Merry Christmas with a few old Cognacs


December 25, 2016


Merry Christmas with a few old Cognacs
I’ve always found that Cognac was more ‘Christmassy’ than whisky, so let’s have two newish oldies, and then perhaps two old fifty-years-old. Is that acceptable? We’ll try to have even older ones on January 1st. By the way, this rather saucy Xmas ad for Hennessy used to run around the mid 1980s. Haven't times changed? -->

Distillerie Charpentier 30 yo (52.8%, Cadenhead, Petite Champagne, 270 bottles, 2016)

I tried an earlier 30 yo Charpentier by Cadenhead last year, and found it much to my taste (WF 90). What I never quite found was the distillery, but that’s not important, is it? Colour: deep gold. Nose: oh perfect. All elegance, complexity, and depth, and in truth it kind of makes me think of some older vintage Glenmorangies, such as that 1971, remember? Flowers and ripe yellow fruits, mirabelles, or sloes, vine peaches… There’s also some very floral honey, and behind that, an elegant waxy background. A touch of Demerara sugar (nosing a newly opened pack). With water: toasted oak! Engine oil! Paraffin! Mouth (neat): punchy and very fruity, on jelly babies and marshmallows, but it tends to become maltier, with some Ovaltine and these overripe apples that can be found in many a… malt whisky. Some minerality as well. Flints. With water: gets grassy, but also kind of oriental. Rose jelly? Finish: long and gritty/grassy, which leaves your mouth fresh and ready for the next one. Thank you. Comments: 90 it was last year, 91 it is this year! I’m wondering if, should someone let some Scottish distillers use the Charentais alambics, we would get this curiously Scottish style in Cognac. What’s sure is that it’s very splendid spirit. SGP:661 - 91 points.

Gasp, we’ve started at a high level, haven’t we! We may need heavy artillery to go on…

Vallein-Tercinier 1973 (48.2%, OB, Petite Champagne, +/-2016?)

Yes, another Petite Champagne, from one of my favourite Cognac houses. Colour: deep gold. Nose: very much in line with the Cadenhead, only a little maritime, perhaps, fresher, a little less candied, and perhaps a little more of a ‘classic’. There’s also a little more earth, more feelings of discovering an old cave, or an abandoned wine cellar (a dream, isn’t it)… perhaps a little more camphor and eucalyptus as well?... Wonderful nose, in any case. With water: some green tannins are emerging. Mouth (neat): it’s a little oakier than the Cadenhead, I have to say. Some wonderful citrons and oranges, but also quite a few tannins again. Black tea, chewing your cigar, all that. Some mint drops for sure. With water: some very lovely grapefruits and oranges, and greatest of news, water did not bring out even more tannicity. Phew! Finish: rather long, a tad green perhaps, but the citrusy side keeps it wonderfully fresh. Comments: perhaps not one of my arch-favourite Valleins, but my favourite Valleins are flying with the eagles up there. SGP:461 - 88 points.

So, Christmas…

Fine Champagne 50 yo (70% proof, Hedges & Butler, 1960s)

Most probably some early landed Cognac distilled in the very beginning of the 20th century, bottled by one of the most famous and oldest wine and spirit merchants in London. It seems that the brand name now belongs to Ian Mcleod, having said that. As for the ‘Fine Champagne’ appellation, it’s always a blend of Petite and Grande Champagne, with a minimum of 50% Grande Champagne. Colour: amber. Nose: it’s some fruit compote, with bits of fresh mint and the most delicate rancio mingled with the most precious honeys. Especially rock rose and heather. Fantastic freshness and lightness, without one ounce of weakness. I’m even finding wild strawberries. Mouth: fab. Honeydew, apple compote, a drop of crème de menthe, some chocolate mint, an unexpected coastal side (oysterleaves), and a stunning blend of pipe tobacco with porcini powder. Really. Finish: rather long given both the oldness and the low strength, and with quite some glazed chestnut. You could quaff litres of this. The aftertaste is a little earthier, which is just perfect. Comments: quite exceptional, this old old Cognac by Hedges & Buttler. I believe these are the bottles to gather these days, since old whisky’s become totally out of reach (and of sanity). Unless you’ve got plenty of money that you’re ready to lose, of course. SGP:641 - 92 points.

