Category: Brandy Bottle Reviews

The Wine Merchant is the first trade magazine aimed solely at independent wine retailers and has been around for nearly 10 years.  This month it published a double page spread featuring the founder of Hermitage Cognac, David Baker, and some of Hermitage’s finest cognacs.  Dubbed ‘The Cognac Hunter’, his story is summed up in the introduction: David Baker uses his network of connections in the Grande Champagne region and beyond to seek out the kinds of long-aged, single estate cognacs that tell the story of this classic brandy in a far more evocative and compelling way than the big brands ever could. … Read more

The Cognac Masters 2021 results have just been announced and we are thrilled to report that our new Hermitage 1990 Grande Champagne Cognac, presented at 47% abv, received a Masters Medal.  Only 9 of these, the highest possible medal, were awarded in the entire competition so this is particularly pleasing.  You can read about all the results here, in the May 2021 edition of The Spirits Business  magazine starting on page 49. Judges’ comments include: Complex and superbly balanced ~~~ Silky smooth texture ~~~ Really long and expressive In other news, we have recently added Hermitage 10 Year Old Grande Champagne Cognac to our portfolio and it… Read more

Frapin has just released a limited edition run of this unique presentation to celebrate 750 years since the family’s oldest member was born in Cognac in 1270.  We do applaud these small family firms who have passed on their skills from generation to generation and not taken the easy route of selling to the ‘big four’.  The Frapin 750 contains some very old Grande Champagne eau de vie, albeit blended, and is presented in a Baccarat crystal carafe decorated with Belle Epoch-like grapevine etchings.  Just 21 of these presentations have been produced – to represent the 21 generations of the… Read more

Our range of Hermitage Paradis Cognacs continues to expand with this stunning arrival from 1885.  Perhaps the best cognac we have ever tasted, this masterpiece will never be repeated. Distilled in the year that the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York, a gift from the French people, it has been aged for a staggering 110 years.  The much sought after ‘rancio’ in this cognac is incredibly intense and rich.  It was brought about by long barrel ageing, in two different barrels, which has created an unbelievable ‘double rancio’ effect.  The aroma is remarkable and the flavour, sensational. Many of the aromas… Read more

Having received news that Hermitage Single Estate Cognacs won three Gold Medals or better at IWSC 2020, we have just found out that Hermitage 1960 Grande Champagne Cognac won The Cognac Trophy. Scoring 98 points the judges commented: “Exceedingly complex and broad in its depth of aromas and flavours.  Prominent notes of refreshing and zingy sherbet are united with red berries and smooth hints of fine leather for a seamlessly crafted and decadently elegant enjoyable palate.” In celebration of this fantastic news we are offering 10% Off this magnificent cognac throughout October.  Distilled 60 years ago, it is the perfect gift… Read more

David Longfield has written in Decanter magazine describing the excitement of  tasting some of our most precious nectars with MD, David Baker.  All produced over 75 years ago, these Grande Champagne vintages are some of the best we have ever stocked.  Here is a snippet of the article to whet your appetite.  The entire piece can be read here. “Hermitage Cognac works with top Cognac houses to hunt out small parcels of such old spirits still preserved among the five or six hundred independent producers around the region, looking primarily for those with verifiable vintage dates or age statements that define how long… Read more

The results are out and we are delighted to report the results for Hermitage Cognacs in the recent International Wines & Spirits Competition (IWSC 2020). A GOLD OUTSTANDING medal winner was described as “An outstanding spirit with a naturally exceptional balance, complexity and power. An example that immediately sets itself apart from others in the category.”  This was awarded to: Hermitage 1920 Grande Champagne Cognac “Outstanding in complexity and structure with an enigmatic palate composed on an abundance of intricate layers of texture.” Judges’ comments. Hermitage 1960 Grande Champagne Cognac “Exceedingly complex and broad in its depth of aromas and flavours.”… Read more

A bottle of 1762 Cognac by Gautier was sold at auction recently for a record breaking £118,580.  Thought to be the world’s oldest cognac, only one other bottle of this vintage now exists.  The bottles’ history can be traced back to the 1880s when they were acquired by the Donsir family.  The family adopted a son, Alphonse, who in 1870, went to find work in the cognac vineyards.  Over the next decade the Phylloxera outbreak decimated European vines so, when work dried up Alphonse returned home.  As the vineyard was financially ruined, he was paid in cognac, including 3 bottles… Read more

Our latest nineteenth century cognac, Hermitage Paradis 1880 Grande Champagne Cognac, has arrived and what a stunner it is! The period from 1870 to 1900 saw cognac houses in France produce some of their finest spirits, a few of which are still available today. This was a period before the official recognition of crus, however, it was widely accepted that the area north of the River Né and south of the town of Cognac produced some of the finest cognacs. The region later became known as Grande Champagne, the premier cru of the six cognac regions in The Charente. Like… Read more

We have expanded our range of Eaux de Vie, Grappas and Liqueurs just in time for the summer cocktail season. From Nusbaumer our new stock includes: An award-winning Poire William, with a fragrant, delicate pear flavour. Marc d’Alsace Gewurtztramier, a grape brandy resembling Italian Grappa. Peche de Vignes, made from vine peaches and ideal for making Bellinis. And from Jacopi Poli we have some new Grappa and Grape Brandy presentations – Amarosa Di Settembre Vespiaolo and Chiara di Moscato