On the back label sits a small hand-coloured map of the Cognac region, split into its six districts, and a signature that looks like something a grandfather would have signed under an old promissory note. It is the kind of bottle that still carries a faint scent of another era the moment you pick it up.

The Expert's Description

Monnet Grande Fine Cognac V.S.O.P. is a French Cognac matured in Limousin oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The house of Monnet was founded in 1838 by a group of winegrowers in the Cognac region, and the Monnet name arrived in 1897, when Jean-Gabriel Monnet took charge and chose a golden salamander as his emblem – the creature said, in legend, to survive the flames, much like a cognac's heart cut survives the heat of distillation. This bottle's label still carries that salamander alongside the words "Fondée 1838".

What makes this particular bottle interesting is the German importer's name printed on the back label: Weinbrennerei Scharlachberg of Bingen am Rhein. In 1960, Scharlachberg bought a majority stake in J.G. Monnet, and this bottle dates from the period when the German distillery brought Monnet's cognac to the German market under the words "Französisches Erzeugnis". Labels like this went out of production long ago, making the bottle as much a piece of trading history as a cognac.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced vanilla and dried fruit, with a hint of leather and a touch of honey behind it.

Palate

Rich and rounded, with nougat, toasted nuts and a warm sweetness reminiscent of caramelised sugar.

Finish

Long and soft, with a dry, oaky finish and a last trace of honey.

Specifications

Name: Monnet Grande Fine Cognac V.S.O.P.
Distillery: J.G. Monnet & Co.
Region/Country: Cognac, France
Type: French Cognac VSOP
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Limousin oak casks, France

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Fruity · Round · Oaky · Honeyed

Did You Know?

The salamander on the label is no accident. King Francis I of France, born in the town of Cognac in 1494, used a fire-breathing salamander as his own personal emblem, and Monnet borrowed the symbol when the house chose its emblem in 1838.

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Some bottles have already lived a whole life before anyone opens them. This is one of those – dark green glass, a black label worn thin by decades of dust and handling, and a "Napoleon" that has almost faded away completely. It's the kind of bottle you find at the back of a cabinet and just know means something.

The Expert's Description

Napoleon Carte Noire V.S.O.P. First Class Brandy is a Brandy in the classic V.S.O.P. quality tier, marked with the Napoleon designation on the label.

V.S.O.P. stands for Very Superior Old Pale and is one of the oldest quality classifications in the brandy world, originally introduced to separate the better brandies from younger, rougher spirits. The Napoleon designation sits somewhere between V.S.O.P. and X.O. on the quality ladder and is traditionally used for brandy that has spent a little longer in cask than the V.S.O.P. requirement calls for. The name is a nod to Napoleon Bonaparte, who was reportedly fond of a good brandy, and it has since become one of the most widely used quality terms on bottles of this kind across Europe.

The bottle's dark green glass and black label with looping script are typical of brandy bottles from the middle of the last century, when dark, understated labels were a status symbol in their own right rather than flashy gold print. Over time, the lettering on this particular bottle has faded so much that large parts of the text can no longer be read – which in itself says something about how long it has been sitting somewhere.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Without an opened bottle and verified sources we can't guarantee the exact aromas – but V.S.O.P. brandy of this type typically offers dried fruit, caramel and a touch of vanilla from cask ageing.

Palate

Expect a round, gently sweet palate with notes of raisin and lightly toasted wood, characteristic of Napoleon-graded brandy.

Finish

Soft and warming, with a dry, wood-toned finish.

Specifications

Name: Napoleon Carte Noire V.S.O.P. First Class Brandy
Type: Brandy
Size: 100 CL
Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature in a brandy or cognac glass, ideally with a few drops of water to open up the aromas

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Wood-aged · Round

Did You Know?

The Napoleon designation on a brandy bottle isn't a legally regulated age statement the way V.S.O.P. or X.O. are – it's an unofficial quality term producers have used since the 1800s to signal a slightly older, finer brandy than standard V.S.O.P.

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There's something about an old Cognac label that can't be faked — the patina in the gold foil, the slight curl in the paper, the three stars that once told the buyer exactly what he was getting. This bottle travelled from Cognac, France, to Hamburg, where it was bottled by a trading house that closed its doors more than 25 years ago.

Expert Description

Larsen Cognac Three Stars is a French Cognac bottled at 40%.

Larsen was founded in 1926 by Norwegian Jens Reidar Larsen, who fell in love with the Cognac region and built his house around his Norse heritage - hence the nickname "The Cognac of the Vikings" and the ship in the logo. This particular bottle wasn't bottled at Larsen's own house in France, but imported in bulk and bottled in Hamburg by Ferdinand Fera, a German trading house dating back to 1870. The "Three Stars" designation is an older quality grade from before VS, VSOP and XO became the industry standard, roughly comparable to today's VS level.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Typical for a young, three-star expression, the nose offers ripe apricots, a touch of vanilla and a light, dry oak note.

Palate

Round and slightly sweet, with caramelised sugar and ripe plums, carried by a gentle spiciness from the cask.

Finish

Short to medium and warm, with a hint of dried figs towards the end.

Specifications

Name: Larsen Cognac Three Stars 35 CL
Distillery: Larsen
Bottler: Ferdinand Fera
Region/Country: France, Cognac
Type: Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 35 CL
Distillation method: Double distilled in a traditional Charentais pot still
Serving suggestion: Room temperature in a Cognac glass, often alongside a cup of coffee

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Round · Spiced · Lightly Oaked

Did You Know?

Ferdinand Fera, the company that bottled this bottle in Hamburg, was founded all the way back in 1870. The company went bankrupt in the late 1990s, so this bottle is as much a piece of trading history today as it is a Cognac.

Explore our full range of Larsen

There's something irresistible about a bottle that has lost its name. The gold capsule is scratched and weathered by decades, the glass is dark green and almost opaque, and only a small crest bearing a French fleur-de-lis and the word Napoleon hints at what's hiding inside.

Expert description

These bottles are Napoleon Cognac from an unknown French cognac house, with the original label lost somewhere along the way. Napoleon is an officially recognised quality designation within cognac, requiring a minimum of six years' cask ageing, so the term actually tells us something concrete about the contents even though the sender remains anonymous.

The capsule's design, with its laurel wreath and fleur-de-lis, points to a classic, traditional cognac house of the kind that has existed for generations in the region around Cognac in France. Without a label, neither the ABV, the cask type nor the exact house behind the bottle can be confirmed, but that mystery is part of what makes the bottle so compelling to the curious collector.

Specifications

Name: Unidentified Napoleon Cognac Collector's Bottle
Region/Country: France, Cognac
Type: Napoleon Cognac
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Double distilled
Serving suggestion: Best served at room temperature in a rounded cognac glass or tulip glass

These bottles are sold as collector's items, so we cannot guarantee the quality of what's inside the glass. The capsule and glass carry visible signs of wear such as scratches and scuffs, and the bottles are generally in low condition, as also shown in the photos.

