Twelve cognacs, with a strong thought for the producers


February 22, 2026

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!

Twelve cognacs, with a strong thought for the producers

Yet more incredible flooding and massive damage in Charente and Charente-Maritime. More than ever, we must support the people of Cognac, who are currently being battered by several kinds of ‘hurricanes’, including political ones. And yet they continue to offer us such wonders! That said, to gain a little more perspective than usual, we shall begin with one of the cheapest cognacs we have, the sort that normally lurks on the lower shelves of our supermarkets here in France…

Cognac casks half-submerged at Hine in Jarnac
this week. Perhaps these cognacs will become
even more extraordinary than Hine’s usually are!
(Xavier Rousseau, Sud Ouest)

Courcel ‘VS’ (40%, OB, Fine Cognac, 2025)

Fine Cognac, that really means nothing at all, and should not be confused with Fine Champagne, which is a blend of Petite and Grande Champagne (at least 50% Grande). In this instance, we have a very youthful little assemblage of Ugni Blanc drawn from the Fins and Bons Bois. Colour: caramel gold. Nose: blast, it is rather prettier than I had expected, with that fairly typical medley of sultanas and fresh mint. It is certainly not complex, yet on the nose it does the job perfectly well and does not ‘reek of alcohol’. Mouth: it does not even collapse on the palate, although pear is somewhat dominant, caramel too. It is genuinely very drinkable, the blending of this small VS seems to have been handled with due care. Finish: not especially long, yet still fairly fresh and clean. Comments: not so much a Cognac for cocktails as I had anticipated. But right, it is neither Pasquet nor Vallein-Tercinier.
SGP:530 - 77 points.

Come on then, an old bottle of Fine Champagne…

Larsen ‘T.V.F.C.’ (40%, OB, Fine champagne, +/-1990)

TVFC stands for ‘Très Vieille Fine Champagne’, although some sources claim it means ‘The Veritable Fine Champagne’, while the box of this bottle even declares it to be ‘The Cognac of The Vikings’. This is historically intriguing, since the Vikings reached the region in the 9th century, which rather challenges the theory that cognac was created in the 16th century by merchants from northern Europe. But no, this is simply marketing… Colour: full gold. Nose: more on walnuts, walnut liqueur, damp earth and liquorice. In any case, it is very pretty, with no obvious OBE. Mouth: yes, little OBE, rather dried fruits, once again a touch of dried pear, some old PX, tobacco and crushed pepper… It is charming and at no point do the 40% vol. feel weak. Finish: rather long, jammier, with walnut liqueur returning and touches of leather. Aftertaste earthier once more, with a faint hint of strawberry jam. Comments: one never quite knows what to expect with these old bottles, but here, a pleasant surprise! The brand is of Norwegian origin, so let us take the opportunity to congratulate their Winter Olympic team on their incredible haul of medals. Now they did not seem to have been doped with any Larsen cognac.
SGP:551 - 85 points.

That prompts us to try a much more modern Larsen…

Larsen ‘Aqua Ignis’ (42.3%, OB, Cognac, +/-2025)

A small batch without age statement that was matured in ‘triple steam brasero toasted French oak barrels’. I must confess I have no clear idea what that entails exactly, but it appears to soften the casks and avoid ‘undesirable’ notes (smoke, tannins…). Here too we have a blend of Fins Bois and Bons Bois. Colour: amber. Nose: strong liquorice, café latte, dark turrón, Darjeeling, vanilla pods. Mouth: bold caramel, rum, custard, caramel flan, cane syrup. One could almost be fooled and believe it is rum. Finish: fairly long, with little change save for a touch of green apple bringing a very slight and most welcome acidity. Comments: we have found the answer, the cask is plunged into hot water and then charred, three times in succession. It is pleasant and indeed rather very good.
SGP:641 - 82 points.

