In Petite Champagne, where the chalky soil gives Ugni Blanc grapes their fine acidity, the Cognac house Lhéraud bottles a small series under the name De Pradiere. Cognac VS de Pradiere is the youngest of them, a bright introduction to the terroir's character.

Expert's Description

Cognac VS de Pradiere is a French Cognac from Petite Champagne, aged in oak casks for a minimum of 3 years and bottled at 40%.

The De Pradiere range comes from the Cognac house Lhéraud, which has distilled in the region since the early 1800s, though for many years it mostly sold its cognac on to other houses rather than bottling under its own name.

The VS quality is the house's youngest expression, made exclusively from Ugni Blanc grapes grown in Petite Champagne, and it still carries a touch of the freshness that defines a young cognac, while the oak ageing has rounded out its edges.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers raisin and dried apricot with a light touch of oak in the background.

Palate

The palate is dry and crisp, as expected from a VS cognac, with citrus fruit and a hint of orange peel that slowly unfolds.

Finish

The finish lands softly with vanilla and a touch of spice that lingers for a while.

Specifications

Name: Cognac VS de Pradiere
Distillery: De Pradiere
Country: France
Type: VS Cognac from Petite Champagne
Age: Minimum 3 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
EAN no.: 3558270020732
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, with a single ice cube if preferred, or as the base of a fresh cognac cocktail.

Flavour Profile

Apricot · Citrus · Oak · Vanilla

Did You Know?

Did you know that Cognac VS de Pradiere comes from the house of Lhéraud, which for decades mostly sold its cognac on to larger houses and only began bottling under its own name in 1970? De Pradiere is one of the ranges that today carries the house's own signature.

In Jerez de la Frontera, where the Andalusian sun beats down on whitewashed bodega walls, the Domecq family has aged brandy by the same principle for close to three centuries. Fundador Old Version carries that legacy forward, cask by cask, vintage by vintage.

Expert's Description

Fundador Old Version Pedro Domecq is a Spanish Brandy matured through the solera method in ex-sherry casks of American oak, bottled at 38.5%.

The house of Pedro Domecq traces its roots back to 1730, when the Irish merchant Patrick Murphy founded a bodega in Jerez de la Frontera. Roughly a century later, the French wine trader Pedro Domecq Lembeye took over the business and gave it his name, and in 1874 the house created Fundador, the first Spanish brandy ever marketed under the name Brandy de Jerez.

The brandy matures in the same bodegas that hold Jerez's famous sherry, moving through a solera system of stacked casks where young brandy gradually absorbs character from older vintages before it is finally drawn from the bottom row. It is a slow process that gives Fundador Old Version its rounded, dark character.

The Old Version bottling is a nod to the house's classic style, the way it tasted long before Fundador conquered the international market. It shows the brandy without ornament, just craft, time and the damp bodega walls that mark the wood, year after year.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried figs and walnut meet a sherry sweetness from the casks, backed by caramel and a faint oxidative, nutty edge.

Palate

A wave of raisin and caramelised sugar, with a touch of dark chocolate, spiced oak and orange peel.

Finish

Long and warm, with notes of dried fruit before a last trace of sherry oak slowly fades.

Specifications

Name: Fundador Old Version Pedro Domecq
Producer: Fundador, Pedro Domecq
Country: Spain
Type: Spanish Brandy
ABV: 38.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Solera-aged in ex-sherry casks of American oak
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally as a digestif after dinner

Flavour Profile

Sherry Cask · Caramel · Dried Fruit · Spiced Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know that Fundador was the very first brandy ever marketed under the name Brandy de Jerez, back in 1874, a name that has since become a protected designation of origin reserved for brandy matured in this corner of Andalusia.

In 1903, the young Norwegian lieutenant Thomas Bache-Gabrielsen left the army and travelled to the town of Cognac to learn the craft from the ground up. Two years later he took over an old Cognac house together with a fellow countryman, and the Bache-Gabrielsen family has run it ever since, generation after generation.

Expert's Description

Bache Gabrielsen VSOP Triple Cask is a French Cognac, bottled at 40%.

The house of Bache Gabrielsen was founded in 1905 in the town of Cognac by the Norwegian Thomas Bache-Gabrielsen, who fell in love with both the region and his future wife when he arrived in France to learn the wine and spirits trade. Today the house is run by his great-grandson Hervé Bache-Gabrielsen, and its Cognac remains the best-selling in Norway.

The Triple Cask expression is blended from eaux-de-vie matured in three different cask types, giving a broader flavour palette than a VSOP aged in a single cask type. Balancing three cask profiles so they reinforce rather than overwhelm each other takes a trained hand.

As a VSOP, the Cognac is at least 4 years old, but it is the interplay between the casks that sets it apart from the house's other VSOP releases.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Mature wood, vanilla and dried fruit meet apricot kernel and hazelnut.

Palate

Fruity and elegant, with notes of banana and a hint of oriental spice.

Finish

Medium length, with soft sweetness and a closing, lightly nutty dryness.

Specifications

Name: Bache Gabrielsen VSOP Triple Cask
Distillery: Bache Gabrielsen
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
Age: Minimum 4 years, VSOP
ABV: 40%
Size: 100 CL
Cask type: Triple Cask, three cask types
EAN no.: 3428681000619
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature or with a single ice cube

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Dried Fruit · Hazelnut · Banana

Did You Know?

Bache Gabrielsen remains the best-selling Cognac in Norway to this day, more than a hundred years after a Norwegian officer left the army to learn the craft of Cognac in France.

Some Cognac is made to sit with alone, and some is made to share with a cup of coffee. Renault Avec was built for the latter: a Cognac whose cask has been steamed and roasted over open fire until its mocha and vanilla notes are strong enough to meet coffee's bitterness without losing ground.

Expert's Description

Renault Avec French Cognac is a Cognac from the house of Renault, bottled at 40%.

The name Avec, French for "together with", tells you exactly what the bottle is made for: a Cognac designed to be taken alongside a cup of coffee after a meal, a tradition still very much alive in many French homes. To get there, Renault developed a distinctive cask technique in which the oak is first submerged in water and then roasted over an open brasero fire, not once, but three times.