Did you know?

Did you know the Napoleon designation is said to have started as a marketing story from the French cognac house Courvoisier, which claimed to have supplied cognac to Emperor Napoleon himself during his exile? Today the term is officially protected and requires a minimum of six years' cask ageing, regardless of which house uses it.

There's a quiet confidence to Saint-Preuil, the small village at the heart of Grande Champagne, where the Bouju family has distilled its own wine into cognac since 1805.

No bought-in grapes, no outsourced eaux-de-vie – just their own vines, their own copper still, and a belief in doing things at the pace cognac demands.

Expert's Description

Daniel Bouju Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac is a Grande Champagne Cognac aged in French Limousin oak casks and bottled at 40%.

Daniel Bouju is one of the last truly independent cognac houses in Charente – they grow their own grapes (mainly Ugni Blanc, complemented by Colombard and Folle Blanche), vinify their own wine, and distil it themselves in traditional Charente copper stills.

The Réserve is the house's entry point into the Grande Champagne style that defines the whole range: no added caramel colouring, no boisé, no shortcuts. Just wine, fire, and time in oak.

The cognac is bottled in a carafe-shaped bottle – a "carafon" – giving it a more festive, gift-ready look than the classic square cognac bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Soft and floral, with ripe apricots and nectarines unfolding slowly alongside a touch of vanilla and a hint of gingerbread.

Palate

Clean and balanced, with fresh fruit and spice building towards a lightly peppery edge.

Finish

Long and fragrant, with a dry, woody finish that hints at just how much time is actually sitting in the glass.

Specifications

Name: Daniel Bouju Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac
Distillery: Daniel Bouju
Region/Country: Grande Champagne, France
Type: Grande Champagne Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak casks
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled in a traditional Charente copper pot still
EAN no.: 3760008771094
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, or as the base for a classic Sidecar

Distillery: Daniel Bouju

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla-sweet · Spiced · Floral

Did You Know?

The bottle's carafe shape, a "carafon", is an old French tradition for cognac meant to be served straight from the table on festive occasions – a bit like a wine carafe, just filled with cognac instead.

Discover our range of Daniel Bouju

In the old cellars of Bologna, where Vecchia Romagna has been ageing its brandies since 1820, one bottle brings together three different cask types in a single blend. Riserva Tre Botti isn't just another Italian brandy – it's the house's signature method, distilled into a single glass.

Expert Description

Vecchia Romagna Riserva Tre Botti is an Italian Brandy aged in French oak barriques, large Slovenian oak casks and casks that previously held Italian red wine, bottled at 40.8%. The brandy is distilled from Trebbiano grapes using a method that combines continuous column distillation with discontinuous Charentais pot still distillation, and it carries the name Vecchia Romagna – "the old Romagna" – used by the house since 1939. The story goes back further still: the distillery was founded in 1820 by the French émigré Jean Buton, whose family had produced spirits in France until the fall of Napoleon. In Bologna, he built his own distillery and laid the foundation for what is today Italy's best-selling brandy. Since 1999, the house has belonged to Gruppo Montenegro.

What makes Tre Botti special is exactly the three casks in its name. The small French barriques give structure and a distinct woody character. The large Slovenian oak casks soften the brandy and give it a rounder body. And the casks from Italian red wine production add the brandy's signature fruitiness and velvety softness. Spirits aged up to 15 years go into the blend, and the result is a brandy that brings power and gentleness together at once – a familiar profile for anyone who knows the house's wider Riserva range, but with a character entirely its own.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit and roasted hazelnuts meet sweet notes of cinnamon and tropical fruit, with a hint of apricot in the background.

Palate

Soft and rounded, with caramel, vanilla and raisins up front, backed by roasted hazelnut and a spiced kick of cinnamon and clove.

Finish

Long and full, with candied apricot, orange peel, honey and spiced oak that fade into dark chocolate and a final note of freshly brewed coffee.

Specifications

Name: Vecchia Romagna Riserva Tre Botti
Distillery: Vecchia Romagna
Region/Country: Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Type: Italian Brandy
ABV: 40.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French oak barrique, Slovenian oak cask and cask that previously held Italian red wine
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Distillation method: Combination of continuous column distillation and discontinuous Charentais pot still distillation
EAN no.: 8000330126090
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a brandy glass, as a fitting close to a good dinner or alongside black coffee

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Spiced · Oak-aged · Soft and rounded

Did You Know?

Vecchia Romagna was originally called "Cognac Buton" – Jean Buton simply called his brandy cognac, as was common practice outside France at the time. It wasn't until 1939, when protection of the term "Cognac" was enforced more strictly internationally, that the house had to find a new name and settled on Vecchia Romagna, the same year the triangular bottle was introduced.

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Behind the faded label and heavy glass stopper, this bottle carries a piece of another era. It's a Rémy Martin V.S.O.P., bottled long before the house's current packaging came to define its shelf presence – a small window into the story of Cognac's most famous export.

Expert Description

Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. is a French Cognac bottled in the 1980s on French oak casks at 40%. The bottle belongs to the Fine Champagne Cognac category, meaning it's distilled exclusively from grapes grown in Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne – the two finest crus in the Cognac region.

Its dark, oval neck label and gold lettering are typical of Rémy Martin's packaging before the house modernized its look.

The cognac is a blend of eaux-de-vie, composed by the cellar master from Limousin oak casks of varying ages. Unlike whisky, cognac doesn't continue developing once bottled, so the character inside is essentially unchanged since the day it was filled.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla, ripe apricot and a touch of baked apple, with a little more patina than a newer bottling.

Palate

Rounded and layered, with stone fruit, a hint of liquorice and warm oak spice.

Finish

Soft and long, with toasted nuts and a last trace of vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Rémy Martin V.S.O.P.
Distillery: Rémy Martin
Region/Country: France, Cognac (Fine Champagne)
Type: Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL - frosted glass, note fill level in the bottle
Cask Type: French Limousin oak casks
Distillation Method: Double distilled in traditional copper pot stills
Bottled: 1980s - white tax stamp

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla-sweet · Oak-aged · Smooth

Investment Potential

Medium. This is a discontinued bottling with an older label design that's sought after by collectors, and since cognac doesn't evolve further in the bottle, the contents remain stable regardless of age. Value depends heavily on fill level and label condition, though.

Did You Know?

The German text on the label is a small clue to this bottle's journey – many Rémy Martin bottles from this era were filled specifically for export markets like Germany.

See our full range of Rémy Martin

Behind the faded label and heavy glass stopper, this bottle carries a piece of another era. It's a Rémy Martin V.S.O.P., bottled long before the house's current packaging came to define its shelf presence – a small window into the story of Cognac's most famous export.

Expert Description

Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. is a French Cognac bottled in the 1980s on French oak casks at 40%. The bottle belongs to the Fine Champagne Cognac category, meaning it's distilled exclusively from grapes grown in Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne – the two finest crus in the Cognac region.

Its dark, oval neck label and gold lettering are typical of Rémy Martin's packaging before the house modernized its look.

The cognac is a blend of eaux-de-vie, composed by the cellar master from Limousin oak casks of varying ages. Unlike whisky, cognac doesn't continue developing once bottled, so the character inside is essentially unchanged since the day it was filled.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla, ripe apricot and a touch of baked apple, with a little more patina than a newer bottling.

Palate

Rounded and layered, with stone fruit, a hint of liquorice and warm oak spice.

Finish

Soft and long, with toasted nuts and a last trace of vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Rémy Martin V.S.O.P.
Distillery: Rémy Martin
Region/Country: France, Cognac (Fine Champagne)
Type: Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: French Limousin oak casks
Distillation Method: Double distilled in traditional copper pot stills
Bottled: 1980s

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla-sweet · Oak-aged · Smooth

Investment Potential

Medium. This is a discontinued bottling with an older label design that's sought after by collectors, and since cognac doesn't evolve further in the bottle, the contents remain stable regardless of age. Value depends heavily on fill level and label condition, though.

Did You Know?

The German text on the label is a small clue to this bottle's journey – many Rémy Martin bottles from this era were filled specifically for export markets like Germany.

See our full range of Rémy Martin

There's something about an old bottle that no new one can fake. This one has travelled from Jarnac to Hamburg and on into a Danish collection, and the label still carries the fading and creases of decades spent being held up to the light.

Expert description

Courvoisier Luxe Cognac is a French Cognac from Jarnac in the heart of the Cognac region, bottled at 40%. This "Luxe" 3 Star bottling dates from an era when Courvoisier still marketed itself under the royal warrant "By Appointment to the Late King George VI" – a reference to the British court that the house was permitted to carry in its branding for decades. The bottle was imported into Germany by Charles Hosie in Hamburg, a detail that tells its own story about the Cognac's journey from the French cellars out into Europe. Courvoisier is one of the so-called big four Cognac houses and has, since its founding in 1809, cultivated a soft and approachable style that sets it apart from some of the more angular, powerful houses in the region. The Cognac is blended from several crus around Jarnac and matured in French oak casks in the house's own cellars, which gives it the rounded, elegant profile the house is known for.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe apples and plums meet a touch of dry oak spice, a combination often found in older Cognac-based bottlings.

Palate

Round and soft, with stone fruit sweetness balanced by a light, spiced oak warmth.

Finish

Mild and elegant, without sharp edges – a finish that matches the house's well-known, approachable style.

Specifications

Name: Courvoisier Luxe Cognac
Distillery: Courvoisier
Region/Country: France, Jarnac
Type: Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French oak casks
Edition: Luxe (3 Star), imported by Charles Hosie, Hamburg

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Soft · Elegant · Oak-Spiced

Investment Potential

High. This is a discontinued vintage bottling carrying the historic royal warrant along with a clear import provenance, both of which appeal to collectors of old Cognac bottlings. Comparable Courvoisier Luxe 3 Star bottles from the same era are trading today well above what a modern standard bottle would cost, and interest in vintage Cognac with this kind of historic labelling has been growing among collectors.

Did You Know?

Courvoisier is the only one of the big four Cognac houses ever officially permitted to use the imperial "N" in its marketing – a legacy of the brand's supposed connection to Napoleon Bonaparte, who is said to have taken the Cognac with him into exile.

Please note: This bottle is sold as a collector's item. The quality of the contents cannot be guaranteed, and the bottle itself may show scuffs and scratches – see the photo.

There's something about an old bottle that no new one can fake. This one has travelled from Jarnac to Hamburg and on into a Danish collection, and the label still carries the fading and creases of decades spent being held up to the light.

Expert description

Courvoisier Luxe Cognac is a French Cognac from Jarnac in the heart of the Cognac region, bottled at 40%. This "Luxe" 3 Star bottling dates from an era when Courvoisier still marketed itself under the royal warrant "By Appointment to the Late King George VI" – a reference to the British court that the house was permitted to carry in its branding for decades. The bottle was imported into Germany by Charles Hosie in Hamburg, a detail that tells its own story about the Cognac's journey from the French cellars out into Europe. Courvoisier is one of the so-called big four Cognac houses and has, since its founding in 1809, cultivated a soft and approachable style that sets it apart from some of the more angular, powerful houses in the region. The Cognac is blended from several crus around Jarnac and matured in French oak casks in the house's own cellars, which gives it the rounded, elegant profile the house is known for.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe apples and plums meet a touch of dry oak spice, a combination often found in older Cognac-based bottlings.

Palate

Round and soft, with stone fruit sweetness balanced by a light, spiced oak warmth.

Finish

Mild and elegant, without sharp edges – a finish that matches the house's well-known, approachable style.

Specifications

Name: Courvoisier Luxe Cognac
Distillery: Courvoisier
Region/Country: France, Jarnac
Type: Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French oak casks
Edition: Luxe (3 Star), imported by Charles Hosie, Hamburg

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Soft · Elegant · Oak-Spiced

Investment Potential

High. This is a discontinued vintage bottling carrying the historic royal warrant along with a clear import provenance, both of which appeal to collectors of old Cognac bottlings. Comparable Courvoisier Luxe 3 Star bottles from the same era are trading today well above what a modern standard bottle would cost, and interest in vintage Cognac with this kind of historic labelling has been growing among collectors.

Did You Know?

Courvoisier is the only one of the big four Cognac houses ever officially permitted to use the imperial "N" in its marketing – a legacy of the brand's supposed connection to Napoleon Bonaparte, who is said to have taken the Cognac with him into exile.

Please note: This bottle is sold as a collector's item. The quality of the contents cannot be guaranteed, and the bottle itself may show scuffs and scratches – see the photo.

A silver mark on the label, a bottle that sits heavy in the hand, and an aroma that explains why XO Cognac was once reserved for the patient. Renault's Carte d'Argent carries its name on its own silver scale, the house's signal for a Cognac with the fullness and calm that only decades of oak can give.

Expert's Description

Renault XO Carte d'Argent French Cognac is an XO Cognac from the house of Renault, bottled at 40%.

Renault was founded in 1835 by Jean-Antonin Renault in the town of Cognac, then just 25 years old but already carrying generations of Charentais merchant trade in his blood. Renault was an innovator from the start: while competitors shipped their Cognac in wooden casks, Renault was among the first to bottle it in glass, and by 1855 the house's Cognac was already sailing to Scandinavia.

Carte d'Argent, the silver mark, is the house's name for a classic XO style, an old Cognac with the fullness and rounded depth that only decades of cask ageing can produce. It is built to be sat with, not rushed through.

In the glass it shows plenty of body, with age visible in both colour and texture, yet never turning heavy or dull.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep and round, with dried figs, old leather and a trace of vanilla from years spent in oak.

Palate

Full and soft, with toasted nuts, dark chocolate and a warm, ripe fruitiness that spreads slowly across the tongue.

Finish

Long and warm, with a final touch of spiced oak that lingers well after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: Renault XO Carte d'Argent French Cognac
Distillery: Renault
Country: France
Type: French XO Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed in a tulip-shaped Cognac glass at room temperature, on its own or to round off a good meal.

Flavour Profile

Dried Fig · Toasted Nuts · Dark Chocolate · Spiced Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know the name Carte d'Argent, the silver card, comes from an era when Cognac houses used coloured labels as an internal system to signal style and age, long before XO became a fixed, regulated category in the region?

The sun beats down on Barbados, and the air carries the scent of toasted orange peel and warm molasses. At Stade's old rum distillery, Maison Ferrand went looking for inspiration in 19th-century Caribbean kitchens and came back with a liqueur rooted in the nearly forgotten tradition of shrubb.

Expert's Description

Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Tropical is a French Liqueur brewed from Barbados rum and bottled at 40%.

The bottle is the newest addition to Maison Ferrand's Dry Curaçao range, alongside the classic Original and the more exotic Yuzu Late Harvest. While those two build on a cognac base, Tropical takes a different route: master blender Alexandre Gabriel worked with spirits historian David Wondrich to dig up the almost-forgotten Caribbean shrubb tradition — a drink made from rum, citrus peels, sugar and local spices such as cinnamon and clove.

Production takes place at Stade's West Indies Rum Distillery, a distillery with around 130 years of history on Barbados. Laraha orange peels are infused and slowly distilled, while a separate botanical infusion of vanilla, spices and orange is prepared on a rum base. Everything is then blended with both pot still and column still rums, aged between two and five years, before the liqueur is bottled at 40%.

Tropical launched in January 2026 and has so far only reached the European market.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe pineapple meets toasted orange peel, a hint of vanilla and a light floral note that signals the tropical direction the liqueur takes.

Palate

Soft and full-bodied, with layers of pineapple, mango and passion fruit woven together with bitter orange and fresh citrus. The sweetness is clear but never heavy.

Finish

Long and warm, with a citrus-fresh close and an elegant bitter bite from the orange peel that keeps the liqueur from turning cloying.

Specifications

Name: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Tropical
Distillery: Maison Ferrand
Country: Barbados
Type: French Liqueur
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3460410528858
Serving suggestion: Excellent in tiki cocktails, Mai Tais and Sidecars, or neat over ice for a more dessert-like pour.

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Citrus · Spiced · Tropical

Did You Know?

Tropical is the first release in the Ferrand Dry Curaçao range built on rum rather than cognac — and the only one distilled on Barbados rather than in France's Cognac region.

Six weeks. That is all that stood between this cask and its 32nd birthday. But at Little Brown Dog, they did not wait — some casks have nothing to gain from holding back any longer, only something to lose.

Expert's Description

Little Brown Dog Petit Chien Brun 31 Year Old is a French Brandy, Single Cask, distilled in 1993 and bottled at 50.8%.

The spirit was distilled on 30 November 1993 and laid down in cask that same day in France. The cask was later moved to Scotland, where it was bottled by the independent bottler Little Brown Dog Spirits on 17 October 2025 — just six weeks short of reaching 32 years in cask. Because bottling took place outside France, the bottle cannot carry the name Cognac, even though it is distilled and matured exactly as a Grande Champagne Cognac would be.

This release is a sister cask to Little Brown Dog's earlier Early Landed Late Bottled series of vintage French brandies, in which the spirit is distilled and matured in France before being moved to Scotland for the final stage of ageing. Only 210 bottles have been drawn from this single cask, in natural colour, with no added caramel colouring and no chill filtration.

Little Brown Dog Spirits is an independent bottler and micro-distillery based in rural Aberdeenshire, Scotland, founded in 2018 by Dr Andrew Smith and Chris Reid. The French distillery the spirit originally came from has not been disclosed.

In the glass, the brandy shows a dark, fruit-forward colour that many describe as reminiscent of the well-known British drink Vimto — deep and inviting to look at.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers blackcurrant juice, prune juice and dried heather — dark and fruity from the very first sniff.

Palate

The palate unfolds classic French notes: Pruneaux d'Agen, the celebrated French prunes, wild strawberry jam and marrons glacés, all carried on a silky, mature texture.

Finish

The finish leaves dark chocolate-coated cherries that linger long on the palate.

Specifications

Name: Little Brown Dog Petit Chien Brun 31 Year Old
Bottler: Little Brown Dog Spirits
Country: France
Type: French Brandy, Single Cask
Age: 1993/2025
ABV: 50.8%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Enjoy in a nosing glass at room temperature, ideally in a quiet moment with time to explore the aromas.

Flavour Profile

Dark fruit · Chocolate · Heather · Full texture

Investment Potential

Rating: Medium. Releases like this one, with a very small outturn from a single cask and a solid age, typically attract strong interest from collectors of French oak-aged spirits. As bottles become harder to find, rare single cask releases from respected independent bottlers like this are often seen trading at a marked premium over their original release price on the secondary market.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the label pays tribute to the two earlier releases in the same series? The French racing blue from the first release is combined with the Fleur-de-Lis motif from the second — a visual nod to France, where this brandy was originally distilled, and to the old Auld Alliance between Scotland and France.

In the Douro Valley, where the river cuts through terraced vineyards, the house of Dalva has distilled its wines into brandy for more than a hundred years. Dalva Brandy VSOP carries that warm, southern heritage into the glass.

Expert's Description

Dalva Brandy VSOP is a Portuguese Brandy, aged in oak casks and bottled at 36%.

The house behind the bottle, C. da Silva, was founded in 1862 and forms part of the historic Port wine tradition in the Douro Valley. Alongside Port, the family has for generations also distilled Douro grapes into brandy under the Dalva name.

The brandy is made from the classic Douro grape varieties Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão, and has gained a round, harmonious character from oak ageing, with soft notes of dried fruit and vanilla.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers dried fruit and vanilla with a touch of warm spice.

Palate

The palate is round and full-bodied with ripe raisins and a touch of oak that gives good structure.

Finish

The finish is warm and elegant, closing softly with a hint of spice.

Specifications

Name: Dalva Brandy VSOP
Distillery: C. da Silva (Dalva)
Country: Portugal
Type: Portuguese Brandy
ABV: 36%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Serving suggestion: Enjoy as an after-dinner drink, in cocktails, or as a quiet pleasure on its own.

Flavour Profile

Dried fruit · Vanilla · Raisin · Spice

Did You Know?

Did you know that Dalva Brandy is made from the same grape varieties used to produce Port wine in the Douro Valley? That is one of the reasons the brandy has such a full, fruity character.

Twelve years is enough time for a young, fruit-driven Armagnac to grow round and thoughtful, without yet reaching the almost meditative depth of the house's oldest bottles. Intemporel 12 Year Old is the balance point in between.

Expert's Description

Château de Laubade 12 Year Old Intemporel is a French Bas-Armagnac, matured for a minimum of 12 years, bottled at 40%.

Château de Laubade has made Armagnac since the early 1700s and was restored in 1974 by Jean-Jacques Lesgourgues, who raised the estate to become one of the most respected in the entire Armagnac region, named World Class Distillery at the World Spirits Award three years running.

The Intemporel range is the house's flagship, and the 12 year old edition represents the point where the young fruitiness of the Signature expression has truly begun to merge with the cask's spice and caramel.

The oak casks used for maturation come from the house's own cooperage, where Gascony oak is air-dried for at least three years before being built into barrels, a process unique to Château de Laubade in the entire district.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit, vanilla and a light touch of spice.

Palate

Round and full, with notes of caramel, prune and toasted oak.

Finish

Elegant and well-balanced, with a warm, lingering close.

Specifications

Name: Château de Laubade 12 Year Old Intemporel
Distillery: Château de Laubade
Country: France
Type: French Bas-Armagnac
Age: Minimum 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French Oak, Gascony
EAN no.: 3270310118338
Serving suggestion: Enjoy as a digestif or with dark chocolate

Flavour Profile

Caramel · Prune · Toasted Oak · Vanilla

Did You Know?

Château de Laubade has won the title World Class Distillery at the World Spirits Award three years running, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, an achievement no other Armagnac house in the district has matched.

Vine flower, hawthorn and white peach - Daniel Bouju Premiers Arômes smells more of spring than of cognac's usual heavy notes. This is a cognac built on freshness rather than weight.

Expert's Description

Daniel Bouju Premiers Arômes is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, aged in old Limousin oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The cognac is made exclusively from Ugni Blanc grapes at the small family house Daniel Bouju in Saint-Preuil. Where many of the house's other expressions rest in new casks, Premiers Arômes is instead left in old Limousin casks, which gives a more restrained, subtle cask influence.

The cognac is unfiltered and entirely free of added caramel colouring, giving an authentic expression where the grape's own floral aromas are allowed to take centre stage.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers vine flower, hawthorn and white peach, followed by crisp notes of pink grapefruit.

Palate

The palate is light and harmonious with a fine balance between fruit and acidity, where lemon plays a clear role.

Finish

The finish is short and fresh, leaving a clean, floral impression.

Specifications

Name: Daniel Bouju Premiers Arômes
Distillery: Daniel Bouju
Country: France
Type: Grande Champagne Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Old Limousin oak casks
Serving suggestion: Enjoy as an aperitif at room temperature or as an ingredient in elegant cocktails.

Flavour Profile

Vine flower · Peach · Grapefruit · Lemon

Did You Know?

Did you know that alongside cognac, Daniel Bouju also produces Pineau des Charentes, the sweet apéritif from the same region? Both are built on the house's same philosophy of clean, unadulterated flavour with no additives.

Five centilitres is enough to get acquainted, without committing to a full bottle. Inside the small bottle sits the same plum marmalade and toffee found in its bigger sibling, just packed down to pocket size.

Expert's Description

Remy Martin Miniature 1738 Accord Royal is a French Cognac of the Fine Champagne category, bottled at 40% in a 5 CL bottle.

The miniature holds exactly the same liquid as the full-size Accord Royal bottle: a blend of at least 60% eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and the rest from Petite Champagne, all from Remy Martin, the house that has brewed exclusively Fine Champagne Cognac since 1724.

The format makes it well suited for tasting your way in, bringing along on travels, or lining up alongside other miniatures for a small tasting at home. Nothing about the experience is diluted, only the quantity differs.

Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard from the chalky soil of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne give it the same round, creamy character as the full-size bottle, just in a dose that is easy to share or enjoy alone.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Plum and fig marmalade appear alongside toffee and a hint of toasted bread, just as in the full-size bottle.

Palate

Creamy caramel and baked spice fill the mouth, with a touch of dark chocolate showing up toward the end.

Finish

The finish is short but warm, with caramel as the lasting impression.

Specifications

Name: Remy Martin Miniature 1738 Accord Royal French Cognac
Distillery: Remy Martin
Country: France
Type: French Cognac, Fine Champagne
ABV: 40%
Size: 5 CL
EAN no.: 3024480001781
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a small cognac glass, ideal for a quick tasting.

Flavour Profile

Plum Marmalade · Toffee · Caramel · Toasted Bread

Did You Know?

Did you know that miniature bottles were originally developed for use on aeroplanes and in hotels, but have since grown into an entire branch of spirits collecting, with enthusiasts worldwide chasing small-format editions of major cognac houses like Remy Martin?

The name curaçao traces back to the Caribbean island where bitter laraha oranges once grew wild and became a trading commodity for sailors and distillers. France embraced the style and made it its own, and in this small 35 cl bottle that whole history is gathered into a format easy to take home and experiment with.

Expert's Description

Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Triple Sec is a French Liqueur on a cognac base, bottled at 40% in a 35 cl bottle.

The liqueur follows the same recipe as the house's 70 cl bottling, where bitter and sweet orange peel is distilled together with cognac and a neutral spirit in three passes, a technique that gives the name triple sec and ensures a dry, clean citrus character rather than overwhelming sweetness.

The smaller format makes the bottle well suited to trying the style out without committing to a full bottle, and suits a home bar just getting started as well as an experienced enthusiast who wants an extra bottle for travel.

The Pierre Ferrand cognac base gives the liqueur a warmth and depth that sets it apart from liqueurs built on neutral spirit alone.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma offers orange blossom and candied orange peel, with an underlying wood note reminiscent of classic cognac.

Palate

The palate shifts from candied orange up front to hazelnut and bitter almonds, with a light marzipan-like sweetness in the middle.

Finish

The finish is dry and nutty, where bitter almonds and a last trace of orange peel remain longest.

Specifications

Name: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Triple Sec
Producer: Maison Ferrand
Country: France
Type: French Liqueur
ABV: 40%
Size: 35 CL
Serving suggestion: Well suited to Margarita, Cosmopolitan and Sidecar, or for trying the style in a smaller format

Flavour Profile

Candied Orange · Hazelnut · Bitter Almonds · Marzipan

Did You Know?

The name curaçao traces back to the Caribbean island of the same name, where bitter laraha oranges, a degenerated variety of the sweet orange, were dried and used to flavour liqueur as early as the 1600s, long before the style became a fixture of the French spirits repertoire.

