Category: Brandy Bottle Reviews

Hermitage 2005 Grande Champagne Cognac stands as a pinnacle of sophistication, with a commitment to crafting only the finest spirits. The heart of our collection lies in the Grande Champagne region, where the slow ageing process imparts a unique richness.  Guided by our brand policy, all Hermitage Cognacs age for a minimum of ten years, a testament to our unwavering dedication to excellence. The meticulous aging process defines the Hermitage 2005 as it matures in 350 litre casks, spending six to eight months in new casks, and gracefully ageing further in seasoned Limousin casks. The medium damp cellars, with their… Read more

As always at this time of year we bring to our shelves a vintage Delord 2006 Bas Armagnac that was harvested 18 years ago. It is the youngest vintage that we stock, and the perfect gift for those turning 18 this year.  Vintage spirits, such as cognac, armagnac and calvados, will always increase in value over time as only a limited number of bottles were ever produced. Once they have been drunk, there will be no more. The armagnac will not deteriorate once put into glass as the seal will keep it the same as the day it was bottled (although… Read more

Last weekend in The Times luxury supplement, Luxx, Jane MacQuitty wrote about the best bottles to give as ‘gluggable gifts’. Obviously we were delighted to see our extremely popular Hermitage Cafe 20 Cognac from Grande Champagne featured. Jane described it as ‘Magnificent mocha, vanilla, wood-smoke and marzipan-licked top-drawer cognac from a great producer’. A Cognac Masters 2020 Gold Medal Winner, the Cafe 20 has also been described by TV presenter and award-winning wine expert Olly Smith as “this is as good as it gets and it’s mind-blowing with after-dinner coffee”. Perfect to enjoy with friends at Christmas; you can read more… Read more

December is well underway so its time to turn our attention to present shopping. But, what do you buy for the person who has everything? Well, we’ve put together a list of our favourite, luxury drinks that will go down a storm this Christmas. Not only do they taste fantastic, some of the packaging is exquisite and will grace any sideboard with aplomb. The three, classic French brandies of cognac, armagnac and calvados really come into their own at this time of year as their typical flavours of roasted nuts, spices and dried fruits complement the Christmas fayre brilliantly. We… Read more

Provenance There are hundreds of small cognac houses, most sell their young brandies to the big houses, but a few keep their special treasures tucked away for those who appreciate the golden nectar.  Hermitage Cognac Limited has, for decades, sourced cognacs from the very finest producers in the Premier Cru of cognac, known as Grande Champagne.  Perhaps because of our exposure to many small family creators of fine brandies, we occasionally find cognacs hidden away in family cellars, often referred to as ‘Paradis’.   These innermost chambers house small batches of cognac in glass bonbonnes and sometimes contain cognacs that were… Read more

We always like to introduce new vintages into our Hermitage Cognac range. The MD spends many hours visiting some of the many distillers, usually situated in Grande Champagne, looking for our next cognac masterpiece. Our latest find is a 2004 Vintage Cognac and for a cognac that is not yet 20 years old, it is sensational. This Hermitage 2004 Grande Champagne Cognac comes from the gentle slopes around the town of Segonzac, in the centre of the premier cru.  A truly amazing cognac it has a complexity of flavours that would enhance many, much older spirits. Aromas of cocoa, walnuts,… Read more

A one off addition to our Montal range has just arrived; the Montal 1962 Bas Armagnac. The grapes for this armagnac were harvested in 1962. What a wonderful year of birth, but then we are rather biased at Brandyclassics Headquarters! It is rare to find these old bottles of Montal Armagnac so this is another gem.  It comes from the top cru, is presented in a very attractive bottle and has fruity flavours with toffee and coffee on the tail. So, what else happened in 1962? It certainly found its place in history as the start of the Cuban Missile… Read more

In the latest edition of ‘The Spirits Business’ we read that “Despite global inflation causing the price of spirits to rise, research shows that consumers are still more willing to purchase higher end products ….. Specifically Cognac, which remains the most expensive category of all spirits, is up by 132%”. Hermitage Cognacs has always been positioned at the very top end of the category but how does it compare to the competition? Many high end cognacs are sold in fancy presentations, often made from embellished crystal, and sold as rare, limited editions. But what about the liquid inside? The cognac… Read more

October always denotes the start of the apple harvest which, for us, means Calvados.  A French brandy made from apples, Calvados can only be made in a specified area of Normandy.  One of our favourite suppliers, Toutain, have their orchards in the top cru, Pays d’Auge.  The ‘cidre’ they produce is then distilled on column stills to enhance the fruity flavours.  This year we have extended our range of Toutain Calvados to include: Toutain Reserve 3 Year Old – Fresh with a strong palate, full of taste. A lingering flavour of cooked apples. Toutain XO 8 Year Old – Smooth, a mix… Read more

Our whole range of products from Montanaro, including grappas, vermouths and bitters, has been exceptionally well received by our customers. In fact, it was they that asked us to expand our offering of grappas to include the Montanaro Grappa Di Arneis. So, here it is! Marked by the floral and herbaceous fragrance, typical of the original vine of the Arneis grape, it is a wonderful Montanaro Grappa which explodes in the mouth with the very first sip and is so easy to drink. Montanaro is one of the oldest distilleries in Langa established by Master of the Still, Francesco Trussoni… Read more