The repeated roasting draws out mocha and vanilla character in the wood that ordinary cask ageing does not, and the result is a Cognac with a softness and roundness built to sit beside an espresso without being drowned out.

The house behind the bottle, Renault, was founded in 1835 in the town of Cognac by Jean-Antonin Renault and was known early on as an innovator, bottling in glass rather than the traditional casks and exporting to Scandinavia as early as 1855.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Roasted mocha, sweet vanilla and a light smoky trace from the triple brasero-roasted casks.

Palate

Round and soft, with coffee bean, caramel and a warm, faintly sweet echo of toasted wood.

Finish

Mild and gentle, with vanilla and a touch of dark chocolate that lingers on the palate well after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: Renault Avec French Cognac
Distillery: Renault
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Triple brasero-roasted oak casks
EAN no.: 6412703100279
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed alongside a cup of strong coffee after a meal, as tradition dictates, or on its own in a small Cognac glass.

Flavour Profile

Mocha · Vanilla · Caramel · Toasted Wood

Did You Know?

Did you know the casks for Renault Avec are submerged in water and then roasted over open brasero fire three separate times, a technique developed specifically to draw out mocha and vanilla character so the Cognac can hold its own against coffee?

Around Etriac in the Petite Champagne, the Philbert family works the same soil that has shaped their grapes for generations. In the cellar, though, one cask breaks the pattern: an old Sauternes cask from Bordeaux, once home to a sweet white wine, now lending this Cognac a golden, exotic undertone.

Expert's Description

Philbert Sauternes 2012/2018 Rare Cask Finish 7 Years Single Estate French Cognac is a Cognac from the Petite Champagne, finished in used Sauternes casks and bottled at 41.5%.

The bottle comes from Philbert, a Cognac house run by brothers Xavier and Pierre-Olivier Philbert, whose family has grown grapes in the Charente since 1808. Xavier tends the fields around Etriac in the Petite Champagne, while his brother works from Touzac in the Grande Champagne — two addresses, one shared belief that the soil should speak through the distillate. This bottling is single estate, drawn only from the Etriac property, with no blending from other vineyards.

Philbert was the first house in the region to seriously experiment with rare cask finishes in used Oloroso sherry and Sauternes casks, and this release is one result of that work. The Cognac was distilled in 2012 and later rested in one named cask, #172-02, receiving its final finish in refill Sauternes casks alongside new French oak.

Only 550 bottles of this release exist, and the Cognac is unfiltered at low temperature, so everything the cask gave it — the sweet, fruity traces of Sauternes — stays intact in the glass.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose opens with ripe apricot and a touch of honey, quickly followed by warm toasted oak and a hint of the sweet white wine the cask once held.

Palate

On the palate it is round and full, with exotic fruit, caramelised sugar and a light spiced warmth that carries the flavour forward without turning heavy.

Finish

The finish is long and silky, with a lingering sweetness from the Sauternes cask and a final trace of toasted wood.

Specifications

Name: Philbert Sauternes 2012/2018 Rare Cask Finish 7 Years Single Estate French Cognac
Distillery: Philbert
Country: France
Type: French Cognac, Single Estate
Age: 7 Years
ABV: 41.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Sauternes casks and new French oak
EAN no.: 3367589000065
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a tulip-shaped Cognac glass, ideally after a meal, when the sweet and exotic notes can fully unfold.

Flavour Profile

Apricot · Honey · Toasted Oak · Exotic Sweetness

Did You Know?

Did you know this Cognac comes from a single named cask, #172-02, and that only 550 bottles of this exact Sauternes finish exist in the world?

A dark amphora rests heavy in the hand, as though pulled straight from an ancient shipwreck in the Aegean Sea. Behind the glass waits Metaxa 7 Stars, deeper and rounder than its younger sibling, ready to tell its own part of the story from the port of Piraeus.

Expert's Description

Metaxa 7 Stars is a Greek brandy built on aged grape eaux-de-vie and sweet muscat wines, bottled at 40%.

Like the rest of the family, 7 Stars is not a pure brandy but a blend of grape eaux-de-vie made from grapes including Savatiano and Sultana, aged muscat wines from Samos and Lemnos, and a secret herbal mix – a recipe Spyros Metaxas developed in Piraeus in 1888 and one the house still follows today.

The iconic amphora design many associate with this particular bottle was created by Greek designer Yiannis Tseklenis and draws on the ancient clay vessels once used to carry wine and oil across the Mediterranean. The shape has become one of the most recognisable features of the entire Metaxa family.

With seven stars, the bottle sits in the middle of the house hierarchy and carries a larger share of older eaux-de-vie than 5 Stars, giving it a rounder, fuller character without losing the freshness the house is known for.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried apricot and raisin meet a warm caramel note and a hint of muscat – fuller than the younger expression.

Palate

Round and soft, with dark honey, toasted almonds and a gentle spiced warmth that spreads slowly.

Finish

Medium length, with a dry, lightly spiced finish and a last trace of muscat.

Specifications

Name: Metaxa 7 Stars
Distillery: Metaxa
Country: Greece
Type: Greek Brandy
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5202795130022
Serving suggestion: Enjoy at room temperature or over ice

Flavour Profile

Dried Fruit · Caramel · Almond · Muscat

Did You Know?

The signature amphora bottle Metaxa 7 Stars is poured from was designed by acclaimed Greek fashion designer Yiannis Tseklenis and takes its shape directly from the clay vessels ancient Greeks used to carry wine across the sea.

There are bottles you open on an ordinary Tuesday, and there are bottles you save for the right occasion. Metaxa 12 Stars belongs to the latter – the house's deepest, most complex expression, kept back for the evenings that deserve a little more.

Expert's Description

Metaxa 12 Stars is a Greek brandy built on aged grape eaux-de-vie and sweet muscat wines, bottled at 40%.

12 Stars sits at the top of Metaxa's star hierarchy and carries the largest share of older eaux-de-vie in the entire range. The base recipe remains the same one Spyros Metaxas put together in Piraeus in 1888: grape eaux-de-vie from several varieties, aged muscat wines from Samos and Lemnos, and a secret mix of Mediterranean botanicals.

