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Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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November 9, 2014 |
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Possible malternatives,
a little bag of cognacs |
Time to have a little more of that 'pretentious, over-rated, caramel-ridden rubbish called Cognac (the French) had to endure for the last couple of centuries' - yep that used to be in Praegustator Minimus' very inconsequential gospel. We’ll start this with a bunch of new ‘designed’ ones, and then try to find more, say ‘authentic’ cognac. |
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C by Courvoisier (40%, OB, blend, +/-2013)  It seems that this one’s rather big in America. The website lists unusual claims, such as ‘double-barrel aging’ (can’t quite be a finishing since cognac can only be matured in new or ex-cognac wood) and ‘best served chilled for an unforgettable taste experience.’ Chilled? Colour: amber. Nose: rather fruity and fresh, and certainly not ridden with oak/boisé, you name it. I rather enjoy these whiffs of oranges and raspberries, the gingerbread, the juicy sultanas and the peonies. I really like this freshness. Mouth: maybe a little thin but otherwise the fruitiness works well. Toasted pastries, raspberry jam, blueberry juice, peaches, more oranges and just a touch of honey and spices. Really easy, and certainly not bland. Finish: a little short, but clean and fruity. Some vanilla. Comments: a rather good surprise, with a sexy fruitiness. I was afraid this would only be a marketing gimmick. And no I haven’t tried to chill it. SGP:731 - 80 points. |
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A De Luze (43%, OB, blend, fine champagne, +/-2013)  Another ‘modern’ bottle, this time by De Luze. It’s also nicknamed ‘Alfred’ and it’s also meant to savoured ‘on ice’. Bartender stuff, perhaps… Colour: amber. Nose: I find it much shier than the Courvoisier, but then it develops on a pretty similar profile, that is to say a fruity freshness and a few floral tones. Lilies, oranges, apricots, raisins, a little chocolate, a touch of leather… Globally a little oakier and spicier than the C. Mouth: a little rougher this time, with more toasted oak, toffee, coffee, black tea… Maybe a little too young for this profile – and this amount of oak and vanilla – and spices. I can understand why someone would add a few ice cubes. Finish: rather short, on black chocolate and cloves. Strong black tea. Comments: possibly not a sipper. SGP:451 - 72 points. |
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Godet ‘Antarctica Folle Blanche’ (40%, OB, +/-2013)  Godet seem to have rechristened this ‘Icy White’ now, instead of ‘folle blanche’. Maybe they were too successful and couldn’t go on with only folle blanche? Please note that this is aged cognac, not newmake like the ‘blanche’ they make in Armagnac. It’s almost white only because they use very, very old oak casks that have almost lost their colouring agents. Some heavy filtering may have been used as well. It’s around 7 years old. Colour: extremely pale white wine. Nose: some character in there, this isn’t artisan mezcal, or clairin, or ultra-young Lagavulin, but indeed some things are happening, with touches of smoke, white peaches, then greengages and a few drops of grape seed oil. Pretty dry for a young cognac, with a very moderate fruitiness. Could be good, let’s see… Mouth: not quite. It’s raw, a little burnt, grassy, acrid, difficult… Raw plum eau-de-vie. Makes me think of some gins, minus the spices. Disappointed after the intriguing nose. Finish: short yet hot and raw. Comments: the freezer or a handful of ice cubes? Your decision. No sipping cognac. SGP:241 - 50 points. |
Ouch, it’s all going downwards, I’m afraid. Another try… |
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Maxime Trijol ‘Elegance’ (40%, OB, grande champagne, +/-2013) A young cognac by a rather well-known house that blends their own production with wine from other producers. Colour: amber-bronze. Nose: back on the tracks! This is fragrant, with roses, peaches and even touches of litchis, then a very faint smoke (wood smoke) and the expected raisins. Noses young but it’s already well integrated. Mouth: starts a little aggressive despite the low strength, with some tannins as well, but the fresh fruits work well and make it fresher. We’re a bit in the style of the Courvoisier. Oranges, raspberries, cranberries, more peaches. A lovely touch of earth. Finish: medium. More spices, cinnamon, nutmeg… Remains fresh, despite the bitter chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: certainly above average for a VS. SGP:641 - 80 points. |
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Louis Royer ‘VSOP’ (40%, OB, blend, +/-2014) A rather large house, with good reputation. They’re in the city of Jarnac. Colour: amber. Nose: you feel that this is pretty older. It’s extremely fragrant and even perfumy, with plenty of rose water, tons of tinned litchis and then tinned pineapples, blackcurrant jelly, peaches again, jams… Very sexy very easy, very approachable. I even find a touch of… Mei kwei lu? Mouth: the oak feels more, but the foundations remains extremely fruity. Same fruits again, plus raisins and even a feeling of Sauternes. Good mouth, even if this isn’t big. Finish: medium, probably a little too tannic now. Black tea, cocoa powder. Comments: a very fine ueberfruity cognac. Very easy. I’d love to be able to try it at a higher strength… SGP:751 - 82 points. |
At a higher strength? Your wish is my command… |
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Louis Royer ‘VSOP Force 53’ (53%, OB, blend, +/-2014)  Why 53%? Simply because the house was founded in 1853. Imagine Louis Royer had founded it in 1799 or 1899… This expression seems to be very successful. Colour: amber. Nose: not particularly more expressive than the already very expressive VSOP, but the profiles are very similar. In fact, it’s a little closed. So, with water: a little different from the 40% version, it’s rather more chocolaty, with some praline, light toffee… And, hurray, I also find a little shoe polish. Mouth (neat): oh, great! There are so many spirits that would need more oomph (such as the weak tequilas at 38% and so on.) They should watch Louis Royer. Excellent arrival, bold, not totally void of any hints at malt whisky, with plenty of peaches and raisins plus oranges, plums and pineapples. It’s also rather spicier than its lighter sibling, with more pepper. Reminds me a bit of some older bottlings of Macallan. Really! With water: I managed to recreate the 40%. That’s smart. Finish: quite long fresh, delicately spicy. Comments: very smart, and very good in my opinion. Granted, it hasn’t got the complexity of a 40 years old or ultra-XO, but please, spirit makers of the world, watch this trend! SGP:751 - 87 points. |
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Vallein-Tercinier ‘L’Erotique’ (47%, OB, Grande Champagne, +/- 2014)  This is, in all likelihood, a 1969, Gainsbourg’s famous ‘erotic year’. Colour: gold. Nose: fresh, vibrant (as they say) and not quite ‘old’, this could be younger than 45. And it’s not. What we’re nosing is a very clean combination of ripe fruits (melons and peaches are leading in this dance, including as jellies and jams), fresh mint, and gravel/chalk/clay. This works very well, and the strength is perfect. We’re far from some slightly sultry old cognacs. Older age brought more complexity rather than just more oak and spices. Mouth: a little feeling of calvados in the arrival, then a formidable development on blackcurrant liqueur (or crème de cassis), pine sap, wormwood and verbena (the verbena’s really loud, as in Verveine du Velay), then rather oriental spices, ginger and curry, cardamom… The oak tends to become noticeable, but that’s all fine, it’s fine oak. Finish: long, with some kiwi jam and, once again, a little calvados. Old calvados, no need to say. Black tobacco in the aftertaste, and a drop of melon liqueur. Comments: the oak bites a bit towards the finish, but other than that, this is another marvellous old cognac by Famille Vallein-Tercinier. SGP:662 - 90 points. |
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