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The Launch of Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old Cognac: A Collector’s Dream

Today marks the highly anticipated launch of Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old Cognac, a remarkable find set to captivate collectors and connoisseurs with its unparalleled rarity and luxury.

A Century of Excellence
Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old Cognac is a marvel unearthed from the hallowed vaults of a distinguished cognac house, whose origins trace back to the early 1880s. This sublime nectar, christened “Siècle d’Or” in homage to an illustrious golden century of French history, signifies immense quality and intense flavours generated during its hundred years in an oak barrel. Made from ugni blanc grape variety in the region around Lignières Sonneville, an area known for its exceptional terroir, it was distilled on  traditional Alembic Charentais stills and aged for one hundred years in oak casks in Segonzac where it has developed the much sought after rice ‘rancio’ qualities, much admired by cognac experts and connoisseurs. 

Traditional Craftsmanship and Superb Complexity
The Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old Cognac is distinguished by its wonderful balance, characteristic of a cognac of such venerable age. It is complemented by a lingering rancio finish, leaving an indelible mark upon the palate with its vibrant complexity. The aromatic bouquet of cocoa, dried fig, burnt sugar, truffle, and cloves, prepares the senses for a symphony of flavours. This includes notes of cocoa, burnt toffee, ginger, mushroom, and candied fruit, culminating in a long kumquat fruit finish.

A Limited Edition Collector’s Gem
The true distinction of Hermitage Siècle d’Or lies in its extraordinary rarity. With a mere 68 individually numbered decanters available globally, this cognac is a singular masterpiece. It’s believed no other examples of Premier Cru, Single Estate cognacs of this age have been identified, solidifying its status as a once-in-a-lifetime find. Each decanter, meticulously crafted by Cumbria Crystal, is presented in a beautifully crated wooden box, making it a treasure to be cherished and savoured for generations.

Cumbria Crystal: A Tradition of Excellence
Founded in 1976 by Lord and Lady Cavendish, Cumbria Crystal stands as one of the last bastions of traditional craftsmanship in the United Kingdom. The Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old Cognac decanter, hand-blown and adorned with gold leaf engraving, reflects a profound reverence for tradition and heritage. Crafting each decanter requires a minimum of two weeks of meticulous labour, a testament to the dedication and craftsmanship involved in creating this exceptional vessel.


Tasting Notes and Profile

  • Strength: 40.5% ABV
  • Colour: Rich Tan
  • Aroma: Cocoa, dried fig, burnt sugar, truffle, and cloves
  • Flavour: Complex and rich, featuring cocoa, burnt toffee, ginger, mushroom, and candied fruit, with a long kumquat fruit finish
  • Viticulture: Rolling hills of Lignières Sonneville
  • Distillation: Small Alembic Charentais Still
  • Ageing: 100 years in Limousin oak barrels, kept in damp cellars

Available Now

Launched today, Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old Cognac offers a unique opportunity to own a piece of history. This exclusive release is a symbol of luxury that will be cherished by collectors and connoisseurs alike. Hermitage Siècle d’Or promises an unparalleled experience of sophistication and elegance.

Celebrate World Gin Day with a Refreshing Apple Gin Cocktail

World Gin Day is a global celebration held on the second Saturday of June each year, and this year it falls on the 8th of June. It’s the perfect opportunity for gin enthusiasts and newcomers alike to explore and enjoy the diverse and exciting world of gin. From its botanical origins to its rich history, gin has a unique place in the world of spirits. To mark this special day, we have a delightful gin cocktail recipe that captures the essence of summer with a refreshing twist.

Introducing the “Summer Orchard Fizz”

The “Summer Orchard Fizz” is a vibrant and refreshing cocktail that combines the crisp notes of Mosgaard Organic Filippa Apple Gin, the zesty sweetness of freshly squeezed orange juice, and the subtle Mediterranean flavours of Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water. This cocktail is perfect for sipping in the sun and celebrating World Gin Day with friends and family.

Ingredients:

  • 25ml Mosgaard Organic Filippa Apple Gin
  • 100ml freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 150ml Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water
  • Ice blocks
  • Orange zest for garnish

Method:

  1. Fill a cocktail glass with ice blocks.
  2. Add 100ml of freshly squeezed orange juice.
  3. Pour 25ml of Mosgaard Organic Filippa Apple Gin over the ice.
  4. Top up the glass with 150ml Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water.
  5. Stir gently to mix the ingredients.
  6. Garnish with a twist of orange zest.