Where 5 and 7 Stars are made for everyday moments and gatherings, 12 Stars is traditionally the bottle Greeks bring out at holidays and family celebrations – a gesture that the occasion deserves the house's most concentrated expression.

After Spyros Metaxas died in 1909, his wife Despina carried the company forward until their sons could take over, and today the house is owned by French group Rémy Cointreau. The recipe and the long ageing behind 12 Stars, however, remain unchanged.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep and complex, with dried fig, dark chocolate and a warm, almost resinous spice base.

Palate

Full and silky, with toasted walnut, brown sugar and a hint of orange marmalade tying it all together.

Finish

Long and warm, closing on a dry, lightly bitter trail of dark spice.

Specifications

Name: Metaxa 12 Stars
Distillery: Metaxa
Country: Greece
Type: Greek Brandy
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5202795150280
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat, ideally in a rounded glass at room temperature

Flavour Profile

Dried Fig · Dark Chocolate · Walnut · Spice

Did You Know?

12 Stars sits closest to the concentrated original style Spyros Metaxas himself favoured – in Greece it is still considered the natural bottle to bring to family celebrations and holidays, where it is often poured neat after the meal.

Dusk settles over the port of Piraeus, where the scent of roasted nuts and ripe grapes drifts through the tavernas, and the glass on the counter rarely stays empty for long. Metaxa 5 Stars is the bottle reached for first when the evening begins – light, golden, and carrying a trace of Mediterranean warmth.

Expert's Description

Metaxa 5 Stars is a Greek brandy built on aged grape eaux-de-vie and sweet muscat wines, bottled at 38%.

Strictly speaking, Metaxa is not a pure brandy but the house's own invention: a blend of grape eaux-de-vie distilled from grapes including Savatiano, Sultana and black Corinth, combined with aged, sweet muscat wines from the islands of Samos and Lemnos and a secret mix of Mediterranean botanicals. The recipe dates back to 1888, when Spyros Metaxas founded his house in the port city of Piraeus, and the herbal blend remains a closely guarded secret to this day.

5 Stars sits at the entry point of Metaxa's star hierarchy and carries the youngest share of eaux-de-vie in the range. The stars do not signal age the way a vintage year would – instead they indicate how large a proportion of older distillate goes into the blend, and the more stars, the deeper and rounder the character becomes.

Today Metaxa is part of the French spirits house Rémy Cointreau, though production still takes place in Greece, where distillate and muscat wine are brought together following the same base recipe as more than a century ago.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh grapes and a touch of honey meet a hint of orange peel and light spice – inviting and light rather than heavy.

Palate

Soft and round, with ripe grapes, caramelised sugar and a faint herbal note that adds depth without taking over.

Finish

Short to medium, mildly sweet, closing with a gentle spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Metaxa 5 Stars
Distillery: Metaxa
Country: Greece
Type: Greek Brandy
ABV: 38%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5202795120054
Serving suggestion: Enjoy over ice or as the base of a light long drink

Flavour Profile

Grape Eau-de-Vie · Honey · Orange Peel · Light Spice

Did You Know?

The stars on a Metaxa label do not mark years of ageing the way whisky age statements do – they instead show the share of older eaux-de-vie in the final blend, a system Spyros Metaxas himself introduced so the house could control style without being tied to a single vintage year.

Not every cognac needs a year or a classification to tell its story. Sometimes it is enough to know which soil the grapes grew in – and here we are talking about Grande Champagne itself.

Expert's Description

Segonzac Premium is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The Pierre de Segonzac cognac house has roots back to 1702, when ancestor Jacques Ferrand distilled his first harvest at the Biard estate. Today the house is run on eleven generations of experience and nearly 10 hectares of its own vineyards in the very village of Segonzac, the heart of Grande Champagne 1er Cru.

Segonzac Premium is the house's entry point into the range – a cognac distilled on the house's own property with the same traditional Charentais copper stills and the same hand-guided "bonne chauffe" technique used for its more aged bottlings.

The result is an approachable yet characterful cognac, where the finesse of Grande Champagne's chalky soil can still be traced.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh grapes and light vanilla, with a hint of flowers.

Palate

Round and light, with notes of white fruit and a mild wood tone.

Finish

Short, clean and lightly sweet.

Specifications

Name: Segonzac Premium Grande Champagne
Distillery: Pierre de Segonzac
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French oak
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Fresh grapes · Vanilla · White fruit · Flowers

Did You Know?

Even the house's entry-level cognac is distilled on the same property and with the same copper stills as Pierre de Segonzac's more aged bottlings – the house takes no shortcuts, whatever tier the bottle belongs to.

The family behind Pierre de Segonzac can trace its first harvest all the way back to 1702, when ancestor Jacques Ferrand distilled at the Biard estate. Eleven generations later, the vineyards still lie in the very village of Segonzac, the heart of Grande Champagne.

Expert's Description

Segonzac 7 Year VSOP Grande Champagne is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The Pierre de Segonzac cognac house farms nearly 10 hectares in Grande Champagne 1er Cru itself, the most acclaimed soil in the entire district, where the chalky subsoil gives the grapes a distinctive finesse. The house distils on its own property using two traditional Charentais copper stills, one of which is still hand-hammered, and relies on the old artisan technique of "bonne chauffe" to preserve the aromas fully through distillation.

This VSOP significantly exceeds the legal minimum of 4 years in cask and has rested 7 years, giving the cognac a maturity and a deeper copper colour than is typical for the category.

The result is a handsome, copper-coloured cognac with a sweetly perfumed nose carrying notes of honey and ripe fruit.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey and ripe fruit, lifted by a light floral perfume.

Palate

Soft and medium-bodied, with caramel, baked fruit and a fine spice note.

Finish

Medium length, warm and lightly sweet.

Specifications

Name: Segonzac 7 Year VSOP Grande Champagne
Distillery: Pierre de Segonzac
Country: France
Type: VSOP Cognac
Age: 7 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French oak
EAN no.: 3760097560012
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Honey · Baked fruit · Caramel · Spice

Did You Know?

