25 hectares of vineyards, a single small still, and a family that has kept to the same craft since 1805 - that is the short version of the story behind Daniel Bouju Sélection Spéciale.

Expert's Description

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

The house of Daniel Bouju farms its 25 hectares of vineyards in Saint-Preuil on the principle that small is good: no mass production, no industrial shortcuts, only patient distillation on a 16.5-hectolitre still.

Sélection Spéciale is one of the house's most approachable expressions, where floral aromas meet the softness that only comes from cask ageing without any added caramel or sugar.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers floral notes alongside a calm touch of oak ageing.

Palate

The palate is well-rounded and never aggressive, with a soft fruit sweetness that carries through nicely.

Finish

The finish is even and warm with a final touch of vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Daniel Bouju Sélection Spéciale
Distillery: Daniel Bouju
Country: France
Type: Grande Champagne Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New Limousin oak casks
EAN no.: 3760008770028
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature in a cognac glass or over ice as a calm end to a meal.

Flavour Profile

Floral · Fruit · Vanilla · Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know that Daniel Bouju never adds caramel or sugar to its cognacs? All colour and sweetness come purely from the natural processes in the cask, a rarity even among small Cognac houses.

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.

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.

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.

Legend has it that a winemaker in Cognac once poured fresh grape juice into a cask that still held cognac by mistake. He left the cask forgotten in a dark corner - and months later found an entirely new drink. That is how Pineau des Charentes was born, and Drouet's rosé carries that same story forward.

Expert's Description

Drouet Pineau des Charentes Vintage Rose is a French Pineau des Charentes, bottled at 17.5%.

Pineau des Charentes may only be produced in Charente-Maritime in southwest France, centred on the town of Cognac, and gained the right to carry the designation of original appellation in 1935. The drink is made by adding 3/4 fresh grape must to 1/4 cognac, after which the blend matures for at least a year in oak casks.

This rosé is made from the grapes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, which together give a sweeter and slightly bolder style than the white version, with a fruit character that makes it well suited both as a communion wine and with dessert-style dishes.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers a lovely bouquet of fruit and plum.

Palate

The palate is sweet with juicy fruit and a touch of spice.

Finish

The finish is soft and round, leaving a pleasant sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Drouet Pineau des Charentes Vintage Rose
Distillery: Drouet et Fils
Country: France
Type: French Pineau des Charentes (Rosé)
ABV: 17.5%
Size: 75 CL
EAN no.: 3585950000166
Serving suggestion: Enjoy chilled as an aperitif, as a communion wine, or with honeydew melon, strawberries and meat dishes with sauce.

Flavour Profile

Plum · Fruit · Spice · Sweetness

Did You Know?

Did you know that this Pineau des Charentes from Drouet is also used as a communion wine in churches? Its soft, fruity sweetness makes it a popular choice for the sacrament in many places.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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 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.

By the river Osme in Aigre, where an eighteenth-century watermill still houses the cellars, the house of Gautier has distilled Cognac since Louis XV signed its royal charter in 1755. VS is the house's youngest voice, quick and fruity, yet built on the same craft as its older bottlings.

Expert's Description

Gautier VS French Cognac is a Cognac drawn mainly from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The house of Gautier is one of the oldest in Cognac, founded in 1755 in the old watermill on the river Osme. As early as the sixteenth century, the Gautier family had made a name for itself as skilled coopers, crafting casks from oak sourced in the famous Tronçais forest, and that grounding in wood and cask still shapes the house's identity.

VS is built from the grape varieties Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard, sourced mainly from Grande Champagne with a share from Petite Champagne. It is the house's youngest expression, and precisely for that reason the one that shows the freshness of the fruit most clearly, before longer cask ageing adds further depth.

Gautier VS is built for versatility, just as natural neat over ice as it is as the backbone of a well-mixed Cognac cocktail, where its fruit and floral character carries through clearly.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh fruit and white flowers, with a touch of vanilla from the short cask ageing.

Palate

Light and lively, with notes of green apple, honey and a hint of spiced oak.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and fruity, without heavy tannins.