Some bottles tell a story before the cork is even out. This one was distilled in France in 1993, rested there for decades, and finally crossed the North Sea to be bottled in Scotland — and it is exactly that journey which gives it its name on the label.

Expert's Description

Little Brown Dog Petit Chien Brun 30 Year Old is a French Brandy, Single Cask, distilled in 1993 and bottled at 50.1%.

The spirit was distilled on 30 November 1993 and matured in France for many years, before the cask was moved to Scotland for the final stage of its ageing and bottled on 26 October 2024. Because the rules governing the term Cognac require bottling to take place within the region itself, this bottle cannot legally carry the name Cognac on its label — even though it was distilled and originally matured in France exactly as a Cognac would be, and the character reflects that.

Behind the release stands Little Brown Dog Spirits, an independent bottler and micro-distillery based in rural Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The house was founded in 2018 by Dr Andrew Smith and Chris Reid and has since become known for single cask whisky, world spirits, rum, calvados and brandy of high quality.

The French distillery that originally produced this spirit has not been disclosed by Little Brown Dog — the source distillery remains a closely guarded secret. Only 232 bottles have been drawn from this single cask, and it has been bottled at its natural cask strength with no water added, making this release especially sought after among connoisseurs.

The colour in the glass is strikingly close to a classic Grande Champagne Cognac — a small curiosity for a bottle that officially carries the name brandy.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers Sirop de Liège, the sweet French syrup made from apples and pears, alongside forest moss and a distant scent of an old antique shop.

Palate

The palate is rich and layered, with caramelised pineapple, apricot tart and a buttery pastry note that almost melts on the tongue.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with a sweetness reminiscent of Highland toffee, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Specifications

Name: Little Brown Dog Petit Chien Brun 30 Year Old
Bottler: Little Brown Dog Spirits
Country: France
Type: French Brandy, Single Cask
Age: 1993/2024
ABV: 50.1%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Enjoy in a nosing glass at room temperature, ideally with a few drops of water to open up the aromas.

Flavour Profile

Caramelised fruit · Toffee · Spice · Antique charm

Investment Potential

Rating: Medium. Rare single cask releases from respected independent bottlers such as Little Brown Dog are often sought after by collectors, especially when the outturn is as limited as here. With only 232 bottles from this one cask, bottled at natural strength, this is the kind of release that has historically been known to trade for several times its original release price on the secondary market as it becomes harder to find.

Did You Know?

Did you know that Petit Chien Brun is French for Little Brown Dog? The name is a playful nod to the bottler's own name, written in the language of the region where the spirit was originally distilled.

The name Scharlachberg comes from a vineyard site in Bingen-Büdesheim, but for over a hundred years it has stood for something quite different from wine – a brandy style that insisted on taking the time it needed, whatever the law demanded.

Expert's Description

Scharlachberg Meisterbrand is a German Brandy distilled by Weinbrennerei Scharlachberg, bottled at 38%.

The house was founded in 1898 by Friedrich Wilhelm Petzsch as a cognac distillery and moved to Bingen on the Rhine in 1911. After the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, the name had to change to Weinbrennerei Scharlachberg, taken from the Scharlachberg vineyard site itself in Rheinhessen – and in 1920 Meisterbrand reached the market for the first time as a domestic answer to expensive French imports.

Scharlachberg guarantees that only high-quality wines are used for distillation, where the core is drawn off through a careful, high-purity process. Ageing takes place in oak casks for longer than German law requires for the category, giving the spirit time to gather the golden colour and soft vanilla tones the house is known for.

The style behind this bottling dates back to the 1970s, when Scharlachberg had already established itself as one of the most solid names in German Weinbrand.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toasted oak and vanilla, with a lightly spiced sweetness and a hint of dried grapes.

Palate

Soft and round, with warm wood tones carried by a discreet sweetness rather than sharpness.

Finish

Medium length, drying toward the end, with a last hint of spice.

Specifications

Name: Scharlachberg Meisterbrand
Distillery: Scharlachberg
Country: Germany
Type: German Brandy
ABV: 38%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: German oak
EAN no.: 4006296200106
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a brandy glass, ideally as a digestif

Flavour Profile

Toasted oak · Vanilla · Spice · Dried grapes

Did You Know?

Scharlachberg started out as a cognac distillery, but had to change its name and terminology when the Treaty of Versailles banned German producers from using the word cognac in 1919 – a history the house shares with several other German brandy houses from the same period.

In Segonzac, at the heart of Grande Champagne, the Gourry de Chadeville family has distilled cognac on the same land since 1619. Fifteen generations have passed, the old copper still is unchanged, and the distillation still follows the same rhythm it did four centuries ago.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville VSOP 400 Anniversaire 1er Cru de Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

This edition marks the house's 400th anniversary and is made entirely from grapes grown on the estate's own Premier Cru terroir — a rarity in the cognac world, where most houses buy in grapes or distillate from multiple growers. Gourry de Chadeville is considered one of the oldest still-active cognac houses, with the family running the estate in Segonzac across 15 unbroken generations.

Distillation follows the traditional Charente method in two stages: first comes the "brouillis," an initial distillate at 28-32% alcohol. That is distilled a second time in a process called "la bonne chauffe," where the head and tail are cut away and only the heart — "le cœur" — is kept for further ageing in oak.

Once matured, the cognac is bottled at 40%, ready to be enjoyed as a classic VSOP with roots stretching back to the 1600s.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and dried roses arrive first, followed by a sweetness reminiscent of apricot jam.

Palate

Round and soft, with walnut and a warm spiced note of cinnamon that drifts into a touch of liquorice.

Finish

Long and mellow, where the spice lingers longest and leaves a dry, nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville VSOP 400 Anniversaire 1er Cru de Cognac
Distillery: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: VSOP Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 35 CL
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed in a cognac glass at room temperature, ideally to round off a meal.

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Spiced · Nutty · Round

Did You Know?

Gourry de Chadeville claims to be the oldest cognac house still distilling on its original land — 400 years on the same plot, with ownership never having left the family.

When the French expatriate Jean Buton settled in Bologna in 1820 and set up an experimental distillery, he could hardly have imagined that his triangular bottle would one day become the very symbol of Italian brandy.

Expert's Description

Vecchia Romagna Etichetta Nera is an Italian Brandy distilled from Trebbiano grapes, bottled at 38%.

Buton's experimental distillery grew in 1830 into Distilleria G. Buton & C., described by the house itself as Italy's first steam-powered distillery. The name Vecchia Romagna only arrived in 1939, the same year the distinctive triangular bottle and the Bacchus label were introduced, and both remain the house's trademarks today.

The brandy is distilled from Trebbiano grapes and aged in oak through a double distillation process that gives it a character clearly distinct from both French and Spanish brandy.

Since 1999 the house has been part of the Montenegro spirits group, but production still takes place in the Emilia-Romagna region, where it all began.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit, vanilla and toasted oak, with a hint of almond and caramel.

