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Centenarian 1917 Cognac

Posted / in Brandy Bottle Reviews, News, The Bottle Story and tagged

1917 Limited Edition CognacFor those with a century to celebrate this Limited Edition Hermitage 1917 Cognac is a must. Harvested during the First World War, this Grande Champagne cognac is powerful and complex and will delight any cognac lover. Only 27 bottles are available and for the month of April 2017, each one has an astonishing £100 OFF. Other vintages available for special anniversaries or birthdays this year include Hermitage 1967 Petite Champagne Cognac, Chateau Montifaud 1977 Petite Champagne Cognac and Hermitage 1987 Grande Champagne Cognac.  If 1947 is the vintage you’re after, it will be arriving on our shelves very soon.  For even more choice, take a look at our vast range of vintage armagnacs and calvados too.

Cognac Crus

Posted / in Brandy Education, The History of Cognac and tagged

Cognac is produced in the delimited region of France known as the Charente and Charente Maritime which borders on the Atlantic Ocean.  To the west the region borders on the Gironde estuary and includes the islands of Ré and Oléron and to the east it neighbours the region of Angoulême and the foothills of the Massif Central.  The production area also covers some areas of the Dordogne and Deux Sévres.  The total area of vineyards currently covers 79,636 hectares (ha), close to 200,000 acres, of which 95% is used for cognac production.  The Cognac production area was delimited by decree of 1st May 1909 and ratified by decree in 1938.  Cognac can only be described as such if it has been made in one of the cognac crus within this region.

crus of CognacThere are six growing areas (crus) which are based on the soil features as described by the geologist Henri Coquand in 1860 and ratified by decree in 1938.  They are Grande Champagne the second smallest cru with a growing area of 13,159ha, Petite Champagne with 15,246ha and Borderies the smallest cru with 3,987ha of vines. Fins Bois has 31,001 ha of vines, Bons Bois 9,308ha and Bois Ordinaires 1,100ha which includes the islands of Ré and Oléron.

The two top cognac crus, Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, have clayey, chalky thin GC & PC Soilsoils on top of soft chalk from the Cretaceous.  The limestone content from the surface down is said to be in excess of 60% in some places. Montmorillonite clay provides fertile soil with good structure and a high water reserve.  Wines from these crus provide light, floral cognacs which require long ageing in casks to achieve full maturity.  It is generally regarded that the cognacs from Petite Champagne are similar to those from Grande Champagne but with a little less finesse.

Cognacs from the Borderies grow on soil containing more clay and flint.  These cognacs are generally nuttier and often have toffee flavours with tones of violets on the nose.  They age somewhat quicker than those from the Champagnes and can often be at their optimum quality in as little as 30 – 40 years.

Fins Bois and Bons Bois effectively surround the Champagnes and Borderies.  The soil is made up of heavy, clayey, chalky soil with many stones originating back to the Jurassic period. Bons Bois soil also has a high sandy content.  Many other crops grow in the Bois along with pine forests and chestnuts.  Modern cognac blends contain substantial quantities of Fins Bois and even some Bons Bois can be found in the bigger blends.

The lowest cru of Cognac is Bois Ordinaire and cognacs from here are said to have “the taste of the sea”.  Much of the eaux de vie from here is used for making liqueurs containing macerated fruits; the cognacs are unspectacular.

All Hermitage Cognacs are individually selected for their quality and flavour.  Most come from Grande Champagne but there are some notable exceptions from  the Petite Champagne and Borderies crus.  Read more Technical Topics on our Brandy Education page.

Why Buy Vintage Cognac?

Posted / in Brandy Education, How to make Cognac and tagged

There are said to be 5000 cognac producers in the Charente, the vast majority make cognac for the big cognac houses and sell it to them within a couple of years.  But some, perhaps around 10%, have learnt to wait until their heavenly nectars have matured for longer.  Locked away in dark cellars they gradually develop the individual and very personal qualities of their makers. When you buy a specifically aged or vintage cognac, you are buying the makers’ skills and experiences that have been honed over generations into a single taste experience.  Every cognac distillation is different. The very finest come from Grande Champagne and those kept as vintage stock will age for much longer than any generic blend and will develop far greater natural flavours during their long sleep in oak casks.

Blended cognacs are produced to feed the insatiable greed for mass volume sales. The big cognac houses produce very little of their own cognac. More than 99% of the cognacs used in their blends are supplied by the thousands of small growers and distillers in the Charente region.  Not only are these cognacs young and still relatively tasteless, when they are mixed with up to 2000 others to provide one generic blend it is impossible to distinguish individual flavours.  A blend, even in its finest form (XO), needs only to have been aged in a barrel for 6 ½ years.  It is therefore little surprise that every generically blended cognac relies heavily on the addition of sugar syrup and caramel to obscure the fiery and tasteless spirits.

Jean Monnet, the famous cognac producer and politician, once said “The great thing about making cognac is that it teaches you above everything else to wait, but time and God and the seasons have got to be on your side”.  I would add to that by saying “Very few know where to find the finest and most individual Premier Cru Cognacs and Hermitage is one of them”.

