What We Know
- Aged for around 8 years in humid cellars
- Grande Champagne, blend from single harvest
- Ugni Blanc
- Limousin oak used for aging
- 40% ABV
- Additives: None
- Independent Wine Growers Contest 2010 Gold Medal and 2017/2018 Silver Medal, General Agricultural Competition 2017 Silver Medal
Nose
Caramel, butterscotch, dried coconut, fruit blossom, licorice, hint of marzipan, wet earth, green apple skins, baked pears, burnt orange, cherry, plum, overripe mango, banana leaf, golden raisin
Palate
Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, rose, oak, almond, flaky pastry/butter, limestone, pear, lemon, dried apricot, fresh grape
Finish
A little milk chocolate and cream with some minerality
Overall Thoughts
Lighter in color, bright honey and marigold. There’s a dominate caramel and forest floor type aroma of wet earth at first and also banana leaves. It opens up into floral notes, baked pears, and a hint of marzipan. There are some overripe tropical fruits and burnt orange that show up after a while. Following the first taste, the sweet notes of caramel and vanilla are upfront and followed with baking spices and a nice buttery, flaky pastry on the mid palate. There are some dried fruits and roses, but also a nice fresh flavor of grapes and mineral limestone. The finish started with milk chocolate and ended with a nice balance of acidity.
This Cognac has a lot of finesse and complexity. Upon the first nosing, I believe I just said, “Whoa!” Really unique aromas here, something I wasn’t expecting. I did have to keep visiting the glass as there were notes I had a hard time placing, so I definitely recommend letting this sit for a little bit to get some air after your first few minutes of analyzing. This VSOP is a bit different than one might be used to as it has more of a rustic quality to it. No additives, organic farming, and I’ve read that each expression changes slightly each year because there is no blending of different years together to get a consistent flavor profile.
There’s such a prominent earthiness to this Cognac that’s mesmerizing. I absolutely love it, but I’d note that it probably isn’t for people who are still coming around to Cognac and aren’t as adventurous. With an age of around eight years, this Cognac offers much more than a standard VSOP from a bigger house. There is something very unique in this bottle. With the aging process and Grande Champagne cru, I think this could compete with younger XO’s no problem. I poured myself another glass right after my first one was finished. The price is more than fair, even too low for the quality, in my opinion. If you can find it and enjoy something a bit different, jump on it.