The other 50 yo…

Grande Fine Champagne 50 ans (no ABV, F. Latour & Co., Réserve des Grandes Hostelleries de France, +/-1950)

Most probably late 19th century Cognac, but not obligatorily pre-phylloxeric. I’ve tried to find data about the F. Latour & Co. brand, and it seems that it now belongs to a company in… Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Which is pretty shady, isn’t it? I’ve seen new bottles, but the vast majority of the F. Latour bottles that are to be seen on the Web are antiques such as this one. As for the ‘Grandes Hostelleries de France’, I couldn’t find any traces. Perhaps was it just a ‘fantasy’ name? Colour: mahogany. Nose: there’s probably quite a lot of caramel in there, because it does reek of caramel (ha), and at some point your could believe it’s some El Dorado rum. Now it tends to become much more complex, almost smoky, with a wonderful earthiness and touches of dark cigars (maduros). I’m also finding soy sauce, umami, and something teriyaki-like, before it gets more and more terpenic and mentholated. Not always good news, let’s see what gives on the palate… Mouth: indeed it’s a little thick(ish) and liqueury, so maybe additived, but other than that, it does the peacock’s tale on your tongue, with some mint chocolate, some coffee, certainly some big black Smyrna raisins, and that sweet earthiness that one can find in some teas. Perhaps a touch of soap, which isn’t uncommon in very old bottles, which might be linked to that famous ‘taste of glass’. Finish: perhaps a little short, but that’s to be expected from these old bottles. Comments: the Hedges & Butler was superior in my book, but this F. Latour remains a fantastic old glory. You just have to take into account that it’s a 50+50, very roughly. SGP:441 - 88 points.

I know we said two old 50yos, but let’s have a third one as a bonus… Because this is Christmas.

Réserve de l’Ange 50 ans (no ABV, Rouyer Guillet & Co, +/-1950)

Rouyer Guillet was a famous distillery in Saintes, established in 1801 according to official records, although this label rather mentions 1701. Yes, an anachronism that reminds us of quite a few Scottish distilleries ;-). We had tried a Rouyer Guillet 1865 back in 2010, and it had been utterly stunning (WF 95). Just like the F. Latour, this fifty years old Angel’s Reserve was probably distilled in the late 19th century. Colour: dark amber. Nose: it’s rather fruitier than the Latour, and rather less rancioty and umamiesque (right, right). So we’re rather navigating around kugelhopfs and panettones, with a few mushrooms on top of that, as well as many kinds of raisins. Also whiffs of orange squash and aniseed biscuits, which adds even more freshness. Earthy oranges. Mouth: it certainly wins on the palate. Fresher again, fruitier, sexier, and, well, more perfect. Various old-skool orange liqueurs (made by monks and nuns, ha), as well as bouillons, soups, and Belgian beers (made by monks as well, such as the trappists). If you really need a name, I’d say Rochefort. Once again there’s a very tiny, almost unnoticeable soapiness, and I believe that’s the usual taste of glass again. No worries. Finish: medium, marrowy (do you say that in English?) and raisiny. Some typical camphory touches in the aftertaste, as well as some cooked and caramelised honey. Those trappist beers again, perhaps. Comments: this old Rouyer had many tales to tell. I’m wondering if it’s not 100% folle blanche. SGP:541 - 90 points.

See you next Sunday with more old Cognacs, because we’ve got some 75 and even 100 years olds to taste to celebrate the new year. In the meantime, we’ll have quite a few festive whiskies. By the way someone has asked me about the relations between Champagne the sparkling wine and Fine/Petite/Grande Champagne in Cognac. The answer is none, ‘champagne’ being just the older name for ‘campagne’, which just means ‘country/countryside’. So you’ll actually find many Champagne areas all around France.

(thanks a lot Angus, Diego, Pieter)

Check the index of all Cognacs I've tasted so far

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback