In the wider story of Cognac, the Russian imperial court played a surprisingly large role: from the nineteenth century onward, the Tsar's household imported large quantities of Cognac from the Charente, and several old houses began using the word Imperial as a mark of quality. Renault Imperial XO Carte d'Argent carries that same note of grandeur, a Cognac conceived as something beyond the house's standard XO.

Expert's Description

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

The Imperial designation has historically been used by several major Cognac houses to mark a Cognac above the standard level, a legacy of the nineteenth century's substantial exports to the Russian imperial court and other European royal houses, where Cognac was a highly sought-after luxury. At Renault, Imperial XO Carte d'Argent is a further development of the house's classic Carte d'Argent style, carrying even more time and body.

The house of Renault was founded in 1835 by Jean-Antonin Renault in the town of Cognac and was known for breaking with tradition, both by bottling in glass and by exporting early to Scandinavia from 1855.

The result is an old Cognac with plenty of body and fullness, where the Imperial name signals the house's take on a grander version of the classic Carte d'Argent style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Broad and rich, with honey-roasted almond, old leather binding and a sweet, ripe fruitiness.

Palate

Full and silky, with caramelised sugar, dried raisins and a warm spiciness that spreads slowly.

Finish

Long and round, with a final trace of honey and toasted oak.

Specifications

Name: Renault Imperial XO Carte d'Argent French Cognac
Distillery: Renault
Country: France
Type: French XO Imperial Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed in a tulip-shaped Cognac glass at room temperature, as a quiet close to the evening.

Flavour Profile

Honey-Roasted Almond · Dried Raisins · Caramel · Toasted Oak

Did You Know?

Did you know several old Cognac houses have historically used the term Imperial as a nod to the nineteenth century's substantial Cognac exports to the Russian imperial court and other European royal houses, where the term signalled a Cognac of particular standing?

Where Carte d'Argent speaks in silver and calm, Carte Noire speaks darker and deeper. The bottle carrying the black mark was created at the end of the nineteenth century as Renault's answer to how complex an old Cognac can become when the years are truly allowed to work.

Expert's Description

Renault XO Carte Noire Extra Old French Cognac is an XO Cognac from the house of Renault, bottled at 40%.

Carte Noire, the black mark, is one of Renault's oldest and best-known bottles, developed as far back as the end of the nineteenth century, when the house was firmly establishing itself as an innovator in the Cognac trade. Where Carte d'Argent represents the house's classic XO style, Carte Noire pushes a step further into complexity and depth.

The house itself was founded in 1835 by Jean-Antonin Renault in the town of Cognac and was known early on for breaking with tradition, bottling in glass and exporting to Scandinavia as early as 1855.

The Extra Old designation underlines that age is the whole point here: long years in oak have given it a layered character that shows through in both aroma and palate, without ever turning sharp or rough.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep and layered, with dried apricot, old leather binding and a trace of smoked oak.

Palate

Complex and full, with layers of dried herbs, dark caramel and a hint of tobacco that unfolds slowly.

Finish

Long and drying toward the end, with a final wave of spiced wood and a touch of dark chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Renault XO Carte Noire Extra Old French Cognac
Distillery: Renault
Country: France
Type: French XO Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 6412703100040
Serving suggestion: Best in a tulip-shaped Cognac glass at room temperature, ideally with time to let the complexity unfold.

Flavour Profile

Dried Apricot · Dried Herbs · Dark Caramel · Tobacco

Did You Know?

Did you know the Carte Noire bottle was developed by Renault as far back as the end of the nineteenth century, making it one of the house's oldest labels still in production?

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.

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.

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.

Where Imperial XO draws its depth from casks that have rested for decades, Solera Gran Reserva is a more youthful, yet still sherry-driven expression from the same house, where the aroma of the former sherry casks remains clear in the glass.

Expert's Description

Carlos I Solera Gran Reserva Sherry Cask is a Spanish Brandy de Jerez, bottled at 40%.