Château de Montifaud ‘Napoléon’ (40%, OB, Petite Champagne, +/-2025)

A well-known house from Jarnac. The designation ‘Napoléon’ in fact characterises a cognac whose components must all be at least six years old (thus between VSOP and XO), although this rule only dates from 2018. In practice, all the components of this Montifaud appear to be considerably older than the minimum required. Colour: full gold. Nose: much more classical, softer and rounder than the Larsen, leaning more towards honeyed herbal infusions too, camomile, Earl Grey, lime blossom, rosemary… And quite a lot of apple and very ripe peaches. A lovely nose. Mouth: same impressions, but the orchard fruits lead the way and are then joined by fruit sweets, honey lozenges and finally those same herbal teas. Finish: of medium length, with a few more bitter notes that are pretty pleasant (black tea, tobacco). Comments: in the end, a rather versatile cognac.
SGP:541 - 82 points.

Château de Montifaud 2006/2026 (43%, OB, Petite Champagne)

A proper vintage cognac, which is rather uncommon, as the regulations are draconian since the cask is sealed by the supervisory body and cannot be opened before bottling. Without this, no vintage is possible, only more or less tolerated ‘suggestions’ in the form of codes, such as, here, ‘Lot 06’ or ‘L 06’ or ‘Y06’ and so on. Colour: full gold. Nose: very beautiful, very elegant, much closer to a malt whisky, rich, waxy, with liquorice and wildflower honey, pine sap and eucalyptus. In short, it is very malternative. Mouth: very fine herbaceous notes, fruit peelings, candle wax, fresh and dried herbs, fir buds, then it moves towards citrus fruits, especially orange zests, which is always a delight. Finish: rather long, focused, with a very fine tannicity intertwined with those famous orange zests and the customary liquorice. Comments: after all, it is probably 19 years old. Excellent.
SGP:551 - 87 points.

Seguinot ‘Réserve de la Famille’ (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, 300 bottles)

Here we are in Segonzac, yet one wonders why so many houses continue to present their very fine cognacs at 40%, it is a pity, it does feel a little cheapish. Colour: amber. Nose: oh, magnificent, with varnish and pine needles to begin with, pipe tobacco, dried mushrooms (morels), then a superlative liquorice and even a drop of olive oil. Superb. But on the palate, the 40% can truly be a handicap, let us see… Mouth: no, it is very beautiful, with pronounced oak yet of great elegance, showing coffee, brown tobacco, dark chocolate and finally orange zests that come to correct the slight dryness of the whole. Finish: long, more mentholated and more marked by very black tea. Chocolate and mint in the aftertaste. Comments: an admirably rustic style. We are rather rustic too, so we quite adore it.
SGP:561 - 88 points.

Du Peyrat 2011/2025 ‘Folle Blanche’ (45.6%, OB, Fins Bois, 823 bottles)

At last a bottling strength that actually means something! This baby was distilled on its lees and is organic. Colour: full gold. Nose: folle blanche is quite something indeed. This one too is very malternative, with a distinct armagnac side (don’t shoot) and an initial development on verbena, wormwood and mint, before apples, pears and apricots come rushing in, followed by dried and candied fruits settling more comfortably. Sultanas, zests, dried pears… Mouth: excellent, almost a Highlander, herbaceous, almost rugged, in any case very rustic. Liquorice wood, melon skin, peach and apricot peel, earthy tobacco, menthol, pine sap… Finish: long, more focused and even more herbaceous. Mentholated tobacco rules the roost. Comments: for your hip flask. Antique and in solid silver, of course.
SGP:561 - 87 points.

Richard Delisle ‘XO’ (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, +/-2025)

A cognac by Famille Cabanne, who have already supplied our favourite independent bottlers with casks and demijohns of simply interstellar level, let that be said… Colour: gold. Nose: herbal infusions, dried apricots, fir honey, sultanas, English breakfast tea. It is extremely classical and gentle. Mouth: a little drying, in any case chocolaty and marked by black tea. Finish: of medium length, very much on black tea and coffee. Comments: perhaps a little elementary, but in the end I quite like it. Did we mention English breakfast tea?
SGP:461 - 80 points.

Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 88’ (43.8%, Art Malts, The Vintage Reserve, Grande Champagne, 2025)

Let us see whether we find on the nose the aromas of an old Jag, as the label may suggest… You know, old leather, old varnished wood, oil leaks… Colour: amber. Nose: a complex and irresistible fruitiness, varnish, fir buds, mint, blond tobacco, liquorice, all in perfect synchronisation. Mouth: the pressure of mint and wax, then pink grapefruit totally unleashed, finally linseed oil and a very present ‘oakiness’, in the manner of an old samovar. Finish: always that oak, those fir notes, yet all of it balanced to the nearest micron by citrus fruits and various herbal infusions. Comments: the fir is very marked, but this foresty (and tannic) side remains very pretty. A stroll through a Vosges forest.
SGP:371 - 88 points.

Grande Champagne Lot 97 ‘Le Frimas’ (53.9%, Malternative Belgium, 2025)

A cognac made from pure colombard, sourced from a bouilleur de cru in Mainxe-Gondeville. The name ‘le frimas’ fits perfectly with the weather we are currently enduring at WF Towers and in France in general. Colour: bright amber. Nose: honey and wood varnish, Earl Grey tea, paraffin and shoe polish, potting soil, old calvados, and in any case a beautifully firm earthiness. Even if it does not exactly joke around… With water: even more austere, woody, bitter… One has to like that, but we rather do. Mouth (neat): fairly brutal, very woody, very rustic, very peppery, marked by 100% cocoa chocolate and a touch of glue. Still not exactly playful… With water: there we are, it loosens up a little, yet the gluey side remains. A mix of dark chocolate, fir sap, green mint and strongly infused black tea. Finish: long and very peppery. Comments: a rather bitter, extreme cognac, perhaps for the wild ones. In short, rather a bruiser.
SGP:371 - 85 points.

Delamain ‘TV RES Founder’s Reserve’ (44.8%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, 2025)

From a demijohn of pure ugni blanc from Grande Champagne, in Verrières, hailing from the paradise of the famous house of Delamain, of Jarnac. I think that suffices in terms of pedigree, at least for a cognac. Colour: deep gold. Nose: elegant, earthy, on nuts of all kinds, pecans, peanuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia… All of this is rather magnificent and there is here a quite relentless old amontillado side. Perhaps dry as a truncheon blow, yet in this context rather magnificent. Mouth: the dried fruits reappear, but waxes, saps and resins do too, small apples as well, and it increasingly drifts towards an old Domfrontais. We may almost wonder whether it was not an old calvados, labelled by an intern. Finish: we remain on this pattern. Calvados, mint, resins, an old bottle of Jägermeister or Unicum, even Underberg. Comments: magnificent bitterness, but a proper no-fruit beast.
SGP:371 - 88 points.

We’ll end with something intriguing and rather fun…

Strictly Confidential ‘Secret #1’ (62%, Navigate World Whisky, Unspecified Spirit, French oak cask, 100% South African aged, 160 bottles, 2024)

A mysterious spirit, yet drawn from pot stills, while the label tied around the neck displays bunches of grapes… It should therefore be a wine brandy, or perhaps a marc, we shall see… Colour: dark amber. Nose: hummus, praline, caramel, tobacco, large raisins and pepper. Caution, at 62% vol., this is no time for frivolity… With water: light cheesy touches, mushrooms, castor oil, rubber. Not the most classical of noses. Mouth (neat): Mars bars and above all an explosion of glues and varnishes. With water: a sort of vegan fudge, shall we say. Finish: long, unconventional, marked by vegetable oils and lemon zest. One thinks of a fine from regions where fines are not the main production. Alsace, for example… Or the Cape region in South Africa, where the same grape varieties were planted. Riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot noir… Comments: difficult to compete with great cognacs, but the level is certainly high. To whomever this concerns, kudos!
SGP:371 - 83 points.

Check the index of all cognacs we've tasted