Specifications

Name: Gautier VS
Distillery: House of Gautier
Country: France
Type: Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3269550254913
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed over ice or as the base of a Cognac cocktail

Flavour Profile

Fresh Fruit · White Flowers · Vanilla · Light Spice

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Gautier family was already known as skilled coopers in the sixteenth century, crafting casks from oak sourced in the Tronçais forest, long before the house received its royal charter to produce Cognac in 1755.

It takes longer than most people think for a young eau-de-vie to earn the name VSOP. At Gautier, inside the old watermill on the Osme, the blend is given the time it needs until the colour turns warm and golden and the aroma matures.

Expert's Description

Gautier VSOP French Cognac is a Cognac, a blend of fine eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The house of Gautier, founded in 1755 under a royal charter from Louis XV, has carried a family tradition of coopering with Tronçais oak since the sixteenth century. That knowledge of wood and ageing lives on in the house's VSOP, where eaux-de-vie of several ages are blended into a rounded Cognac.

The grapes, mainly Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard, come from Grande Champagne with a share from Petite Champagne, and the VSOP classification requires at least four and a half years in cask for the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend.

The result is a robust, full-bodied Cognac with a warm, golden colour, showing what extra time in cask can add compared with the house's younger VS.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe plums and caramel, backed by a warm, lightly spiced oak aroma.

Palate

Full and rounded, with notes of dried apricot, honey and a touch of nutmeg.

Finish

Medium in length, soft and warm, with a finish of sweet oak and caramelised sugar.

Specifications

Name: Gautier VSOP
Distillery: House of Gautier
Country: France
Type: Cognac
Age: Min. 4.5 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3269555157554
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Ripe Plum · Caramel · Dried Apricot · Nutmeg

Did You Know?

Did you know that the VSOP designation requires the youngest Cognac in the blend to have rested at least four and a half years in cask, while Gautier's remaining eaux-de-vie are typically older still, contributing to its full, golden style.

Some Cognacs simply need to be left alone. Gautier XO is the house's flagship, a blend of old eaux-de-vie that has drawn colour and finesse from the oak year after year until the result is dark, round and almost without a rough edge left.

Expert's Description

Gautier XO French Cognac is a Cognac, a blend of older eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The house of Gautier, founded in 1755 in the old watermill on the river Osme, pours everything its generations of coopering and ageing craft can offer into XO. The XO designation requires at least six and a half years in cask for the youngest Cognac in the blend, but Gautier's XO draws on eaux-de-vie that are often far older.

The long ageing gives the Cognac its deep, amber-dark colour and a finesse that builds layer upon layer, rounder than VSOP, more complex on the finish, and with a clear, mature richness.

Gautier XO has won gold at the International Spirits Challenge and has been singled out among the world's best Cognacs, recognition of the house's commitment to long cask ageing over quick solutions.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A deep, amber-dark aroma of dried fruit, toasted almond and a faint smoky note from the old oak.

Palate

Round and full, with rancio, dark chocolate and a warm sweetness of dates.

Finish

Long and elegant, with a last trace of spiced oak and dried apricot.

Specifications

Name: Gautier XO
Distillery: House of Gautier
Country: France
Type: Cognac
Age: Min. 6.5 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3269555551772
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, on its own or after dinner

Flavour Profile

Rancio · Dark Chocolate · Dates · Spiced Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know that Gautier XO has won gold at the International Spirits Challenge and has been singled out among the world's best Cognacs, recognition that underlines the house's focus on long, patient cask ageing.

In Châteaubernard, at the heart of Grande Champagne, the Brisson family has farmed and distilled on its own land for five generations. Excellence is the bottling allowed to wait the longest, a Cognac without hurry, shaped by time rather than output.

Expert's Description

Gilles Brisson Grande Champagne Excellence is a 1er Cru French Cognac from 100% Grande Champagne, at least 30 years old, bottled at 40%.

The Brisson family owns 75 hectares in Grande Champagne, Cognac's most celebrated cru, and Cyril Brisson has led the estate since 1989. The philosophy is simple: perfection takes time, so the house ages its Cognacs well beyond the legal minimum, allowing the full aromatic intensity and silky texture that Grande Champagne is famous for.

Excellence is the house's oldest standard bottling, an expression of how far the family is willing to go for quality over volume. It is not sold to large distribution chains, only to specialist shops and restaurants that understand the value of a Cognac allowed to mature for decades.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A deep aroma of dried fruit, honey and a touch of rancio, with a hint of old leather.