Like the rest of the house's brandy, Carlos I Solera Gran Reserva is produced by Osborne, founded in 1772 in El Puerto de Santa María, and is traditionally distilled using alquitaras, pot stills of Arab origin.

Maturation follows the same dynamic criaderas y soleras system as the rest of the range, but here the casks average around 10 years old, giving a fresher, more sherry-forward style than the much older Imperial XO.

The shorter ageing means the character from the former sherry casks is more prominent, while the brandy's own sweetness and spice keep the balance.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and liquorice sit close to a clear sherry tone.

Palate

Soft and light on the palate, with a pleasant roundness where the sherry's dryness meets the brandy's sweetness.

Finish

Short to medium, with a final, dry sherry note.

Specifications

Name: Carlos I Solera Gran Reserva Sherry Cask
Distillery: Carlos I, Osborne
Country: Spain
Type: Spanish Brandy de Jerez
Age: Average 10 years, Solera
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Sherry Cask
EAN no.: 8410337017084
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat after the meal, ideally at room temperature

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Liquorice · Sherry · Spice

Did You Know?

Both Solera Gran Reserva and Imperial XO come from the same dynamic solera system at Osborne, but because the solera is constantly drawn from and replenished with younger brandy, the two expressions are never quite identical from bottle to bottle.

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.

Before a cask ever touches cognac, it is met by fire. The cooper controls the flame by eye and experience, because the toasting level of the oak decides how much spice, toasted character and intensity the cask will later give to whatever ages inside it.

Expert's Description

Pierre Ferrand 10 Generations 1er Cru de Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 46%.

This bottling of 10 Generations is composed at a slightly higher strength than its 44% sister, leaving room for a more pronounced cask influence in the flavour. Toasting the oak, a technique where the cooper heats the inside of the cask over open flame, largely determines how much spice and how dark the tones the cognac picks up during ageing.

The 1er Cru de Cognac designation guarantees that the grapes come exclusively from Grande Champagne, the most celebrated of Cognac's six districts, and the name 10 Generations points to the long line of winegrowers and distillers whose experience still shapes the house's style today.

The result is a cognac that is a touch more powerful and spiced than its 44% sister, without losing the round, approachable character that defines the range.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma is spiced with notes of toasted oak and a dark sweetness reminiscent of caramel, supported by dried fruit.

Palate

The palate is warm and full, with a clear spice character and a dry, toasted oak note that carries more tension than the younger profile.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, where caramel and toasted oak remain longest on the palate.

Specifications

Name: Pierre Ferrand 10 Generations 1er Cru de Cognac
Distillery: Pierre Ferrand, Château de Bonbonnet, Grande Champagne
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 46%
Size: 50 CL
EAN no.: 346410530714
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally to close a meal

Flavour Profile

Spice · Toasted Oak · Dried Fruit · Caramel

Did You Know?

The toasting level of a cognac cask decides much of the flavour: a light toast preserves fresh wood and spice notes, while a heavier toast draws out darker tones such as cocoa and coffee in the finished cognac.

The chalky soil of Grande Champagne produces grapes that ripen slowly and keep an acidity the rest of the Cognac region rarely matches. It is this soil, and nothing else, that underpins Pierre Ferrand Ambre.

Expert's Description

Pierre Ferrand Ambre 1er Cru de Cognac is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The cognac is distilled exclusively from grapes grown in Grande Champagne, the smallest and chalkiest of Cognac's six districts, and therefore carries the 1er Cru de Cognac designation. Ferrand uses both Ugni Blanc and Colombard in the blend, a combination that adds complexity and a floral character not always found in more standardised cognacs.

The style reaches back toward the character older Premier Cru cognacs once had, when pear and plum notes were more prominent, before modern blending techniques made profiles more uniform across houses.

The cognac has rested in casks of Quercus Sessiliflora, an oak species known for imparting vanilla and a deep, golden colour, which explains the name Ambre.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma offers ripe pear and plum, supported by floral tones and a light sweetness of vanilla from the cask.

