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Bespoke Cognac Orders for Specific Vintages

Bespoke Cognac

What a wonderful surprise this bespoke cognac was for a lucky eighteen year old!  Over two hundred bottles of the very best cognac from the top cru, Grande Champagne, distilled in their year of birth.

A bespoke order which we sourced on one of our many visits to the Cognac region.

It is not always possible to find a specific vintage of sufficient quality to bottle under our name, Hermitage, but on this occasion we were lucky.

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We are always happy to consider individual requests such as this one as searching for quality cognacs is our mission.  We can provide in 10 or 30 litre glass bonbonnes or bottle with bespoke labels for a once in a lifetime, unique gift or investment.

Evening Standard Brandy Recommendations

Evening StandardThe Evening Standard has been reviewing much of the golden nectar recently.  In Nicky Rampley-Clarke’s article ‘Best Digestifs To Sip On Post Dinner’ he includes:

Hermitage 1995 Grande Champagne Cognac

‘A bottle to bring out for special occasions – and, indeed, the guests you really, really like – the Hermitage 1995 Grande Champagne Cognac is remarkably mature with flavours of butterscotch, walnuts, biscuits, baked apple peel, mandarin peel and damson. Rich and complex, this is an investment digestif.’

In another of his articles, ‘Best Armagnacs to Buy in 2023’ Nicky describes armagnac as ‘a distinctive type of brandy that’s made from grapes.  Produced in the Gascony region south-west of Bordeaux in France, it is a sweet spirit that makes for a lip-smacking digestif.  Think of it as a rustic rendition of brandy – fuller-bodied when compared to Cognac, perhaps.’  Two of our favourite armagnacs make his list:

Delord 25 Year Old Bas Armagnac

An Armagnac matured in oak barrels for 25 years and made from Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Bacco 22A and Folle Blanche grapes. Caramel, cocoa butter and vanilla make this a sweet sip indeed, alongside distinctive woody tannins, with the bottle itself presented in a beautiful wooden box. Great for a gift.

Baron de Saint-Fauste 10 Year Old Bas Armagnac

Soft and round with dried fruit and sweet nut flavours, this Armagnac delivers excellent value for money, while packaged up in a traditional bottle with curves in all the right places. Inhale those toffee, baked pear and almond aromas before drinking up that sweet, spicy liquid.

 

1882 Cognac Bonbonne Sells for £90,000

1882 cognacDelighted to have sold our latest bonbonne of 1882 cognac to Hedonism Wines in Mayfair and, with an asking price of £90k, it was snapped up by one of their customers within 24 hours.  Presented in a traditional wicker basket, the bonbonne contains 10 litres of Hermitage 1882 Grande Champagne Cognac.

The cognac would have been made in 300-litre stills and, although small, these were probably the only size that most producers could afford at the time.  It would have been aged in bariques of around 250 litres, for more than 70 years.  No reduction has taken place and so it is presented at its natural strength of 41% abv.  The tannins from the wood have given this cognac deep and rich flavours of demerara sugar, plums and sweet orange peel with a delicious long rancio, the much favoured richness, so highly desirable in these fine old cognacs.

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Distilled in the late nineteenth century, 1882, this was the year when the first stone was laid for Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona and major European powers signed the first Geneva Convention, ratified by the US, who also legitimised the International Red Cross.

Three Drinkers Recommend Hermitage Cognac

Three Drinkers

Helena Nicklin, of The Three Drinkers fame, has featured the Hermitage 10 Year Old Grande Champagne Cognac in her recommendations.  She says “Hermitage is notable for doing things a little differently from most cognac houses, in that each of their bottles including this 10-year-old are single-estate and unblended. Most cognacs use eaux-de-vie from different growing areas, but sticking to one estate creates a bold and expressive mix. The roasted nuts have come through with age, as has the peppery spice and oakiness. This is the perfect present for someone who likes to take their time and sip their cognac neat.”

You can read the whole article from the Three Drinkers here:

https://www.thethreedrinkers.com/magazine-content/best-drinks-for-fathers-day-2023

Thank you, Helena, we are very proud of our 10 Year Old, it is our entry-level cognac.  In 2022 it won the Cognac Masters – Masters Award and the judges commented “Really nice texture to this cognac … very sippable.”

Current Prices Held Until 31st July 2023

PricesIt is that time of year again when we have to review our prices.  In line with so many other price increases that we are experiencing in our lives, the cost of brandy production has increased dramatically too.  Additionally, the government is raising the rate of duty per litre of alcohol to £31.64 on 1st August.

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We have received the 2023 prices from our suppliers and they have risen more than usual.  Unfortunately, therefore, we have had to apply some uplift to our prices too.

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The changes will occur on the 1st August 2023 so, if you have some summer celebrations coming up, now is the time to buy!

If you are looking for a gift for a specific year of birth, we have every vintage from 1928 to 2005.

If you are looking for something summery, our eaux de vie and liqueurs are perfect for long cocktails on a warm evening.

And if you are looking for something different, pineau is very popular at this time of year.  Made from cognac eau de vie, it is perfect neat, as an aperitif or dessert wine, or as a long drink over ice.

 

 

What is the Meaning of 'Paradis'?