Palate

Full and silky, with notes of fig, toasted almond and dark caramel.

Finish

Very long, warm and elegant, with a last note of spiced oak and dried apricot.

Specifications

Name: Gilles Brisson Grande Champagne Excellence
Distillery: Gilles Brisson
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
Age: Min. 30 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed on its own, at room temperature, in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Dried Fruit · Rancio · Toasted Almond · Dark Caramel

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Brisson family's 75 hectares lie entirely within Grande Champagne, the only cru legally allowed to stand alone on a label without any blend from other areas, and that Excellence is never sold to large chains, only to specialist shops and restaurants.

Even the house's youngest bottling carries the Brisson signature: nothing from any land but the family's own 75 hectares in Grande Champagne. VS is the entry point to the house, made with the same care as the older bottlings.

Expert's Description

Gilles Brisson Grande Champagne VS is a 1er Cru French Cognac from 100% Grande Champagne, at least 4 years old, bottled at 40%.

The Brisson family has run its estate in Châteaubernard for five generations, with all 75 hectares planted for Grande Champagne Cognac. VS is the house's youngest bottling, but since all the fruit comes from the same land as the older releases, it shows a surprising softness and fullness for its age.

It is a Cognac that proves an entry-level bottling need not compromise on where the grapes come from, a philosophy that sets Brisson apart from many of the larger trading houses.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh fruit with a hint of flowers and a light vanilla tone.

Palate

Round and surprisingly soft, with notes of green fruit and light caramel.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and lightly spiced.

Specifications

Name: Gilles Brisson Grande Champagne VS
Distillery: Gilles Brisson
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
Age: Min. 4 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 87563000306
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed over ice or at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Fresh Fruit · Flowers · Vanilla · Light Caramel

Did You Know?

Did you know that Gilles Brisson VS, the house's most accessible bottling, comes from the exact same 75 hectares in Grande Champagne as the family's oldest, decades-aged XO, just with less time in cask.

At Brisson, no Cognac under seven years old ever goes into the house VSOP, nearly double what the rules require. It is a small decision with a big effect on how soft and rounded the glass ends up tasting.

Expert's Description

Gilles Brisson Grande Champagne VSOP is a 1er Cru French Cognac from 100% Grande Champagne, at least 7 years old, bottled at 40%.

The Brisson family has run its estate in Châteaubernard for five generations and lets no eau-de-vie under seven years enter the VSOP, well beyond the EU minimum of four and a half years. The result is a delicate, harmonious blend where the character of different vintages melts together.

With a bouquet of vanilla and a delicate body, the VSOP shows how a little extra time in cask can give a Cognac elegance without giving up the freshness of Grande Champagne.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of vanilla, plum and lightly toasted almond.

Palate

Soft and rounded, with notes of honey, dried apricot and a touch of oak.

Finish

Medium in length, warm and elegant, with a last hint of spice.

Specifications

Name: Gilles Brisson Grande Champagne VSOP
Distillery: Gilles Brisson
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
Age: Min. 7 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 87563000307
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Plum · Honey · Dried Apricot

Did You Know?

Did you know that Gilles Brisson never uses Cognac under seven years old in its VSOP, while EU rules only require four and a half years as a minimum for the designation, a self-imposed rule the family holds to in order to secure its soft, rounded style.

More than twenty years in Brisson's damp cellars gives a Cognac its own deep, dark amber tone. XO is the house's proof that patience can be tasted, an aristocratic Cognac from Grande Champagne's finest plots.

Expert's Description

Gilles Brisson Grande Champagne XO is a 1er Cru French Cognac made from 100% Ugni Blanc, at least 20 years old, bottled at 40%.

The Brisson family has run its estate in Châteaubernard for five generations, with all 75 hectares planted within Grande Champagne. XO blends eaux-de-vie that have rested at least six years in cask, but at Brisson the house goes far beyond the legal requirement, letting its XO mature more than twenty years under constant observation.

The result is a Cognac with a beautiful, dark amber colour, a developed, deep bouquet and a long finish that shows all the breed only long cask ageing can give.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A deep bouquet of dried apricot, rancio and a hint of tobacco.