Enjoying Your Summer Orchard Fizz

This delightful cocktail is best enjoyed outdoors, whether you’re hosting a garden party, having a picnic in the park, or simply relaxing on your patio. The fresh apple notes from the Mosgaard Organic Filippa Apple Gin pair beautifully with the citrusy tang of the orange juice and the fragrant herbs in the Mediterranean tonic water. The “Summer Orchard Fizz” is a celebration of summer in a glass, making it the ideal drink for World Gin Day.

Luxury with Hermitage Vintage Cognacs

Indulge in the epitome of luxury with Hermitage Vintage Cognacs, crafted from the finest grapes of the Premier Cru region. Our luxury cognacs undergo meticulous distillation in small stills, followed by long natural ageing in oak casks. This individual ageing process enhances the richness and complexity of Hermitage Cognac, unequalled by major producers and resulting in a truly luxurious experience with each savoured sip.

Luxury with Hermitage Vintage Cognacs


Benefits of Hermitage Cognac:

  • Value: Early Vintage cognacs appreciate 7-10% p.a.
  • Vintage Cognac: Decades of ageing in dark cellars and bottled at the peak of excellence.
  • Single Cru: Sourced exclusively from the Premier Cru of Cognac, ensuring unparalleled quality and refinement.
  • Premier Cru: Handpicked grapes from prestigious estates, reflecting the essence of the region’s terroir and heritage.
  • Single Estate: Each cognac represents generations of skills and experience by individual distillers on acclaimed estates.
  • Unblended: Our cognacs are unadulterated, preserving the pure essence of the distillation process and showcasing the true character of the grapes.
  • No Artificial Additives: Free from artificial additives, our luxurious cognacs are a testament to authenticity and purity.

World Gin Day – Saturday 10th June 2023

World Gin Day

What a great excuse to enjoy all your favourite gins …… World Gin Day on Saturday 10th June 2023!  This annual event celebrates all things juniper including our delicious organic gins from Denmark.  They are made by Mosgaard, who have a modern interpretation of traditional gin with sweetness, softness, and lots of fruity notes.  Their gin is distilled on a hybrid steam infusion kettle with a mix of organic juniper, botanicals and fresh citrus fruits.  Take a look at the range of flavours:

Mosgaard Organic Dry Gin is a lime fresh gin with spicy sweetness and a long citrus after taste.  Makes a great gin and tonic with a garnish of fresh mint leaves, fresh basil, lemon verbena or lime or try it over ice with freshly squeezed lime juice.

Mosgaard Organic Tangerine Gin is sweet and floral and made from fresh tangerines. A perfect gin for cocktails adding a little acidity and apple-like sharpness or with tonic over plenty of ice.

Mosgaard Organic Crispy Apple Gin is made from Filippa apples which are spicy, sweet and have a fresh acidity after harvest.  It can be enjoyed over ice or with elderflower tonic and a garnish of fresh apple or thyme.

Mosgaard Organic Oak Cask Aged Gin has been aged in old bourbon and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for 8-9 months. The whisky and sherry casks add sweetness, vanilla and caramel notes to the citrus and juniper flavours. Enjoy neat with a cup of coffee, spice it up with Ginger Ale and orange zest or use it in a dry martini.

Mother's Day 2023 – Sunday 19th March

Mother's Day 2023Mothers hold a special part
Of all that’s cherished in one’s heart,
She is one’s pearl, one’s soul, one’s mate;
She is the one to make life great.

Adapted from a poem by Kirsten Rollander

Looking for a special gift for Mother’s Day 2023?  We have lots of ginsbrandieswhiskiesliqueurs and vermouths from which to choose.  And if you fancy something out of the ordinary, do try some Pineau des Charentes.  Made from cognac eau de vie and grape juice it’s fabulous drunk cold as an aperitif or dessert wine.

Take a look at the special offers on our home page, every month we reduce the prices on three of our products so that more of you lovely people can try the wonderful variety that the spirits world has to offer.

Current Prices Held Until 25th July

PricesIt’s been a difficult time, financially, for everyone this year as prices increase.