One of Pierre de Segonzac's copper stills is among the last in the district still hand-hammered by a coppersmith rather than machine-made – a craft only a handful of masters in France still practise today.

VS is cognac's youngest and most approachable step - the place where most people start their acquaintance with the spirit. Denis Charpentier Special Selection is the house's take on a fresh, versatile VS.

Expert's Description

Denis Charpentier VS Special Selection is a French Cognac, bottled at 40%.

The Cognac house Denis Charpentier is based in the Cognac region of France and produces a wide range of cognacs, from VS to Extra. Special Selection is the house's VS expression, designed as an approachable and versatile entry into the style.

The VS classification requires a minimum of 2 years of ageing in oak casks in France, giving a cognac with a fresh, direct character well suited both neat and in cocktails.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is fresh with citrus and a touch of flowers.

Palate

The palate is light and crisp with notes of green fruit and a touch of oak.

Finish

The finish is short and clean, leaving a pleasant warmth.

Specifications

Name: Denis Charpentier VS Special Selection
Distillery: Denis Charpentier
Country: France
Type: VS Special Selection Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3473720000129
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature or as the base of cocktails and mixed drinks.

Flavour Profile

Citrus · Flowers · Green fruit · Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know that the VS classification requires only 2 years of ageing, while XO requires at least 10? That makes VS the most immediate and fresh expression of cognac you can find.

Fine Champagne is cognac's answer to a careful blend of two neighbours - Grande and Petite Champagne meet in the same glass, and at Denis Charpentier that combination becomes a mature, generous XO.

Expert's Description

Denis Charpentier XO Rare is a French Cognac, classified as Fine Champagne, and bottled at 40%.

The Cognac house Denis Charpentier is based in the Cognac region of France and produces a range of cognacs from VS to Extra, with emphasis on the cru classifications Grande Champagne and Fine Champagne.

The term Fine Champagne means the cognac is a blend of grapes from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, where Petite Champagne can make up no more than half. This gives a cognac that unites the finesse of Grande Champagne with the rounder character of Petite Champagne, while the XO classification guarantees significant ageing behind every bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is mature and round with dried fruit and a touch of spiced oak.

Palate

The palate is full and soft with notes of nut and a gentle sweetness that quietly builds.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, closing with a fine spiced note.

Specifications

Name: Denis Charpentier XO Rare
Distillery: Denis Charpentier
Country: France
Type: XO Rare Fine Champagne Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3473720000518
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally as a close to a good dinner.

Flavour Profile

Dried fruit · Nut · Oak · Spice

Did You Know?

Did you know that the term Fine Champagne can only be used when at least half the cognac comes from Grande Champagne, with the rest from the neighbouring district of Petite Champagne? It is one of the rarer cru designations in the Cognac region.

A well-preserved bottle from 1840, labelled Pinet-Castillon Cognac, surfaced one day and was opened by people whose trade is understanding how cocktails tasted when they were first invented. What they found in the glass was a cognac so different from today's that Pierre Ferrand set out to recreate it.

Expert's Description

Pierre Ferrand 1840 Formula 1er Cru de Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne and Ugni Blanc grapes, bottled at 45%.

The bottle was created together with cocktail historian David Wondrich, known for tracing classic cocktail recipes back to their origins. The starting point was that rare 1840 bottle, whose style differs sharply from modern cognac: less sweetness, more spice and a dryness that lends itself brilliantly to mixing rather than being enjoyed neat alone.

Pierre Ferrand, which runs its production from Château de Bonbonnet in Grande Champagne, the chalkiest and most celebrated of Cognac's districts, has used the formula to recreate a style that was common among cognac houses around the 1800s, long before modern blending techniques and sweeter profiles became the norm.

The result is a cognac equally at home in a Sidecar, a Julep or a Sazerac as it is in a glass on its own.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Orange peel and white flowers open the aroma, joined by a touch of allspice and cinnamon that gives a spiced, almost historic character.

Palate

The palate is warm and full, with acacia honey and ripe pears, while a hint of mint adds a fresh, almost herbal edge.

Finish

The finish is dry and spiced, where the honey's sweetness gives way to a light bitterness of orange peel that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Pierre Ferrand 1840 Formula 1er Cru de Cognac
Distillery: Pierre Ferrand, Château de Bonbonnet, Grande Champagne
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3460410528827
Serving suggestion: Well suited to classic cocktails such as Sidecar, Julep and Sazerac, or neat at room temperature

Flavour Profile

Orange Peel · White Flowers · Acacia Honey · Pears

Did You Know?

The cognac made before the vine louse phylloxera devastated France's vineyards in the late 1800s had a markedly different character than today's - less sweet and more spiced - and it is precisely this pre-phylloxera style that 1840 Formula sets out to recreate.

There is a deep, almost blood-red glow in the glass when Daniel Bouju XO Prince is poured. Twenty-five years in new Limousin oak casks have left their clear mark, and the result is a cognac with both weight and calm.

Expert's Description

Daniel Bouju XO Prince is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, matured for a full 25 years in new Limousin oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The cognac comes from the small family house Daniel Bouju in Saint-Preuil, where production has been guided by craft rather than volume since 1805. All the colour in the glass comes purely from cask ageing, as the house never adds caramel.

XO Prince is made exclusively from Ugni Blanc grapes and represents one of the house's oldest and most complex expressions, where the long maturation has given both depth and finesse.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is silky with ripe fruit, spiced clove and a touch of prune and cinnamon.

Palate

The palate is round and harmonious with nutmeg, roasted nuts and dried fruit that slowly unfold.

Finish

The finish is long and pleasant with lasting warmth and a touch of spice.

Specifications

Name: Daniel Bouju XO Prince
Distillery: Daniel Bouju
Country: France
Type: XO Grande Champagne Cognac
Age: 25 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New Limousin oak casks
EAN no.: 3760008771094
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally after dinner as a calm end to the evening.

Flavour Profile

Prune · Clove · Nutmeg · Roasted nuts

Did You Know?