Palate

Elegant and full, with notes of dark honey, toasted nuts and spiced oak.

Finish

Long and refined, with a warm finish of old wood and dried figs.

Specifications

Name: Gilles Brisson Grande Champagne XO
Distillery: Gilles Brisson
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
Age: Min. 20 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 87563000309
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed on its own, at room temperature, in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Dried Apricot · Rancio · Toasted Nuts · Spiced Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know that Gilles Brisson lets its XO mature more than twenty years, far beyond the six-year EU minimum required for the XO designation, because the family believes true finesse only emerges after decades of patience.

Some Cognacs are made to be sold. Memoire is made to be remembered, a gathering of the oldest eaux-de-vie in Gourry de Chadeville's cellars, brought together under a name that points directly back to four hundred years of memory.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville Memoire 1er Cru French Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, at least 25 years old, bottled at 40%.

Gourry de Chadeville is the world's oldest Cognac house, founded in 1619, and the family's exceptional landholdings in Grande Champagne give it a base for producing the very best the appellation can offer. Production is strictly limited, and constant demand from French connoisseurs minimises the quantity that can be spared for export.

Memoire shows a concentrated style with dark nuances, the result of decades of ageing in Limousin oak on the estate itself, far removed from the standardised Cognac found in airports around the world.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark nuances of shellac and rancio, with a hint of plum.

Palate

Deep and concentrated, with almond, mocha and a light bittersweet note.

Finish

Very long, dark and complex, with a last trace of spiced oak.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville Memoire
Distillery: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
Age: Min. 25 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed on its own, at room temperature, in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Shellac · Rancio · Almond · Mocha

Did You Know?

Did you know that Gourry de Chadeville's limited production is sold mainly within France, where local connoisseurs keep demand so high that only a small share of its oldest Cognacs, such as Memoire, ever reach the international market.

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.

Twenty-five years is a long time to wait for a bottle. At Gourry de Chadeville, that is the time Tres Vieux is given, layer upon layer of soft nuance that only appears when the cellar master dares let the Cognac rest long enough.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville Tres Vieux 400th Anniversary is a 1er Cru French Cognac from Grande Champagne, 25 years old, bottled at 40%.

Gourry de Chadeville, the world's oldest Cognac house founded in 1619, often regards Tres Vieux as its flagship, a designation traditionally used for Cognac aged well beyond XO level. The grapes, Colombard and Sauvignon Blanc, come from the house's own plots in Grande Champagne, and the entire process, from distillation to maturation, takes place on the estate.

Twenty-five years in Limousin oak casks give a Cognac of great depth, where rancio, dried fruit and a light smoky character show what time alone can add.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rancio, cocoa and a hint of tobacco, with a touch of apricot.

Palate

Deep and layered, with notes of dark caramel, bitter orange and dark chocolate.

Finish

Very long, with a warm finish of spiced oak and caramel.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville Tres Vieux 400th Anniversary
Distillery: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
Age: 25 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed on its own, at room temperature, in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Rancio · Cocoa · Bitter Orange · Spiced Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know that the designation Tres Vieux, like Hors d'Age, is not legally regulated in the same way as VS, VSOP and XO, but is instead the house's own guarantee of a Cognac aged well beyond the legal minimums.

Some houses fill their VS with the youngest Cognac they can find. Gourry de Chadeville does the opposite, letting even its youngest bottling bear witness to what four hundred years on the same land in Grande Champagne can give.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville V.S. 1er Cru French Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

Gourry de Chadeville is the world's oldest Cognac house, founded in 1619, and the family has distilled on the same land in Segonzac for fifteen generations. All the house's plots lie within Grande Champagne, the appellation's most celebrated cru, and even the VS draws on the same quality as the far older bottlings in the range.

The result is a VS that is unusually soft and full for its age, with a complexity that surprises most people who associate the VS classification with raw, young Cognac.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of honey, cedar and fresh hazelnut.

Palate

Soft, generously full-bodied, with notes of light fruit and a touch of vanilla.

Finish

Medium in length and round, without any rough edges.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville V.S. 1er Cru French Cognac
Distillery: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 35 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Honey · Cedar · Hazelnut · Vanilla

Did You Know?

