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Category: News

The Charente Scene – Autumn 2016

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Major Houses Require More Vines in The Charente

Cognac regionHennessy, with sales to America alone of 4 million cases of mainly VS and VSOP a year, have successfully pressed the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) for an increase of 1% in new vine plantings. This increase is the biggest ever approved by the Bureau and represents an increase of around 800 hectares. The vines are to be planted next spring and will be ready for their first harvest in three years’ time. With yields of around 9.5 hectolitres per hectare (hl/ha) it means that growers will be able to produce a further 7,500 hl of pure spirit. The crop this year looks as if the quality will be high and although there was some hot sun earlier, the quantity available should be up to the current maximum level permitted of 9.5 hl/ha. Good news for the cognac industry in The Charente Scene this autumn.

Scent Inspired by Cognac Aroma

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Last month we wrote about how cognac, with its many aromas and flavours, can certainly appeal to women as the same scents are often found in beauty products.  Clearly, we were not alone with this theory; well known television star Sarah-Jessica Parker seems to agree.  She has just released her latest perfume, Stash, after 10 years in the making and happily confesses that it was influenced by cognac and leather amongst other things. An interesting choice but once again highlighting how important cognac aroma is and how it transcends the genders.  Describing the feel she was trying to recreate, SJP obviously felt that a hint of cognac was an attractive proposition.  Not as girlie perhaps as apricots and vanilla, but the more wintery cognac aromas of leather, truffle and cigar box might be more appealing to the female kind than perhaps would have been thought?  If you’d like to make this comparison, try tasting our Hermitage 10 Year Old and Roullet Fransac’s 1970 Cognac:

A Small Taste of Hermitage Cognac Heaven in 20cl Bottles

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Hermitage 20cl bottlesThe first 20cl bottles of Hermitage Cognac are being launched.  This new concept has been designed to suit the needs of many; connoisseurs seeking to taste some of our more expensive cognacs but also individuals wishing to buy sufficient for a small gathering such as a dinner party or to avoid waste at a cosy function. These sophisticated and exciting bottles are new to the industry and another ‘1st’ For Hermitage Cognacs. Currently a selection of our cognacs are available in 20cl bottles from Hedonism Wines and our website and shortly we will be releasing the new Cognac Café 20 in this format. Ideal to drink with a late morning coffee or as a ‘digestif’ before retiring, the 20cl Cognac Café 20 will be the perfect accompaniment to any occasion.

Our Latest Vintage Hermitage Cognac Releases

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60 year old cognacBrand new on the shelves this month is our latest Hermitage 60 Year Old Cognac. This remarkable cognac comes from the top cru, known as Grande Champagne, and has been aged in oak casks for more than 60 years.  At a strength of 40.5%, it has autumnal aromas including tobacco, ginger and clove. Its flavours of truffle, clove, liquorice, burnt toffee and dried fig with a finish of dried mandarin are perfect for enjoying with a fine cigar or to celebrate any 60th Birthday or Anniversary occasion.

Working closely with our customers, we have established that there is a growing café bar culture for cognacs.  At Hermitage we are the first cognac house to recognise this need and we have perfected the ideal cognac called Hermitage Cognac Café 20.  This rich mocha and roasted walnut flavoured cognac is more than 20 years old and comes from the top cognac cru, Grande Champagne.  During the second half of the 17th century the London “café society” people were experimenting with new drinks. Non-alcoholic drinks like coffee and tea were new but some liked more robust drinks like port, sherry and a spirit from a small town in Western France called Cognac. Today, Hermitage produce a whole range of cognacs with age statements that are aged naturally, with individual flavours, styles, strengths and ages.  Cognacs, the likes of which you will never have tasted before.

Hermitage 1967 CognacWe are very excited about this summer’s vintage cognac release, the Hermitage Petite Champagne 1967.  At 41% abv, this complex cognac has many charming and attractive qualities. It is mature yet youthful and light. There are flavours of wild cherry, mangosteen, toast, muscat, dried fig, allspice and even a hint of turmeric on the tail.  One cognac in a range of nearly thirty, this is a little piece of Hermitage pure bliss.

Massougnes 1801 sold for £222,000 !!