Did you know that the dark colour of Daniel Bouju XO Prince comes entirely from the 25 years of cask ageing? The house never adds caramel, so every nuance in the glass is shaped by time and wood alone.

In the sun-warmed bodegas of southern Spain, rows of ageing oak casks have shaped the character of Spanish brandy for generations. Napoleon VSOP Prestige stands in that tradition, dark as caramelised sugar, with a richness that hints at real time spent in wood.

Expert's Description

Napoleon VSOP Prestige is a Spanish brandy classified as VSOP, bottled as a Vintage edition at 38%.

The bottle belongs to the Spanish brandy tradition, where eaux-de-vie is matured through the Solera system – a network of linked cask rows in which younger distillate is gradually blended with older vintages each time spirit is drawn from the bottom casks. The method is especially associated with the brandy houses of the Jerez region in Andalusia, where it was historically refined alongside sherry production, and it remains one of the most defining features of Spanish brandy as a category.

The VSOP classification requires a minimum period of ageing, giving the brandy time to draw colour, tannin and rounded flavour from the oak. This particular bottling is released as a limited Vintage edition, setting it apart from the house's ongoing production.

The result is a dark, round brandy in which the Solera system's blending of vintages creates an even depth – a style found across much of classic Spanish brandy regardless of house.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Caramelised sugar, dried apricot and a light woody note of old oak.

Palate

Round and full, with raisin, walnut and a hint of vanilla from the cask.

Finish

Medium length, dry and lightly spiced, closing on a warm, woody note.

Specifications

Name: Napoleon VSOP Prestige
Distillery: Del Maresme
Country: Spain
Type: Spanish Brandy
ABV: 38%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature or over ice

Flavour Profile

Caramel · Dried Fruit · Walnut · Oak

Did You Know?

The word Solera comes from the Spanish suelo, meaning ground or floor – a reference to the fact that the oldest casks in the system always sit at the bottom row, closest to the ground.

In Saint-Preuil, in the heart of Grande Champagne, the Bouju family still runs their small distillery, bottling cognac in accessible sizes without compromising on craft. This 35 cl bottle is a small, concentrated taste of the house.

Expert's Description

Daniel Bouju Sélection Spécial is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, aged in new Limousin oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The house of Daniel Bouju is a small family business founded in 1805 in Saint-Preuil, holding 25 hectares of vineyards at the very heart of the Cognac region. Production still takes place in the original farmhouse, where the cognac is distilled on a 16.5-hectolitre still.

Sélection Spécial is made exclusively from Ugni Blanc grapes and carries the house's signature: a dark, refined character with no added caramel colouring, its flavour drawn purely from natural cask ageing.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose blends oak ageing with floral notes and a hint of vanilla.

Palate

The palate is well-rounded and soft, never sharp or aggressive, with a touch of honey.

Finish

The finish is long and calm with a mild spice note that fades quietly.

Specifications

Name: Daniel Bouju Sélection Spécial
Distillery: Daniel Bouju
Country: France
Type: Grande Champagne Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 35 CL
Cask type: New Limousin oak casks
EAN no.: 3760008770011
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideal for smaller pours thanks to its compact size.

Flavour Profile

Floral · Vanilla · Honey · Spice

Did You Know?

Did you know that the entire production at Daniel Bouju takes place on a single small 16.5-hectolitre still? That is a fraction of what the large Cognac houses distil on, but it results in a very hands-on craft from grape to bottle.

A decanter like this is never cast in a hurry. It is shaped, cut and polished until it is just as worthy of the table as the cognac it will one day hold - Pierre Ferrand Selection Des Anges, now in a bottle built to last.

Expert's Description

Pierre Ferrand Selection Des Anges Carafe 1er Cru de Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 41.8% and presented in a hand-finished decanter.

The cognac inside is the same blend that gave the house's Selection Des Anges its name, a reference to la part des anges, the portion of cognac that seeps out through the oak in the cellars at Angeac year after year. Pierre Ferrand, rooted at Château de Bonbonnet and drawing on ten generations of winegrowing in Grande Champagne, chose to give this particular bottling a vessel that matches the weight of what is inside.

Where the standard bottle sits at 40%, the decanter is filled at a slightly higher 41.8%, giving a touch more intensity in the glass. The decanter itself is meant as a collector's piece in its own right, with a heavy base and a faceted body that catches the light as the cognac is poured.

The bottle arrives in a gift box and suits the moments that call for something more than a standard label.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma opens with spiced saffron and ginger, beneath which sits a layer of sweet walnuts in syrup and a calm undercurrent of cedar wood.

Palate

The palate is full and slightly more forceful than the standard bottling, with saffron and ginger leading, supported by walnut sweetness and a dry, woody core.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spiced, with cedar wood lingering longest and leaving a dry, elegant dryness on the palate.

Specifications

Name: Pierre Ferrand Selection Des Anges Carafe 1er Cru de Cognac
Distillery: Pierre Ferrand, Château de Bonbonnet, Grande Champagne
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 41.8%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3460410531179
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally poured straight from the decanter

Flavour Profile

Ginger · Saffron · Cedar Wood · Walnuts in Syrup

Did You Know?

The decanter is bottled at 41.8%, slightly higher than the standard Selection Des Anges bottle at 40%, a small difference that gives the decanter's contents a touch more power in the glass.

In Saint-Martial-sur-Né, at the heart of Grande Champagne's chalky soil, the Trijol family has been distilling since 1859. Dry Collection Batch 01 is the house's take on a dry, uncompromising Cognac style, bottled in a run so limited that every bottle feels like a small piece of this family history.

Expert's Description

Maxime Trijol Dry Collection Batch 01 Very Old is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, classified Very Old and bottled at 43%.

The house of Maxime Trijol was founded in 1859, when the Trijol family settled in Saint-Martial-sur-Né at the heart of Grande Champagne, the cru regarded as Cognac's finest. The family were originally winegrowers, but over time expanded into independent distillation, and the house is run today by the sixth generation. For production, Maxime Trijol relies on 22 copper stills of 2,500 litres each.