Did you know that Gourry de Chadeville deliberately keeps production small at around 20,000 bottles a year, owner Pierre Gourry has said he would rather sell less than rush the rotation of the old Cognacs resting in the cellars.

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.

Eight to ten years in cask, not a day more or less than the cellar master judges right. Gourry de Chadeville's VSOP is the house's midpoint, where young freshness begins giving way to something deeper.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville V.S.O.P. 1er Cru French Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, aged 8-10 years, bottled at 40%.

Gourry de Chadeville, the world's oldest Cognac house founded in 1619, owns all its plots in Grande Champagne and distils and matures all its Cognac on the estate, exclusively in Limousin oak casks. The VSOP brings together eaux-de-vie given 8 to 10 years to come together, longer than the legal minimum of four and a half years.

The result is a soft, rounded and remarkably nuanced Cognac, showing the house style in its most accessible yet still complex form.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of plum, brown sugar and date, with a hint of Ceylon cinnamon.

Palate

Round and nuanced, with green walnut, apricot and a warm spice note.

Finish

Long and soft, with a last trace of brown sugar and spiced oak.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville V.S.O.P.
Distillery: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
Age: 8-10 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Plum · Brown Sugar · Green Walnut · Ceylon Cinnamon

Did You Know?

Did you know that French law only requires a minimum of four years in cask for a Cognac to be labelled VSOP? Gourry de Chadeville's version spends roughly double that time in oak, a voluntary standard set by the house's own cellar master.

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.

The colour alone tells the story: nearly black, with an iridescent sheen that only appears after decades in dark cellars. Gourry de Chadeville's XO 400th Anniversary is extreme Cognac without additives, pure distillate and time.

Expert's Description

Gourry de Chadeville X.O. 400th Anniversary 1er Cru French Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, up to 35 years old, bottled at 40%.

Gourry de Chadeville, the world's oldest Cognac house founded in 1619, bottled this XO for the house's 400th anniversary in 2019. The blend is built from eaux-de-vie aged up to 35 years in Limousin oak, without caramel colouring or other additives common elsewhere in the industry.

The near-black, iridescent colour leaves no doubt about its age, and the style is uncannily concentrated, with dark nuances of plum, almond and mocha.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A deep, dark aroma of plum, almond and mocha, with a hint of rancio.

Palate

Intense and concentrated, with dark chocolate, dried fruit and spiced oak.

Finish

Very long and dark, with a last bittersweet note of mocha.

Specifications

Name: Gourry de Chadeville X.O. 400th Anniversary
Distillery: Gourry de Chadeville
Country: France
Type: 1er Cru French Cognac
Age: Up to 35 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed on its own, at room temperature, in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Plum · Almond · Mocha · Dark Chocolate

Did You Know?

Did you know that Gourry de Chadeville deliberately avoids caramel colouring in its XO, meaning the bottle's near-black colour comes entirely from up to 35 years of ageing in Limousin oak.

In 1765, an Irish officer named Richard Hennessy settled in the town of Cognac and founded a trading house that has since become the best-selling Cognac name on the planet. VS is where most people meet Hennessy for the first time.

Expert's Description

Hennessy VS French Cognac is a Cognac, a blend of eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fine Bois, bottled at 40%.

Hennessy was founded in 1765 and is today the world's best-selling Cognac house, known for blending eaux-de-vie from several of Cognac's six districts into a consistent, recognisable style. VS, Very Special, is the house's youngest classification and requires at least two years of ageing, but Hennessy's cellar masters routinely draw on older vintages to give the blend extra depth.

That makes VS a Cognac that is both easy to reach for and still carries a clear imprint of the craft that has made Hennessy the name most people associate with Cognac in general.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh fruit and a light vanilla, with a hint of oak.

Palate

Round and lightly spiced, with notes of dried apricot and a mild sweetness.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and warm.

Specifications

Name: Hennessy VS
Distillery: Hennessy
Country: France
Type: Cognac
Age: Min. 2 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3245990043300
Serving suggestion: Enjoyed over ice or as the base of a Cognac cocktail

Flavour Profile

Fresh Fruit · Vanilla · Dried Apricot · Light Spice

Did You Know?

Did you know that Hennessy was founded by the Irish officer Richard Hennessy, who had served in the French army, and that the house today sells more Cognac than any other house in the world.

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.