Palate

Soft and harmonious, with classic notes of vanilla, nuts, light smoke and a mild spiced warmth.

Finish

Long, dry and elegant, with a trace of oak and caramelised fruit.

Specifications

Name: Vecchia Romagna Etichetta Nera
Distillery: Vecchia Romagna
Country: Italy
Type: Italian Brandy
ABV: 38%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Italian oak
EAN no.: 8000060100247
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature as a digestif, ideally with dark chocolate or nuts

Flavour Profile

Dried fruit · Vanilla · Toasted oak · Caramel

Did You Know?

The triangular bottle that still identifies Vecchia Romagna today was introduced in 1939 together with the name itself – before that, the brandy did not carry its current name at all.

Benjamin Baker flew fighter jets for the British Royal Air Force before trading the cockpit for cellars full of old casks in 2012. Today he and his wife Marie hunt down rare single casks, often from undisclosed distilleries, and bottle them under the name WV Baker & Cie.

Expert's Description

WV Baker & Cie 2023 Rare Brandy is a Single Cask Spanish Brandy, bottled at 40%.

While WV Baker & Cie is primarily known as an independent cognac bottler with roots in Fins Bois, the house has also specialised in tracking down distinctive single casks beyond France – including this Spanish brandy, one of the house's more unusual releases made in collaboration with the Danish spirits merchant Juul's.

The cask, named Single Cask N. 932, aged 15 years and was bottled in 2023, yielding exactly 510 bottles – a number that underlines just how limited and cask-specific this release is.

As a single-cask bottling, the brandy is not adjusted or blended with other casks, giving a clean, unaltered view of exactly what this cask gave the spirit over 15 years.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried figs and spiced wood, with a deep, almost raisin-like sweetness.

Palate

Full and concentrated, with notes of dark caramel, walnut and a warm, Spanish wood character.

Finish

Long and spiced, with a dry, lightly bitter close.

Specifications

Name: WV Baker & Cie 2023 Rare Brandy, Single Cask N. 932
Distillery: WV Baker & Cie
Country: Spain
Type: Single Cask Spanish Brandy
Age: 15 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3770023406109
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a brandy or cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Dried fig · Dark caramel · Walnut · Spice

Did You Know?

WV Baker & Cie often does not reveal which distillery a given brandy or cognac actually comes from – a deliberate air of mystery that lets the flavour speak for itself rather than the name on the label.

Not all the grape juice from Gourry's land in Grande Champagne ends up as Cognac. Some of it is stopped along the way, fortified with the house's own spirit, and turned into something paler and lighter, a golden Pineau des Charentes with citrus and white flowers in the glass.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville Pineau des Charentes Blanc is a French Pineau des Charentes made from fresh grape juice and Cognac from Gourry de Chadeville, bottled at 17%.

At Gourry de Chadeville, the world's oldest Cognac house, founded in 1619 and still family-owned through fifteen generations, the house's own Cognac is used to stop the fermentation of fresh grape must. The Blanc bottling keeps a pale, golden colour and a light, fresh character clearly distinct from its rosé sibling.

The result is an aperitif with notes of white flowers, citrus and a hint of honey, made to accompany shellfish and light starters just as naturally as it can be enjoyed on its own.

Tasting Notes

Nose

White flowers and citrus peel, with a light honeyed sweetness.

Palate

Fresh and light, with notes of pear, citrus and a touch of almond.

Finish

Short and refreshing, with a delicate finish of flower honey.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville Pineau des Charentes Blanc
Producer: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: French Pineau des Charentes
ABV: 17%
Size: 75 CL
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed chilled as an aperitif or with shellfish and light dishes

Flavour Profile

White Flowers · Citrus · Honey · Almond

Did You Know?

Did you know that Gourry de Chadeville is today led by the fifteenth generation of the same family, and that the land supplying the grapes for this Blanc Pineau has belonged to the family without interruption since 1619.

Before a grape becomes Cognac, it can also become something else entirely. In Segonzac, on the same land the Gourry family has farmed since 1619, fermentation of fresh grape must is halted with a splash of the house's own Cognac, and the result is a sweet, rosé-coloured aperitif.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville Pineau des Charentes Rosé is a French Pineau des Charentes made from fresh grape juice and Cognac from Gourry de Chadeville, bottled at 17%.

Pineau des Charentes is a vin de liqueur, where fermentation of fresh grape must is stopped by adding Cognac, preserving the grape's natural sweetness while the spirit contributes strength and character. Gourry de Chadeville, the world's oldest Cognac house, founded in 1619 in Grande Champagne, uses its own Cognac for the purpose, giving the rosé a depth not found in every Pineau des Charentes.

The colour is a deep rosé, and the flavour carries red berries, honey and a hint of nuts, a combination that makes it just as fitting as an aperitif as it is alongside dessert.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe red berries and honey, with a light nutty undertone.

Palate

Sweet and fruity, with raspberry and blackcurrant, balanced by a light acidity.

Finish

Soft and rounded, with a finish of honey and lightly toasted nuts.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville Pineau des Charentes Rosé
Producer: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: French Pineau des Charentes
ABV: 17%
Size: 75 CL
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed chilled as an aperitif or alongside desserts with red berries

Flavour Profile

Red Berries · Honey · Nuts · Soft Acidity

Did You Know?

Did you know that Pineau des Charentes is made by stopping the fermentation of grape must with Cognac, a technique local tradition says began by accident, when a sixteenth-century winegrower mistakenly poured grape juice into a cask that already held Cognac.

A piece of oak that has lain buried in a Jutland bog for thousands of years does not give up its secrets easily. But at the TONOW distillery, they have found a way to unlock them: by ageing apple brandy on exactly this bog oak.

Expert's Description

Tonow Apple & Prehistoric Oak Moseeg Brandy is a Danish Brandy distilled by Vesterhavsmost, bottled at 42%.

As with the house's other brandies, the apples come from Vesterhavsmost's own orchard close to the North Sea, harvested in single varieties in season to preserve each variety's own character. What makes this particular bottling special is the ageing on moseeg – prehistoric oak that has lain buried in Danish bogs for millennia, only resurfacing when farmers or archaeologists come across it during groundwork.

Bog oak is far denser and darker than ordinary oak, and this type of cask gives the spirit a character quite different from the classic French cask types – a deep, earthy tone that ties together with the freshness of the apple.

The result is a brandy that insists on being Danish through both of its central ingredients: the fruit and the wood.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe apples meeting a deep, dark wood tone and a hint of mineral earth.

Palate

Full and earthy, with apple sweetness balanced by a dry, almost smoky wood character.

Finish

Long and deep, with a persistent dark wood tone.

Specifications

Name: Tonow Apple & Prehistoric Oak Moseeg Brandy
Distillery: Tonow
Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Brandy
ABV: 42%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Prehistoric bog oak
EAN no.: 5714962000804
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature as a digestif

Flavour Profile

Ripe apple · Dark wood · Earth · Minerality

Did You Know?

