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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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November 6, 2016 |
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The search for malternatives
The cognac month, partie deux |
Remember Vallein-Tercinier won it last week, not unexpectedly, while Rommel’s cognac had been… well, flat dead, not unexpectedly either. Let’s see what we can find today… |
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Léopold Gourmel ‘Bio Attitude’ (40%, OB, cognac, +/-2015)  A young Fins Bois VSOP that’s totally organic. And of course, there are no additives, no caramel, no boisé… Colour: straw. Nose: it’s got a feeling of young fine, which is fine (oh c’mon, S.), with some apples and a touch of citron, then rather kiwis and plums. Almost forgot to mention the usual yellow peaches (and vine peaches). Mouth: I find it a notch yeasty and beerish at first, like if it was a young ex-refill Speysider. I’d even swear I’m finding barley! Then rather apples and nectarines, with a wee touch of earth. A little rough and, dare I say, immature. Finish: medium, and even more young Speyside-like. Comments: I’ve had some ex-hogshead 8yo Aberlour was not dissimilar. May need ice. SGP:451 - 76 points. |
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Maxime Trijol 2000/2016 (44,3%, OB for La Maison du Whisky, Through The Grapevine)  This is cask strength Grande Champagne from one of the best small Cognac houses. I have little doubt that more and more indie bottlers from all over the world will further push many kinds of malternatives in the coming years. Arrogance is never good on the long run (I know what I mean). Colour: dark gold. Nose: some good rubber and sulphur at first nosing, which suggests a rather fat spirit, then green apples and some unexpected phenolic and sappy notes. Earth and tobacco, green tea, gooseberries, plantains… The opposite of a full-blown fruity and exuberant cognac. So yeah, it’s rather dry. Mouth: aggressive in a good way, vibrant in an even better way, and becoming fruitier and fruitier, all around tropical fruits and, guess what? Peaches! I’ve rarely found this much guavas and papayas in one cognac. No caramely notes and no toasted oak this time. Finish: long, pleasantly sharp and fruity, with a perfect freshness. A wee rawness that makes it very ‘artisan’. Yeah, craft. Comments: totally and plainly malternative. SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Coutanseaux Ainé ‘Hors d’Âge’ (40%, OB, cognac, +/-2015?)  This one’s a Grande Champagne. It’s difficult to find some information about the house Coutanseaux, but it seems that’s it got a super-high reputation and what’s more, I’ve seen that the Wellesley Hotel in London was pouring a 1767 Coutanseaux for around £9,000 a measure. Too bad it’s not a 1776, our American friends would have loved it. Colour: amber. Nose: epic and sublime. Walnuts, honeydew, cigar tobacco, fresh pollen, dried figs, dates, orange blossom, bergamots, maraschino, natural marzipan, genuine gingerbread (like containing 50% honey or more)… A truly amazing nose, this should be old and contain quite some ‘pardise’ cognac. Mouth: in keeping with the nose, with dates and figs, raisins, honey cake, pecans, a tobacco-like rancio, old oloroso, more walnuts… It’s all becoming drier, towards bone-dry Madeira, which is the kind of development I just cherish. Finish: medium and dry, on more oloroso, tobacco, bitter chocolate… While some lighter touches of marmalade are lifting the aftertaste. And raisins! Comments: this one’s quite extraordinary, I have to say. To think that I had never heard of Coutanseaux before… SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Well, we may require big guns if we want to go on… |
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Petite Champagne 1958 (40%, Jean Grosperrin, cognac, lot No 146, 100 litres, +/-2008) The Grosperrin family are simply the kings of indie single cask cognac. They are extremely hard to beat! Colour: amber. Nose: a style close to that of the Coutanseaux, only with a little more freshness, and more fresh fruits, and consequently, less dried ones. Amazing oranges and raisins, cigarette tobacco, plums, lemon honey, then leather polish, a touch of camphor, a fabulous coastal side, with even ‘ideas’ of oysters, and perhaps wee touches of latex. Drops of Corsican citron liqueur, totally love that. Pace e salute! Mouth: you would never guess this was reduced and bottled at 40%. Starts superbly grassy and even tannic (green apples), and unfolds on dried bananas, raisins, peaches of course, and a touch of tobacco, just like on the nose. Isn’t it great when a palate just mirrors the nose? Provided the nose was great, you’re right. Finish: medium, just a wee tad tannic, but otherwise just perfect. Orange zests dipped into bitter chocolate. Oranges again in the aftertaste, which, once again, lifts the spirit. Comments: I believe we should not be so haughty as to declare that one was better than the other. SGP:551 - 91 points. |
Good, how are we going to get out of this? Will Vallein-Tercinier help us again? |
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Vallein-Tercinier ‘Très Vieux Cognac Fins Bois’ (47%, OB, cognac, 2016)  A marriage of Fins Bois distilled between 1938 and 1941 and kept in wood since back then. Isn’t it great that you-know-who did not quaff it all between November 1942 and August 1944? As you probably know, Fins Bois represents the largest part of the cognac appellation, so around 45% of the region. Colour: deep gold. Nose: not big, not very immediate, and in that sense a little shier than both the Coutanseaux and the Grosperrin. On the other hand, it’s rather subtler, with some sunflower oil, candle wax, fresh almonds and hazelnuts, whiffs of hay and farm earth, perhaps a tiny bit of beetroot… It’s not too ‘rancioté’ (I don’t know if there’s a word in English, rancioted, perhaps? Rancioated?) Raisins and other dried fruits only make it after a good five minutes, but the whole remains grassier and drier than the others’. Mouth: surprisingly fresh and fruity, and even rather pungent after around 75 years in wood. It roars and even bites, even if the rather high ABV helps in that respect. Green tea, fruit peelings, marmalade, nutmeg, cinnamon, then the expected dried fruits (sliced pears, dried apricots), and quite a bag of cocoa powder. Yet, it never becomes dying, strictly speaking. Finish: longer and rougher than the others. Cider, chocolate, bitter oranges, peppermint. That’s the oak. Comments: a living miracle! It’s probably not totally perfect – how could it be after 75 years – but we’re amazingly close. I mean, to perfection. Oh and I’m happy to report that we’ll have more Valleins next week, so stay tuned. SGP:461 - 89 points. |
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