The chalky soil of Grande Champagne gives eaux-de-vie exceptional finesse and an unusually strong ageing potential, exactly the qualities the Dry Collection range is built to highlight. Batch 01 is the first release in the series and comes in a limited run of only 770 bottles.

The Very Old classification sits at the mature end of Cognac's age scale, and the name Dry Collection reflects the house's ambition for a dry, less sweet style, where the oak's spice and the fruit's concentration stand out more clearly.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dry and elegant, with dried apricot, a hint of tobacco leaf and a lightly spiced undertone from the oak.

Palate

Taut and finely woven, with nuts, a touch of toasted wood and a concentrated fruitiness that never turns cloyingly sweet.

Finish

Long, dry and spiced, with a lingering mineral finish that reflects Grande Champagne's chalky soil.

Specifications

Name: Maxime Trijol Dry Collection Batch 01 Very Old
Distillery: Maxime Trijol
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3544680022527
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed neat in a Cognac glass at room temperature, where the dry, complex notes are shown to best effect.

Flavour Profile

Dry · Elegant · Spiced · Nutty

Did You Know?

Dry Collection Batch 01 was released in a run of just 770 bottles, distilled on the house's 22 copper stills, each holding 2,500 litres.

In Saint-Preuil, in the heart of Grande Champagne, the Bouju family has grown its own grapes and distilled its own cognac since 1805. This sample is an invitation to meet one of the smaller, more stubbornly artisanal cognac houses in the district.

Expert's Description

Sample 3 cl Daniel Bouju VSOP is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The house was founded by Pierre Chauvin and his wife Jeanne in 1805, shortly after they settled in Saint-Preuil with only a few hectares of land and vines. Seven generations later, Daniel Bouju remains a true grower-producer – a house that distils only grapes from its own 30 hectares, unlike the large merchant houses that buy in from hundreds of growers.

The cognac is distilled exclusively from Ugni Blanc and aged in Limousin oak, and the house uses neither colouring nor boisé to adjust colour or flavour – what is in the glass comes from the grape, the soil and the cask alone.

The bottle's distinctive carafe shape holds a VSOP that has rested at least 4 years in cask, presenting a calm, grounded expression of Grande Champagne's finesse.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Flowers and fresh grapes, with a light vanilla tone from the young Limousin oak.

Palate

Soft and direct, with notes of white fruit and a fine acidity that speaks of the unaltered Ugni Blanc base wine.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and lightly spiced.

Specifications

Name: Daniel Bouju VSOP Carafe
Distillery: Daniel Bouju
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 3 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature as a small tasting sample

Flavour Profile

Flowers · White fruit · Vanilla · Light acidity

Did You Know?

Daniel Bouju is one of the few cognac houses still calling itself a grower-producer, meaning every drop comes from the house's own 30 hectares in Grande Champagne without any purchased distillate.

The story goes that a cellar master in Jerez discovered some forgotten, mysterious casks tucked in a corner of the bodega back in 1889. What later became Carlos I is named after the Spanish king Charles I, portrayed on horseback by Titian after the Battle of Mühlberg.

Expert's Description

Carlos I Imperial XO is a Spanish Brandy de Jerez, bottled at 38%.

The brandy is produced by the house of Osborne, founded in 1772 in El Puerto de Santa María at the heart of the Jerez district, one of Spain's oldest and most respected houses in sherry and brandy. Carlos I is traditionally distilled from the Airén grape using alquitaras, pot stills of Arab origin.

Maturation follows the dynamic criaderas y soleras system, where younger and older brandy are continuously blended through a series of American oak casks that previously held sherry. For Imperial XO, the casks average more than 20 years old, giving the brandy an unusual depth.

The dynamic system means each bottle holds brandy of many different ages, brought together through decades of careful blending rather than a single vintage.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and liquorice meet a deep sherry character from the old casks.

Palate

Soft and light on the palate, with a pleasant feel balanced by the vanilla and liquorice tones.

Finish

Medium length and round, with lingering sweetness and a hint of dried fruit.

Specifications

Name: Carlos I Imperial XO
Distillery: Carlos I, Osborne
Country: Spain
Type: Spanish Brandy de Jerez
Age: Average over 20 years, Solera
ABV: 38%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Oak, ex-Sherry
EAN no.: 8410337016087
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat after the meal, ideally at room temperature

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Liquorice · Sherry · Dried Fruit

Did You Know?

The Carlos I name comes from a painting by Titian depicting the Spanish king Charles I on horseback after the Battle of Mühlberg in 1548, and the portrait still adorns the bottle's label to this day.

Somewhere in the world right now, a Remy Martin VSOP is being poured. It happens more often than most would guess, since this is the VSOP most people reach for when the glass calls for copper-toned Cognac and the scent of vanilla and red roses.

Expert's Description

Remy Martin VSOP Red Label is a French VSOP Cognac of the Fine Champagne category, bottled at 40%, with an average age of around 8 years.

The blend is composed of at least 60% eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne, the rest from Petite Champagne, using grapes mainly Ugni Blanc supplemented by Folle Blanche and Colombard from the house's chalky soils.

Remy Martin was founded in 1724 and has held ever since to using only Fine Champagne Cognac across its range. VSOP Red Label is the bottle through which most people meet the house, and it is often used as a benchmark when professionals assess other VSOP cognacs against one another.

The colour is dark copper with a golden sheen, a sign of the time the liquid has spent in Limousin oak casks, where the soft vanilla and nutty notes are drawn from.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers vanilla, nuts, violets and roses, with a fine hint of liquorice and spiced Limousin oak underneath.

Palate

The palate is fruity with apricot and peach leading, softly rounded off by sweet vanilla.

Finish

The finish is medium-length and classically balanced, where vanilla and a hint of nuts are the last things to remain.

Specifications

Name: Remy Martin VSOP Red Label French Cognac
Distillery: Remy Martin
Country: France
Type: French VSOP Cognac, Fine Champagne
Age: Around 8 years average
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3024482270109
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, or as the base of a classic cognac cocktail.