‘Paradibonbonnes in a paradiss’ is the French word for ‘paradise’ and in the cognac industry it is used to describe a designated area in the innermost recess of the cellar.  Not every cognac house has a ‘Paradis’ but those that exist are steeped in history.  Many cognac families select a few of their finest cognacs for storage in the Paradis.  The point when a cognac has gained all the benefit it can from the wood depends on many factors but ultimately, it is when the cellar master decides that it has reached its optimum quality.  At this stage the cognac is put into glass bonbonnes and sealed so that the generations of gentle maturation in the barrel are preserved. A cognac that has lasted in oak without deterioration for perhaps 60, 70, 80 or even 90 years is going to be good, very good and will have developed the much sought after rancio.  There is little doubt that these ‘Paradis’ cognacs will be superb masterpieces and truly exceptional amongst other cognacs, perhaps worthy only of paradise.

The superb quality of these specially selected, ancient cognacs is the reason that we have nParadisamed our pre-1900 Hermitage Cognac range ‘Paradis‘.  These fine old nectars, distilled between 1875 and 1893, have been preserved and locked away until their greatness can be recognised by true connoisseurs. The Angels have had their ‘share’, and what’s left is worthy of far higher.  Aged for decades, if not a century or more, these pure cognacs were produced over 120 years ago – they really are history in a bottle.

And yet, there is another ‘Paradis’ in the world of cognac.  Crafted in 1979, by Hennessy, it is a blend of specially selected ‘eaux de vie’.  Hundreds, if not thousands, of cognacs have been merged to produce their version of paradise, packaged in the iconic Hennessy decanter with eye catching packaging.  Relatively cheap at about £1,000 per unit but do beware, the cognac will not have an age statement and very little, if any, will come from a true ‘Paradis’.

Father's Day 2023 – Sunday 18th June

Father's Day 2023It’s that time of year again when fathers everywhere bask in the limelight for one special day.  Father’s Day 2023 falls on Sunday 18th June so what will you be buying to say “thank you” to that very important member of your family?

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If Dad’s a brandy drinker we have a huge selection of vintage cognacarmagnac and calvados.  All aged to perfection in French Oak barrels they are mellow and flavoursome.  We specialise in single estate, unblended cognacs made by Hermitage so take a look around, starting below with our Offers, you will find many luxurious bottlings with individual flavours.

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And if brandy is not his favourite, what about our organic whisky range from Denmark?  This award-winning producer uses local water which is pure, hard, and full of minerals and as the old saying goes ‘hard water makes soft whisky’.

The GSMC Yearbook 2023 (Spirits Masters Awards)

GSMC YearbookThe inaugural edition of The GSMC Yearbook highlights the incredible people behind the brands that won Master Medals in 2022’s Global Spirits Masters Competitions.  The Editor, Melita Kiely, explains why these blind-tasting competitions are so important:

“When eye-catching packaging designs and household brand names are removed from the equation, there is nowhere left to hide; the liquid is exposed for what it is – and only those made with the utmost skill and precision are awarded the Master accolade.”

We were of course delighted last year when Hermitage won not one, but four Master Awards for these Single Estate Cognacs:

And as a result, they are all featured in the Yearbook along with an interview with our founder, David Baker.

Well worth a read.

National Cognac Day Sunday 4th June 2023

National Cognac DayWe love to celebrate National Cognac Day!  This year it’s on Sunday 4th June so if you have a bottle you keep for special occasions or fancy trying something new for the first time, this is time to do it!

Cognac, which originates from a town of the same name in France, is a type of brandy, the generic name for spirits that have been made from fruit.  It begins life as a white wine, that has been produced in one of six designated growing regions, and is then distilled in an alembic still and aged in oak casks for years.

Cognac’s production is a science and indeed an art.  If the drink is new to you, here are some handy links to find out more about it:

The other very important factor you need to know is that most cognacs are blended.  This is essential to produce large quantities of a product, that always tastes the same.

But, here at Hermitage we do it differently.  Our cognacs are not blended, they come from Single Estates and each one has unique and identifiable flavours.  So, if you really want to try something new, Hermitage is the place to go.  Each bottle will tell you how many years the cognac has been in the barrel and if it’s a vintage, the year the grapes were harvested.  Enjoy!!

Larsen Cognac Challenges The Stereotype

Larsen CognacA recent article in Trend Hunter explains how Larsen Cognac is challenging the traditional image of cognac with its new campaign. Cognac has traditionally been viewed as a niche product associated with older, affluent individuals. However, in recent years, cognac brands have worked hard to appeal to younger audiences by introducing innovative packaging and partnerships with popular culture and fashion icons.  Their aim is to break down the perception that cognac is only for the elite and make it more accessible to a wider range of consumers.

Larsen Cognac is now following that trend by creating a campaign to reinvigorate their brand.  Their new ‘Discover’ concept, has been designed to ‘challenge the idea of who cognac is for and how it can be consumed’. Mika Raukko, representing Larsen Cognac, said “The world is changing and so are the consumers.  They expect brands to be more inclusive, diverse and authentic.  The ‘Discover’ concept stems from the insight that making a new discovery in life makes us grow.  And in order to make new discoveries you need to view the world with fresh eyes and be open to changing perspectives.”

There is no doubt that this resonates well with how people today are seeking new experiences that enrich their lives.  And of course, all cognac brands will benefit from added exposure to a wider, younger audience as cognac becomes more mainstream.  Not all cognac brands are the same so we must applaud Larsen’s call to be adventurous and try new offerings.  We certainly class Hermitage as different from the rest!