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Massougnes 1801There was great excitement in the Brandyclassics office this week as the first of our two imperial three quarter gallon bottles of Massougnes Cognac was sold by the famous London store, Hedonism Wines, for £222,000.  The bottle originally came from Marie-Antoinette des Allees, Comtesse de la Bourdeliere, a direct descendent of Louis VII and Elleanor of Aquitaine and their children, King Richard of England and King John. The Comtesse still lives in the Chateau, on what remains of the Massougnes estate, near Aigre. Cognacs from the pre-Phylloxera era are a speciality of ours. In addition to the last remaining bottle of Massougnes (1805), we have a number of other very old cognacs dating from 1789 to 1893. Our post-Phylloxera cognac vintages range from 1900 to 2005.

Cognac is Not Just for Men

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Cognac is not just for men With its warm and nuanced flavour, cognac is just as pleasing to women’s palates as it is to men.” says an article in The Amateur Gastronomer and we are inclined to agree.  Why is cognac so often thought of as a man’s drink? Is it because of it’s strength or its flavour? Possibly both but maybe women just need to be introduced to a high quality, pure, luxury cognac with perfect balance and sufficient individuality such that all the different flavours can be recognised and enjoyed? Apricot, Citrus, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Bergamot are some of the aromas and flavours found in cognac; they are also aromas commonly found in women’s perfume. This natural affinity is surely a good starting point when selecting an introductory cognac for a lady? Take our Hermitage 10 Year Old, arguably packed with ‘female’ flavours; there really is no reason why the ladies should not enjoy it just as much as the men.  So next time you are buying a gift remember, Cognac is not just for men.

40th Celebration Gifts

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40th celebrationsSpecial 40th Celebrations are just that – special – whether they are for a 40th Birthday, 40th Anniversary or any other 40th Celebration they all deserve the perfect present.

Forty years ago, in 1976, some wonderful cognacs and armagnacs were distilled before being aged in wood for decades until reaching their optimum level of maturity. Today, these fabulous nectars are presented as vintage brandies, bottled traditionally and offered as brilliantly fitting celebrations of all great things from 1976.  For the cognac lover choose our Hermitage 1976 or Tesseron 76 and for those who prefer a fruitier flavour, Delord 1976 and Clos de Saveurs 1976 armagnacs will always delight.

UK Referendum Result – Brexit

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The United Kingdom’sUK Referendum Result decision to ‘brexit’ the European Union will cause some difficulties in the industry with prices, especially at the lower end of the market where margins are narrow. Certainly though, for the time being we will not be increasing prices until the need to do so becomes critical. Hermitage Cognacs are already highly competitive and offer huge advantages on a like for like basis, particularly in terms of price and quality.

US Presidential Spirits Collection

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US Presidential CollectionA unique collection of ‘Presidential Spirits’ was put up for auction in New York recently. The Lot comprised 39 bottles of cognac and armagnac each dating to a US Presidential term of office from 1789 to 1977. Part of a larger Dutch collection, the Lot included cognacs from 1789 (George Washington), 1842 (John Tyler) and 1865 (Abraham Lincoln). The US Presidential connection with cognac comes from events throughout history. The Marquis de Lafayette brought cognac when he crossed the Atlantic to assist George Washington in America’s fight for Independence and Thomas Jefferson developed an appreciation for cognac when witnessing the onset of the French Revolution. Architect of the European Union and scion of the famous cognac family, Jean Monnet served as an advisor to President Franklin Roosevelt and it was reported that General (and future President) Dwight Eisenhower sipped Cognac with Winston Churchill, as they planned the D-Day invasion that would liberate France during World War II. All pre-Phylloxera cognacs are steeped in history, not only in the origins of each bottle but also in the historical events occurring at the time of their distillation. Take a look at our specialist range of ‘Very Old Cognacs’ to find out more.

‘Craft Cognac’ Supplied Here

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Craft CpgnacCraft Beer and Craft Gin have been taking the drinks industry by storm so what about Craft Cognac? The term Craft is used to describe ‘beers and spirits that are hand-made in smaller batches, with superior ingredients by people who are passionate about quality’ – the definition describes Hermitage Cognacs perfectly! We have worked for more than a quarter of a century with master distillers in the finest cru, Grande Champagne. Their years of dedication and unyielding passion for an art form born out of history continues to produce some of the finest Craft Cognacs ever. Each one of our cognacs is crafted to provide an experience so different from the big commercial brands that our customers are able to recognise the individual flavours and styles, the vintages and ages and the elegance and maturity of every Hermitage Premier Cru Single Estate Cognac. It’s definitely time that Cognac joined the Craft movement!