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Apricot · Violet · Limousin Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know that roughly one in three bottles of VSOP Cognac sold worldwide is a Remy Martin? That makes VSOP Red Label the world's best-selling VSOP and a regular fixture in professional cognac tastings.

In 2019, Gourry de Chadeville turned 400, and the house marked the anniversary with a special bottling of its VS. Same land, same methods, but a bottle made to commemorate four unbroken centuries of history in Grande Champagne.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville V.S. 400th Anniversary 1er Cru French Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40% for the house's 400th anniversary in 2019.

Gourry de Chadeville is the world's oldest Cognac house, founded in 1619, where the family still farms the same land in Segonzac through fifteen generations. The anniversary bottling builds on the house's classic VS style, soft and generously full-bodied, but marked with the anniversary year as a tribute to that continuity.

All Cognac from Gourry de Chadeville is distilled and matured on the estate, exclusively in Limousin oak casks, giving a natural, deep colour even in the house's youngest expression.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey and cedar, with a hint of fresh hazelnut.

Palate

Soft and full, with a surprising complexity of light fruit and vanilla.

Finish

Round and medium in length, without any rough edges.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville V.S. 400th Anniversary
Distillery: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Honey · Cedar · Hazelnut · Light Fruit

Did You Know?

Did you know that 2019 marked 400 years since Gourry de Chadeville first distilled on its land in Segonzac, making it the oldest still-active Cognac house in the world.

Some cognac houses number their bottlings by year, and then there is Tesseron, which numbers by Lot – a reference to the individual reserves of old distillate the family keeps in the cellars at Domaine Tesseron.

Expert's Description

Tesseron Lot No. 90 XO Ovation is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The Tesseron house, founded by Abel Tesseron in 1905, sold its distillate to other major cognac houses for decades before the family began bottling under its own name in 2003. Since then the principle has stayed the same: only XO and beyond, composed of eaux-de-vie from Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard from Grande Champagne.

Lot No. 90 Ovation is a full-bodied XO with a handsome golden colour, where years of cask ageing have built a depth reaching well beyond the category's 10-year minimum.

The name Ovation hints at exactly the power and fullness this bottling is known for – a cognac not built to be discreet.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh pears and dried fruit, with a hint of nuts and almonds.

Palate

Powerful and full, with a dense structure that carries the flavour far.

Finish

Long and warm, with a final nutty tone.

Specifications

Name: Tesseron Lot No. 90 XO Ovation
Distillery: Tesseron
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
EAN no.: 3577620902702
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Pear · Dried fruit · Nuts · Almond

Did You Know?

Every Lot number at Tesseron refers to a specific reserve in the family cellars, meaning no two Lot releases are ever truly identical, even when they share the same XO classification.

Three times, Braastad XO Fine has won silver at one of the world's most respected spirits competitions in London, an achievement that takes more than good grapes. It takes a blender willing to wait until the right casks are ready.

Expert's Description

Braastad XO House Tiffon is a French Cognac, bottled at 40%.

The XO classification requires the Cognac to be a blend from Grande and Petite Champagne, with at least half originating from Grande Champagne, the district's finest cru. Braastad XO is blended from some of the house's oldest and most carefully selected eaux-de-vie, a tradition dating back to the Tiffon house's founding in Jarnac in 1875.

Compared with the house's VSOP, the XO is far more complex, since the longer time on oak has allowed the eaux-de-vie to develop deeper, more spiced and wood-driven nuances.

Braastad XO Fine has won silver on several occasions at The International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, underlining the house's consistent quality well beyond its Norwegian home market.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep, ripe fruit meets spiced oak and a hint of dried apricot.

Palate

Full and well-balanced, with notes of caramel, nuts and a touch of rancio.

Finish

Long and warm, with lingering spice and a soft, wood-driven close.

Specifications

Name: Braastad XO House Tiffon
Distillery: Braastad
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French Oak
EAN no.: 3364048109062
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature, ideally after the meal

Flavour Profile

Caramel · Spiced Oak · Dried Apricot · Rancio

Did You Know?

Braastad XO Fine has won silver a full three times at The International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, an international contest where Cognac houses from around the world compete to be named the best of the year.

In many Cognac houses there is a room called le paradis - the place where the very oldest casks are left in peace, far from the bustle of the rest of the cellar. Drouet Paradis de Famille is drawn from exactly there, from the house's own collection of its most patient vintages.

Expert's Description

Drouet Paradis de Famille Hors D'Age is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, between 25 and 30 years old and bottled at 42%.

The cognac comes from Cognac Drouet, the family house that has run its estate at the heart of Grande Champagne since 1848, and which in 1969 was taken over by Monique and Gérard Drouet, parents of the house's current generation.

The term Hors D'Age is used for cognac so old that it is no longer given a precise age statement, and is instead simply recognised as being beyond the usual. Paradis de Famille is made from 100% Grande Champagne grapes and represents one of the most complex expressions in the house's collection.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is a wall of aroma with apricot, fig, vanilla and oak.

Palate

The palate is pronounced and grape-sweet with vanilla and fruit, with countless nuances rolling through the mouth.

Finish

The finish is dense and nuanced, where the spices eventually take over and linger on and on.

Specifications

Name: Drouet Paradis de Famille Hors D'Age
Distillery: Drouet et Fils
Country: France
Type: Hors D'Age Grande Champagne Cognac
Age: 25-30 years
ABV: 42%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3585950000081
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally as a calm, contemplative close to the evening.

Flavour Profile

Apricot · Fig · Vanilla · Spice

Did You Know?

Did you know that le paradis is the traditional name for the room in a Cognac house where the very oldest and most valuable casks are kept? The name of this bottle is a direct reference to that tradition.

Ulysse Dumargue once worked the land for the founding L'Homme family and later became great-grandfather to the current owners of Cognac Drouet. Twenty years in cask give his namesake, Ulysse XO, a depth that matches the story behind it.

Expert's Description

Drouet Ulysse XO is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, around 20 years old and bottled at 40%.

The cognac carries the name of Ulysse Dumargue, great-grandfather of the current owners of Cognac Drouet, which was founded in 1848 and has remained in the family for four generations since.