Bog oak can be several thousand years old and is preserved only because the oxygen-free environment of a bog prevents the wood from rotting – a natural preservation that only becomes visible to us once the wood is dug back up.

Close to the North Sea, where the light and soil are made for apples, Vesterhavsmost presses fresh must from single-variety apples – and from the same orchard the TONOW distillery makes a brandy that was named Danish Distillery of the Year in 2022.

Expert's Description

Tonow Santana Brandy is a Danish Brandy distilled by Vesterhavsmost, bottled at 42%.

Vesterhavsmost's philosophy is simple: only single-variety, freshly picked apples in season, grown close to the North Sea, where the climate, soil and light are, according to the producer, ideal for fruit growing. 99% of the apple harvest goes into cider must, while a smaller share is passed on to the TONOW distillery, which turns the fruit into brandy.

This Santana edition won a silver medal and stands as a clear example of what a small Danish distillery can achieve when the fruit and the craft come from the same field.

Nothing from the must production is wasted – the leftover pulp is dried and used for bread and muesli, underlining the resource-conscious thinking behind the whole production.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh apples and a light honeyed sweetness, with a hint of flowers.

Palate

Clean and fruity, with an acidic edge that keeps the sweetness in check.

Finish

Short to medium, refreshing and lightly spiced.

Specifications

Name: Tonow Santana Brandy
Distillery: Tonow
Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Brandy
ABV: 42%
Size: 50 CL
EAN no.: 571492000828
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed chilled or at room temperature as a digestif

Flavour Profile

Fresh apple · Honey · Flowers · Acidity

Did You Know?

The TONOW distillery and Vesterhavsmost use almost the entire apple – 99% goes into cider must, while the rest is either distilled into brandy or dried and reused for bread and muesli.

Ten generations is a long time to hold onto the same land. The families behind Pierre Ferrand have grown vines and distilled cognac in the heart of Grande Champagne long before any of them could have guessed their knowledge would one day be gathered into a single bottle called 10 Generations.

Expert's Description

Pierre Ferrand 10 Generations 1er Cru de Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 44%.

The name refers directly to the long line of winegrowers and distillers whose experience the house draws on, a legacy stretching from the eighteenth century to today, where Alexandre Gabriel has run production from Château de Bonbonnet since 1989. The 1er Cru de Cognac designation guarantees that the grapes come exclusively from Grande Champagne, the most celebrated of Cognac's districts.

10 Generations is meant as a bottle that gathers this legacy into a single, approachable expression, where maturity and craftsmanship weigh heavier than a stated vintage or age declaration.

The bottle suits anyone who wants a cognac with roots deep in history, without it needing to sit on a pedestal to be enjoyed.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma offers ripe fruit and a light sweetness of vanilla, supported by a hint of spice from the oak.

Palate

On the palate the cognac is round and warm, with fruit and vanilla leading and a dry, oaky structure giving it edge.

Finish

The finish is mild and lingering, where spice and lightly toasted oak remain longest on the palate.

Specifications

Name: Pierre Ferrand 10 Generations 1er Cru de Cognac
Distillery: Pierre Ferrand, Château de Bonbonnet, Grande Champagne
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 44%
Size: 50 CL
EAN no.: 3460410533463
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally to close a meal

Flavour Profile

Ripe Fruit · Vanilla · Oak · Spice

Did You Know?

Pierre Ferrand is co-owner of Domaine du Logis d'Angeac, a vineyard in Grande Champagne whose history can be traced back to 1776, long before the house itself took its name.

The colour does not lie: a Rare Pale is meant to look pale precisely because it has not been adjusted with caramel colouring the way many commercial cognacs are. What you see in the glass is what the cask actually gave it.

Expert's Description

WV Baker & Cie Rare Pale is a Single Estate French Cognac, bottled at 43%.

As an independent bottler, WV Baker & Cie seeks out single casks with a clear character of their own, often from lesser-known estates in the Cognac district, rather than following a fixed blending style like the large merchant houses. Rare Pale is the house's take on a younger, more direct cognac style, where the pale colour signals precisely a shorter, but deliberate, cask ageing.

The cognac comes from a single estate and has aged 6 years, bottled without colour adjustment at 43% – slightly above the usual standard strength of 40%, giving a somewhat bolder expression in the glass.

The result is a cognac that prioritises freshness and purity over heavy cask character, showing a different side of what the Cognac district can offer beyond the heavy, dark XO styles.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh grapes and light floral perfume, with a touch of vanilla.

Palate

Direct and clean, with notes of white fruit and a fine acidity.

Finish

Short to medium, fresh and lightly spiced.

Specifications

Name: WV Baker & Cie Rare Pale
Distillery: WV Baker & Cie
Country: France
Type: Single Estate French Cognac
Age: 6 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3770023406000
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Fresh grapes · White fruit · Vanilla · Acidity

Did You Know?

The name Pale refers to the fact that the cognac is not coloured with caramel, as many commercial cognacs are to appear uniformly dark – here, all colour comes solely from the cask itself.

The name is almost a joke: Old Rare Old. But behind the playful title sits a cognac from a single estate, bottled at cask strength without dilution – exactly the kind of bottle WV Baker & Cie is known for tracking down.

Expert's Description

WV Baker & Cie Old Rare Old is a Single Estate French Cognac, bottled at 56.3%.

WV Baker & Cie was founded by the Franco-British Benjamin Baker, a former Royal Air Force pilot who in 2012 began tracking down and bottling rare single casks of cognac, often from Baker's home region of Fins Bois. The house deliberately calls itself an independent bottler rather than a distillery, prioritising casks with character over a fixed house style.

This Old Rare Old bottling comes from a single estate and was aged 10 years before being bottled in August 2022 as a Limited Release of 470 bottles for the Danish spirits merchant Juul's.

At 56.3% in the bottle, the cognac is bottled close to cask strength, preserving an intensity rarely found in an ordinarily diluted 40% cognac.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Intense dried fruit and spiced wood, with a warm alcohol weight that underlines the cask strength.

Palate

Powerful and concentrated, with notes of dark caramel, nuts and a distinct oak spice.

Finish

Long and warm, with a lingering, lightly bitter close.

Specifications

Name: WV Baker & Cie Old Rare Old
Distillery: WV Baker & Cie
Country: France
Type: Single Estate French Cognac
Age: 10 years
ABV: 56.3%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3770023406093
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally with a few drops of water

Flavour Profile

Dried fruit · Dark caramel · Nuts · Oak spice

Did You Know?

Only 470 bottles exist of this release, and the entire batch was bottled directly for the Danish spirits merchant Juul's – a type of collaboration WV Baker & Cie often enters into with selected retailers rather than selling broadly.