It's Sunday it’s Cognac day


February 2, 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 Sunday it’s Cognac day

Just a few, but we'll have more soon.

Domaine La Prenellerie (La Prenellerie)

Château de Triac 'Reserve de la Famille' (40%, OB, Tiffon, cognac, +/-2024)

We had already tasted this expression ten years ago and liked it a lot (WF 88). Let’s discover this recent batch, rumoured to be around 50 years old… This is not specified on the label, but the Triac vineyard, owned by Tiffon, is located in the Fins Bois. Colour: dark gold. Nose: very stewed and jammy at the same time, marked by very ripe plums and even riper apricots, with an almost liqueur-like quality on the nose, almost muscat-like (VDN), and in fact reminiscent of a very old Pineau des Charentes of great lineage. Mouth: slightly burnt on the attack, with roasted raisins, then plenty of maple syrup and a sweet old Malaga touch. Toasted wood, walnut cake, then dark honey. The honeyed side only grows. The texture is not even that light at 40% ABV, but of course, it’s no steamroller. Finish: of medium length, grilled and caramelised. Some touches of violet in the aftertaste. Comments: a soft, rich, and very classic style, still very enjoyable despite the gentle strength. Score unchanged.
SGP:751 - 88 points.

Mauxion Sélection ‘XO’ (52.9%, OB for Wine4you, Grande Champagne, 150 bottles, 2024)

Colour: full gold. Nose: a very slightly metallic nose at first (old copper pot) and heavily marked by cherry jam, followed by black nougat and green tomato jam. Rather unusual and quite lovely. It then moves, more classically, towards dried figs and honey. With water: yes, that’s it—dried figs, honey, and currants. Mouth (neat): much more classic on the palate, with orange liqueur, honey, liquorice, and sultanas. Nothing to fault. With water: modern and classic at the same time, compact, slightly sweet, jammy, finishing on touches of lavender and chocolate (lavender chocolate—it’s excellent). Finish: long, on similar notes. A touch of anise and liquorice. Comments: a job done simply and to perfection for a ‘simple’ XO, excellent.
SGP:651 - 85 points.

French Brandy 30 yo 1990/2024 (46.3%, WhiskyNerds, Grande Champagne, cask #36, 169 bottles)

Hold on, if it’s a Grande Champagne, it’s a Cognac, not just a ‘French Brandy’. Que pasa? A sort of playful affectation? Colour: dark amber. Nose: very unusual, on slightly mentholated toffee, cough syrup, a touch of oloroso, stewed fruits (blueberries), peonies, prunes, and even a drop of soy sauce… Mouth: slightly ‘cormagnac’ (Cognac + Armagnac) perhaps, with those prunes, some oak, chocolate, peach skin, and then a hint of mulled wine (cinnamon, star anise, clove) and liquorice wood. Finish: long, woodier, slightly resinous, finishing on After Eight thin mints. Though those seem out of fashion now, which I regret deeply. Oranges and ripe peaches also make an appearance right at the end, along with a faint touch of ‘sherried’ malt. Comments: an excellent and singular brandy. You could play guessing games with friends while polishing off the entire bottle.
SGP:551 - 88 points.

UPDATE: our friends the WhiskyNerds couldn't call it 'Cognac' because it was bottled in Scotland. Thanks Bram.

François Voyer ‘Lot 90 - L’Âge de ma Femme’ (47.8%, Malternatives Belgium, Grande Champagne, 402 bottles, 2024)
L’âge de ma femme, my wife's age… Very well, but one shouldn’t use such qualifiers for vintages that are too old, should one? Coz domestic harmony is priceless. Colour: full gold. Nose: it’s very pure, fresh, compact, immediate, with a beautiful tango of flowers and fruits. Peaches, wisteria, yellow flowers, figs, and a touch of liquorice. It’s all quite flawless. Mouth: the same, but with the addition of new players—namely apples, ripe melon, and a bit of mint. Perfect. Finish: mandarins and orange blossom water sneak into this rather long finish. Honey. Comments: that was quick. Did we already mention it’s perfect?
SGP:651 - 90 points.

La Prenellerie ‘Lot 90’ (52.4%, Authentic Spirits, Bons Bois, 2024)

100% ugni blanc from the Domaine la Prenellerie, which is located just near the Gironde estuary, in Epargnes. Their wines too have got an excellent reputation. Colour: full gold. Nose: a more herbal, waxy, fatty style, with stewed rhubarb, candle wax, and quite a bit of liquorice wood and balsamic notes creeping up the lower part of the glass towards your nostrils. A fine example of a spirit that’s worth nosing both from the top of the rim of the glass and from the lower part of the rim, and definitely not just in the middle as we usually do. A very beautiful nose. With water: almond milk, ripe apples, and marzipan join the mix. Mouth (neat): powerful, peppery, almost aggressive in its bitterness and herbal notes, yet it works splendidly, especially as saline touches begin to emerge and then intensify. Rarely have I tasted such a maritime or saline Cognac. With water: the same. It’s almost like a dry martini aged in wood and, of course, served with olives. Finish: long, slightly softened, yet green olives linger in the aftertaste, alongside liquorice wood. Comments: it would be a bit much to call this an ‘Islay’ (or Jamaican) of Cognacs, but you get the idea.
SGP:462 - 90 points.

We'll have older cognacs next Sunday, if sweet Vishnu or Elon M. grants us life until then.

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