresher and fruitier. I rather suspect these multi-vintage blends tend to sacrifice a touch of aromatic precision on the nose, but in return they bring greater complexity to the palate—let’s see if that theory holds water… Mouth: not so sure about my theory now, we probably won’t be picking up the Nobel Prize in spirits this year. In truth, it remains fairly compact, with notes of honey, orange, and a little caramel mingled with chocolate, all underpinned by the trademark poached peach in sweet wine. Finish: fairly long, a tad more on the woody side, with fir needles, tobacco, and mint chocolate. Comments: just very, very good.
SGP:551 - 88 points.

François Peyrot ‘Lot 62 Heritage’ (44.5%, OB for Passion for Whisky, cask #147, 120 bottles)

This is a 1962 that was never transferred to demijohn, so a true 62 or 63-year-old. Colour: full gold. Nose: stunning softness, simplicity, compactness and poise, somewhere between stewed peach, milk chocolate, verbena, heather honey and the tiniest sliver of grilled bacon, which adds a subtle extra layer. Remarkable freshness at such a venerable age—though it’s the same with humans, isn’t it. Mouth: almost liqueur-like in sweetness, though kept in check by citrus notes. Rather surprising, it’s a kind of balance one usually finds more in rum. Think drops of Cointreau, Grand-Marnier… Finish: good length, very rounded, very soft, still firmly on liqueurs. Curious hints of fern in the aftertaste, and something reminiscent of very old Ararat (that Armenian brandy from Pernod Ricard). Comments: extremely, extremely hard to score.
SGP:740 - 86 points.

Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 85’ (50.36%, Distilia, the Virtues, selected by Rob Bauer, Petite champagne, 168 bottles, 2025)

Rob Bauer—that’s rather like having Ruf on a Porsche (or Brabus on a Mercedes), and that’s hardly a bad endorsement. The Virtue here is Kindness, rarer these days than a blue diamond. Colour: full gold. Nose: classic JL Pasquet, with that distinctive, assertive yet poised and elegant fruitiness, joined by damp earth, a touch of mushroom, roasted coffee, and a sprig of fresh mint. Water should help bring this into line… With water: it’s as if you've just opened a box of fifty assorted chocolates from a top chocolatier in Paris or Brussels. Incredible. Mouth (neat): much more powerful than the strength might suggest, and frankly, even at just 50.36% (and yes, that .36 does seem to matter), water is politely requested. With water: think milk chocolate with passion fruit, or dark chocolate with mint cream, if that appeals. Finish: long, with the faintest hint of menthol and resin right at the end. Muscaty notes in the aftertaste. Comments: this one ought to please absolutely everyone and might even bring about world peace—assuming there's enough to go round.
SGP:651 - 90 points.

Daniel Bouju ’41-51 yo’ (52.1%, C. Dully Selection, batch 5, Grande champagne, 2025)

Not entirely sure what this is, but what we do know is that it’s from the Maisons Bouju and Dully, and frankly, that’s enough. In fact, it’s a blend of casks from 1974 and 1984. Colour: mahogany. Nose: textbook Bouju—oak-forward, resinous, dense, rich, almost overwhelming but in the best possible way. Buckets of pipe tobacco, blackstrap molasses, and small-batch coffee liqueur… With water: fir branches, rain-soaked moss and slippery boletes. Mouth (neat): still rich and concentrated, yet showing real elegance and lift, carried by a vivid passion fruit note that’s so pronounced you almost wonder if a few weren’t cheekily slipped into the cask. Not that we’d suggest such a thing (well, maybe just a little). With water: not much change, really, it’s more of a peaceful skirmish between resin and maracuja. Finish: similar story, just a touch woodier, earthier, and even peppery. Blackcurrant and blackberry jam in the aftertaste. Comments: what a beast. Excellent, of course, but not always easy to follow. Still very much up on the rooftop of the category, if you see what I mean.
SGP:571 - 89 points.

Here, let’s try something a bit different to finish, we’ll go back to an ancient bottle…

Leyrat ‘Domaine de chez Maillard Napoléon’ (42%, OB, Fine cognac, +/-1980)

Colour: bronze gold. Nose: pretty enough, rather earthy and herbal, though lacking real depth. Clearly not a nose-driven cognac, that much is obvious. Mouth: decent, quite salty and earthy, moderately bitter, but fragile overall and struggling badly when set beside those splendid new independents. Finish: medium in length, fairly bitter, a bit greasy, and frankly dispensable. Comments: well, we gave it a go—this is clearly not a high-flying cognac. Quite possibly some baddish OBE too. That said, Maison Leyrat does enjoy a solid reputation, as far as I can tell. One day we’ll try some of their more recent bottlings, though alas, there are still only 365 days in a year… And 52 Sundays.
SGP:651 - 59 points.

Right, that last one wasn’t the best idea — we can all agree on that — but as the year draws to a close, it does help put things into perspective. It also highlights the fact that scores between 85 and 89, at least on WF, are actually extremely high.

Check the index of all Cpgnac we've tasted