The XO quality is made from 100% Grande Champagne grapes and represents one of the house's oldest and most full-bodied releases, where the long ageing has produced a cognac with marked depth.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is deep with dried fruit and a clear oak note.

Palate

The palate is full and complex with notes of nut and spice.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, quietly building.

Specifications

Name: Drouet Ulysse XO
Distillery: Drouet et Fils
Country: France
Type: XO Grande Champagne Cognac
Age: Approximately 20 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 2060188093018
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally as a calm end to the evening.

Flavour Profile

Dried fruit · Nut · Spice · Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know that Drouet Ulysse XO is named after Ulysse Dumargue, great-grandfather of the current owning family? He and his wife Elina originally worked the land for the founding L'Homme family, long before the Dumargue family took over the estate themselves.

What happens when a classic cognac is left to rest a little longer in casks that most recently held a sweet white wine from Gascony? Drouet has tried it, and the result is a small, experimental release beyond the usual.

Expert's Description

Drouet Small Batch Pacherenc Cask Finish is a French Cognac from Petite Champagne, bottled at 45%.

The cognac comes from Cognac Drouet, the family house that has run its estate in Grande and Petite Champagne since 1848. This release is part of the house's Small Batch series, where smaller lots experiment with unconventional finishing methods.

After standard ageing, the cognac is transferred to casks that most recently held Pacherenc du Vic Bilh - a sweet white wine from southwest France, close to the Armagnac region. The finish gives the cognac an extra layer of sweetness and fruit on top of its classic character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is sweet with notes of ripe stone fruit and a touch of honey from the Pacherenc casks.

Palate

The palate is full and round with a clear sweetness that balances the classic cognac structure.

Finish

The finish is long and warm with a lingering sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Drouet Small Batch Pacherenc Cask Finish
Distillery: Drouet et Fils
Country: France
Type: Petite Champagne Cognac
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pacherenc du Vic Bilh casks (finish)
EAN no.: 3585950000234
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally as an experimental close to the evening.

Flavour Profile

Stone fruit · Honey · Sweetness · Body

Did You Know?

Did you know that Pacherenc du Vic Bilh is a sweet white wine from Gascony, the same area Armagnac comes from? That makes this cask finish a small meeting between two of southwest France's classic spirit traditions.

The name is no coincidence. Réserve De Jean honours Jean L'Homme, the man who in 1848 founded what is today Cognac Drouet - and the cognac itself is just as unpredictable and complex as a good story deserves to be.

Expert's Description

Drouet Réserve De Jean is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The cognac carries the name of Jean L'Homme, founder of the estate that has been in the family since 1848, at the heart of Grande Champagne. Réserve De Jean is intended as a tribute to that original heritage, while also representing one of the most inventive expressions in the house's current range.

The cognac is made from 100% Grande Champagne grapes and stands out for its complex character, where dryness and sweetness shift gently through the flavour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is complex, alternating between dry and lightly sweet tones.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with character, where dryness and sweetness play off each other throughout.

Finish

The finish is long and nuanced, slowly building.

Specifications

Name: Drouet Réserve De Jean
Distillery: Drouet et Fils
Country: France
Type: Grande Champagne Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3305488681701
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally as a calm end to the evening.

Flavour Profile

Complex · Dry · Sweetness · Body

Did You Know?

Did you know that Drouet Réserve De Jean is named after Jean L'Homme, the man who founded the estate in 1848? The cognac serves as the house's way of celebrating its own origin story.

Ulysse and Elina Dumargue once worked the land for the L'Homme family, long before they themselves became part of the Drouet lineage. Ten years in cask later, that same soil has become a juicy, elegantly spiced VSOP.

Expert's Description

Drouet VSOP is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, aged at least 10 years and bottled at 40%.

The Drouet family history stretches back to the great-grandparents Ulysse and Elina Dumargue, who worked the vineyards for the founding L'Homme family before their descendants later took over and expanded the estate. Today Cognac Drouet is run by the fourth generation.

The VSOP quality is made from 100% Grande Champagne grapes and has been given considerably longer ageing than VS, resulting in a juicy, elegantly spiced cognac with a clear cask influence.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is fruity with a touch of plum and light vanilla.

Palate

The palate is juicy and elegantly spiced with a touch of oak.

Finish

The finish is round and warm with lasting vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Drouet VSOP
Distillery: Drouet et Fils
Country: France
Type: VSOP Grande Champagne Cognac
Age: Minimum 10 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3585950000029
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally after dinner.

Flavour Profile

Plum · Vanilla · Spice · Fruit

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Drouet family history can be traced back to the great-grandparents Ulysse and Elina Dumargue, who originally worked the land for the founding L'Homme family? It was their work that ultimately laid the foundation for today's family-owned house.

In 1848, Jean L'Homme laid the foundation for what is today Cognac Drouet. Four generations later, the estate still sits in the middle of Grande Champagne, and Drouet VS is the house's most approachable expression of that heritage.

Expert's Description

Drouet VS is a French Cognac from Grande Champagne, aged at least 4 years and bottled at 40%.

Cognac Drouet was founded in 1848 by Jean L'Homme and has remained in the family's hands for four generations. The estate spans roughly 106 hectares of both Grande and Petite Champagne soil, but all the house's cognacs are distilled exclusively from Grande Champagne grapes.

The VS quality is made from 100% Grande Champagne grapes and represents the house's youngest and most direct style, where the price does not compromise the genuine cru origin.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is fresh with a touch of flowers and light oak.

Palate

The palate is crisp and direct with a touch of citrus.

Finish

The finish is short and clean with a mild warmth.

Specifications

Name: Drouet VS
Distillery: Drouet et Fils
Country: France
Type: VS Grande Champagne Cognac
Age: Minimum 4 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature or as the base of cocktails and mixed drinks.

Flavour Profile

Citrus · Flowers · Oak · Fresh

Did You Know?

Did you know that Cognac Drouet spans more than 106 hectares of both Grande and Petite Champagne soil, yet the house uses only Grande Champagne grapes for its cognacs?