A fast session with 4 cognacs which have been delivered to the market just lately.
We begin with a Wonderful Champagne cognac. This mix by Decadent Drinks consists of 60% N.78 Grande Champagne and 40% N.60 Petite Champagne. That is from the brand new Decadent Drams vary, their “bread and butter” collection.
Cognac Vallein Tercinier Wonderful Champagne 60/78 (48,2%, Decadent Drinks 2024, 120 btl.)
Nostril: candy and fruity, filled with luscious apricots, quinces, oranges and lime. Each contemporary and preserved fruits. Honey on high, with vanilla and hints of flowers. Additionally good whiffs of outdated leather-based and polished wooden. The fruitiness is plain, nevertheless it has a pleasant candied contact as nicely.
Mouth: the fruits are nonetheless there, nevertheless it they’re rapidly countered by Mediterranean herbs and delicate earthy notes. Leather-based and tobacco leaves too. Then again to stewed peaches, tangerine peels and pink grapefruit. A agency resinous word seems ultimately, together with a floral edge.
End: fairly lengthy, on natural tea, zesty citrus and peaches, with a light-weight bitterness within the very finish.
Recent and fruity – I ponder why we haven’t seen these vintages on their very own. It began with luscious fruits however then it turns into leaner and extra resinous on the palate. Accessible from Decadent Drinks.
Subsequent up: a brand new Bertandeau from Malternative Belgium. After the demise of cognac maker André Bertandeau in 2016, all of his belongings have been auctioned and proceedings have been donated to NGOs. Grosperrin managed to safe a couple of casks, and from there they ended up with Pieter and Ysatis. Right here’s a Lot 71 Petite Champagne.
Cognac Grosperrin – A. Bertandeau Lot 71 ‘La Bonne Trigger’ – Petite Champagne (52,9%, Malternative Belgium 2023, 323 btl.)
Mouth: wealthy and candy. Quinces, marmalade and nectarines, with some dried mango within the background. Then a spiced honey word seems, with eucalyptus and natural tea. Ginger as nicely, which additional higlights the already beneficiant ABV. Minty notes, lime peel, ardour fruit cordial and a contact of cedar.
End: lengthy, barely drying, on fruit syrup, leather-based and natural notes. The minty freshness lingers on too.
A really all-round cognac, in my view, with jammy fruits coupled to extra sturdy spice. Right here as nicely, a part of the revenue might be donated to non-profit organisations. Launched at this time at Malternative Belgium. Rating: 91/100
Cognac Mauxion XO – Grande Champagne (52,9%, OB for Wine4You 2024, 150 btl.)
Nostril: elegant peach liqueur with beeswax and oak varnish. Properly-aged rancio notes, coupled to youthful notes of oranges, polished brassware, gentle liquorice and bay leaves. Then some honey and tangerines.
Mouth: very assertive, with a pleasant fruity core. Oranges, peaches, grape seeds, even a touch of Calvados. In keeping with our most popular fashion of cognac, solely right here we discover a bit extra contemporary wooden, coming near a bourbon whiskey at occasions. Gentle vanilla and caramel sweetness, together with cinnamon and white pepper.
End: medium size, with extra oak spice shining by way of. A little bit of liquorice and mint.
The provenance of this cask is undisclosed – Mauxion is just performing as a bottler right here. In any case, the choice was meant to be an entry-level cognac for discerning whisky lovers. General this can be a success: there’s sufficient energy to maintain whisky drinkers entertained and there are some very mature cognac parts already. Arduous to say how outdated it could possibly be, I might have guessed it was a mix. When you have € 100 to spare, this might make a pleasant Christmas present. Solely from Wine4You. Rating: 86/100
Famille Cabanne Lot 53 – Grande Champagne (54%, The Roots 2024, 130 btl.)
Nostril: a barely funky begin, nearly farmy sooner or later. It should be the leathery facet, together with tobacco leaves and a barely muddy factor – in a pleasant method. The fruits are darker right here, suppose contemporary figs and dried apricots. Faint hints of cigar containers too. After the opposite fruity ones, this begins a lot drier, though after some time good quinces seem.
Mouth: once more not completely basic. Stewed fruits (pear, fig) and candied orange peels, that are joined by caramelized nuts and hints of polished brassware. Then fruit tea, vanilla and hints of clove oil. A aromatic floral trace within the background.
End: fairly lengthy, with a touch of cinnamon, beneficiant woody notes and aromatic tea.
Whereas this Lot 53 reveals a pleasant darkish fruitiness, there are some metallic and spicy notes that I discover much less engaging. By some means it doesn’t sparkle as a lot as I’d like, so it ends within the decrease reaches of Cabanne bottlings, in my view. Rating: 87/100