With energy prices soaring and raw material shortages across the globe, all our producers are struggling with increased costs.

Unfortunately, these increased costs have inevitably been passed on to us and so we have had to review our prices too.

Our new prices will, therefore, come into effect on Monday 25th July.

So, if you have some summer birthday gifts to buy, now’s the time to do it!

Shipwrecked Cognac Goes To Market?

Two years ago we posted the story below about 100 year old shipwrecked cognac that had been raised from the sea bed wondering if it would still be drinkable ….

Well it appears not as 300 of the bottles are about to go on sale, for £9,000 each, filled with a different cognac from the same period.  Cognac house Birkedal Hartmann, descendants of De Haartman, painstakingly cleaned the one litre bottles and filled them with Grande Champagne Cognac from 1910-15.  Using company archives they reproduced the original corks, capsules and labels and presented them in a handmade gift box also containing its original cork and a photograph of the SS Kyros.

The story in 2020:

shipwreckedIn 1917, SS Kyros set sail for St Petersburg from France.  As it approached Sweden, the cargo ship was sunk by a German submarine UC58.  For decades the ship was assumed lost but in 1999 it was discovered 77 metres below sea level having been damaged by fishing trawlers and trawl boards.  It took 20 years to clear the shipwrecked vessel for exploration, but it was worth the wait as hidden inside were 50 cases of cognac from De Haartman & Co.  An exciting and historical find from the time when Tsar Nicholas II was Emperor of Russia.  It is difficult to estimate the current condition of the cognac as this will, in part, be dependent on the bottle seals (see this month’s Technical Topic).  Interestingly, some bottles of 1890 champagne, which had spent over a century buried in wet chalk underground after a landslide, were recently opened.  At the tasting they were deemed “still pleasant to drink” so maybe there is some hope for the turn-of-the-century cognac yet?

Recent Press Articles Featuring Hermitage Cognacs

press
House Supply featured in the Financial Times supplement

press
David Baker, Hermitage Cognacs is The Bounty Hunter

Lots to report from the press recently.

Will Lyons, writing for The Sunday Times, said “Hermitage 1995 Grande Champagne Cognac – An extraordinary cognac sniffed out by David Baker at Brandyclassics, this is one to treasure and bring out on special occasions.  It has an intricate range of flavours, from mocha and dark chocolate to toasty walnut.  Enjoy sparingly and it will keep for years.”

Henry Jeffreys, the Features Editor for Master of Malt, has written up his Hermitage Cognac Tasting Notes featuring the 1990 41%abv (which has since sold out), 1952, 1960, 1920 and the 1885 which he described as “Simply breath taking”.  His in depth article can be read here.

Club Oenologique featured our Cognac Trophy winner, Hermitage 1960 Grande Champagne Cognac, describing it as “A seamlessly crafted and decadently enjoyable palate.”  This was followed by a superb piece from Joel Harrison about ‘The cognac bounty hunter’, our very own MD, David Baker.  Describing how the company came to be and our most exciting cognac finds to date, you can read it in its entirety here.

Flambe Pancakes With Cognac

We’re in the month leading up to Lent, a good time to enjoy the finer things in life – like vintage cognac , armagnac or flambe pancakes before, perhaps, embarking on a period of austerity.

If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day how about some vintage calvados? Intense and rich, baked apple flavours present something different and delicious for ‘him’ and ‘her’ on 14th February.

But when Shrove Tuesday comes around on 28th February, flambé pancakes, in the French tradition, are a must. Some Hermitage 2005 Cognac will provide a wonderful richness to the pan and enhance the flavour – what a finish to the month.  Hermitage Vintage Cognacs have great individuality of style and flavour.

Responsible Drinking on the Increase

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has welcomed the latest survey of UK drinking trends by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which shows an increasing number of people drinking responsibly. Reduction in the frequency of drinking enables customers to be more discerning in their choices and look towards the luxurious end of the drinks market.  Brandyclassics has always positioned itself at the top end of this market as our customers seek exceptional quality and individuality from our cognacs and other brandies.  Our own house, Hermitage, was in fact borne out of the need to supply a range of exquisite cognacs to discerning connoisseurs who demand superior quality and in 2013, our top selling cognac was the Hermitage 2000 Chez Richon.