Mother’s Day and Spring Celebrations

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March has lots of reasons to celebrate. The Celts can enjoy St David’s Day or St Patrick’s Day with daffodils and shamrocks symbolising the onset of spring. This floral theme is perfect also to celebrate International Women’s Day and of course Mother’s Day on 26th March. All our March Offers have floral tones too – Raymond Ragnaud 35 Grande Champagne Cognac has been aged for 35 years and developed magnificent floral and rich, woody qualities. The visually stunning Pomme Captive Calvados has aromas of green apple, geranium and mint whilst the 5 year old Pineau des Charentes Rosé from Bertrand fills the air with a sweet aroma of rose hips.

Fabulous gifts for those wanting to buy something extra special with just a hint of flowers.

Flambe Pancakes With Cognac

Posted / in Uncategorized and tagged

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.

Adding a Finish to Cognac?

Posted / in Brandy Education and tagged

Brandyclassics MDOver the years many people have asked if barrels used for other drinks can be used for storing cognacs as is the case with whisky and some other brandies such as calvados. There is little doubt that whisky producers have stored their products in barrels that have been used for many different fine wines and spirits. Of note are barrels that have stored sherry, port, sauternes and even cognac. This practice, known as ‘adding a finish’, is generally used by the whisky industry and usually only for a few weeks which is sufficient to change the flavour and sometimes the characteristics of the cognac ageingspirit. It is an expensive procedure as it requires the purchase and storage of additional barrels so would probably only be used by the bigger producers, perhaps to gain dominance over their smaller competitors.

The cognac industry has always rejected this practice since the very unique definition and history of cognac has enabled it to stand out amongst other spirits. Not only has this definition been rigorously protected by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), but many small producers (there are thousands) would rebel at any suggestion that cognac could be turned into another drink, alien to the traditions of the spirit. Cognac is a proud industry whose values are rightly upheld and protected all over the world and although not as big as the whisky industry, is still regarded for its values as the King of all Spirits.

Read all our Technical Topics here.

Celebrate Chinese New Year 2017

Posted / in News and tagged

Looking forward to a new celebration? The Chinese New Year 2017 begins at the end of January and nothing could be better than celebrating with some warming and truly exceptional vintage cognac. As one of China’s favourite drinks, perfectly balanced, well-aged cognac will be the perfect toast wherever in the world you are.

To help your celebrations go with a bang in January 2017, we have three of our most popular, luxury cognacs on offer. All from the Hermitage range, they have been aged, untouched, in oak barrels for either 25 years, 30 years or 43 years producing rich, smooth cognacs with individual flavours.

In this, the Year of the Rooster, these cognacs are also strikingly handsome and difficult to ignore!

The Bottle Story – Larsen Drakkar Carafe

Posted / in The Bottle Story and tagged

To celebrate its 90th anniversary Cognac Larsen has released an updated version of its Larsen Drakkar carafe. Created in 1952 in homage to the Nordic origins of its founder, Jens Reidar Larsen, the Drakkar Viking ship has become the symbol of the Cognac House. This new, minimalist , more modern version of the carafe is a limited edition to celebrate a history of 90 years. Although originally known for their blend of Petite Champagne and Fins Bois cognacs, Larsen have filled this carafe with Fine Champagne, a blend of Grande and Petite Champagne Cognacs. Retailing at 200 Euros, it will be interesting to see how this version of the original viking ship carafe is received 65 years on.  We tend to prefer more traditional designs:

Max Cointreau Dies

Posted / in News, News from the Brandy Houses, The History of Cognac and tagged

One of the most highly regarded names in the cognac industry, Max Cointreau, died on 19 October at his home in Gensac la Pallue, near Cognac aged 94. Max was joint managing director of Frapin, in the heart of Grande Champagne, having started his career in 1942 presiding over the Domaine Château de Fontpinot.

In the early days, his firm worked closely with Remy Martin supplying many of their wines and eaux de vie. However, in the 1950s he refused to marry the elder daughter of Andre Renaud, of Remy Martin, choosing instead to marry her younger sister. This created a major disagreement and Remy thereafter refused to buy their brandies from Frapin. Max lost control of Remy and Cointreau but managed to retain the prestigious Château Fontpinot.   He subsequently resurrected the family Frapin brand and in due course, the historic brand of Gosset Champagne too.

Max served as President of the National Union of Liquor Manufacturers, President of the Social Commission of the National Council of Wine and Spirit for eight years and was appointed a Foreign Trade Advisor of France. He was also the Mayor of Gensac la Palue from 1969 to 2001 and awarded with the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, the highest decoration in France.

Frapin has, in past years, produced some wonderful cognacs and memorable vintages; they are regarded highly in the industry with their fine Grande Champagne cognacs. Max Cointreau will be remembered as one of the patriarchs of the cognac industry.

Sazerac Buys Domaine Breuil de Segonzac Cognac

Posted / in Famous Cognac Houses, News, News from the Brandy Houses and tagged

Sazerac bought Breuil de SegonzacSazerac, one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers, has purchased Domaine Breuil de Segonzac Cognac located in the Grande Champagne region. The property is about 220 acres in size and the purchase includes the cognac distillery, organic vineyards and chateau-style mansion dating from 1870. “Given the roots of our company, we are very excited to add a cognac house to our family, especially one as historic and prestigious as this one,” said Mark Brown, CEO.  Sadly, many small cognac houses have been sold to foreign buyers in recent years but usually from Asia. This American investment was inevitable given the recent rise in popularity of cognac in the US. Thankfully the CEO added “We intend to continue the proud heritage and preserve its authenticity and character.”  We are always pleased to see small cognac houses, like Hermitage, remain successful.