What We Know
- Minimum of 3 years old
- Fins Bois, blend coming from the Plateau de Saint-Simeux
- Distilled without lees
- Ugni Blanc
- Mostly Limousin oak, 400L barrels
- Eau-de-vie is aged in brand new barrels with a 40 minute medium toast for six months before being transferred to used barrels for the remainder of aging
- 40% ABV
- Additives: None
- Los Angeles International Spirits Competition 2015 Silver Medal, Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2017 Silver Medal, Wine Enthusiast Magazine 2017 88 Points
Nose
Caramel, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, fruit blossom, wet gravel, Bartlett pear, lime zest, orange peel, white peach, grape skin, unripe mango, dried fig
Palate
Honey, subtle butterscotch, cloves, cocoa, lavender, hay, green tea, gravel, dried apple chips, lemon, orange zest, dried pineapple
Finish
Dry and tannic with some chalk and fresh pressed grape
Overall Thoughts
Soft gold color with little pops of marigold. The nose shows an abundance of fruit. There’s quite a bit. Most predominate is pear, specifically Bartlett. White peach and unripe mango are floating around with a little bit of citrus, too. There’s a touch of sweetness in the likes of caramel, but not much. Some fruit blossoms are present and they really start to show up with a little splash of water. The palate continues to show fruits like dried apple and pineapple. A bit of green, vegetal flavors come to play with hay and lavender. There’s also a gravel minerality. The finish is short to medium. It’s dry with that same minerality returning and fresh pressed grape.
I recommend the Park Fins Bois Single Cru Organic for anyone who likes a drier style of Cognac. Yes, it’s fruity as most Fins Bois are, but what you’ll notice is that since there’s no additives whatsoever, this is the purest form of the grape and terroir. Being 100% organic also plays into the essence of this Cognac.
I really enjoy the earthy notes in it like wet gravel and chalk. It would prove to make a delicious stirred, dry Martini-esque cocktail. As stated above, a little bit of water opens the floral components, which means it would be suited nicely for simple mixed drinks, like with tonic or soda water. This expression is vastly different from something with more age on it, but its light and crisp flavors should be a welcome eau-de-vie in any fan’s arsenal. Also, I’d love to enjoy this Cognac right out of the freezer with light appetizers and oysters!