Palate

The palate follows the nose closely, with juicy pear and plum, while the vanilla adds round, sweet edges to the whole.

Finish

The finish is soft and lingering, where the fruit slowly gives way to a warm, vanilla-tinged aftertaste.

Specifications

Name: Pierre Ferrand Ambre 1er Cru de Cognac
Distillery: Pierre Ferrand, Château de Bonbonnet, Grande Champagne
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Quercus Sessiliflora oak casks
EAN no.: 3460410505071
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, ideally neat

Flavour Profile

Pear · Plum · Vanilla · Floral

Did You Know?

Quercus Sessiliflora, also known as sessile oak, is one of only two oak species traditionally used for Cognac casks, and its tight grain gives a different, gentler tannin than the more common Quercus Robur.

On the slopes at Dons, near Kolding, Sven Moesgaard planted his first 4,000 vines in 1998. What began as Denmark's first authorised vineyard has since made room for something far rarer in a Danish context: a brandy distilled from its own grapes and bottled at full cask strength.

Expert's Description

Skærsøgaard 2007 Cask Strength is a Danish Brandy distilled from Danish grapes, bottled at 62%.

In 2000, Skærsøgaard Vin became the first Danish vineyard with EU approval, and since 2006 it has, alongside wine, also produced its own spirits and fruit wines across its 5.5 hectares. This brandy comes from the 2007 vintage and is distilled from Skærsøgaard's own grapes, grown in the long Jutland summer light which, according to the vineyard, gives the grapes a slow, aromatic ripening.

The spirit has matured for 8 years in oak casks and is bottled without dilution, at full cask strength – a style that shows the distillate completely unfiltered, with all the intensity it has built up in the cask.

As a Limited Edition, this 2007 vintage offers a rare glimpse of what Danish terroir can produce when distilled rather than turned into wine.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Intense grape sweetness and warm oak, with a powerful alcohol weight that underlines the cask strength.

Palate

Full and concentrated, with dried fruit, caramel and a distinct warmth from the 62%.

Finish

Long and intense, with a lingering wood and spice note.

Specifications

Name: Skærsøgaard 2007 Cask Strength
Distillery: Skærsøgaard Vin
Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Brandy
Age: 8 years
ABV: 62%
Size: 35 CL
Cask type: Oak, full cask strength
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed in a small glass, ideally with a few drops of water to open the aromas

Flavour Profile

Grape sweetness · Oak · Caramel · Spice

Did You Know?

Skærsøgaard was the first Danish vineyard to receive EU approval for commercial wine production in 2000, and has since also made its mark with spirits distilled from its own grapes – something very few Danish producers can say about themselves.

In Rüdesheim am Rhein, where the Rhine winds past steep vineyards, Asbach has distilled brandy since 1892. This 3 year old expression is the house's most accessible release, yet it carries the same craft roots as the older bottlings.

Expert's Description

Asbach Original 3 Year Old is a German Brandy, matured for at least 3 years, bottled at 38%.

The house of Asbach was founded in 1892 by Hugo Asbach in Rüdesheim am Rhein, and it was the first German distillery to produce brandy following the French model. The Asbach name has since become so closely tied to German brandy that many Germans use it as a generic term for the category.

The brandy is distilled from selected wine and then matured in French Limousin oak casks, which lend spiced warmth and depth even after just a few years on wood.

The short but careful maturation makes this 3 year old edition a more direct and fruit-forward experience than the house's older bottlings, suiting both everyday enjoyment and a first introduction to German brandy.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe apples, gentle vanilla and a hint of spiced oak.

Palate

Round and fruity with soft notes of raisin and caramel, lifted by a touch of pepper from the cask.

Finish

Short to medium, with warm spice and a final dry wood note.

Specifications

Name: Asbach Original 3 Year Old
Distillery: Asbach
Country: Germany
Type: German Brandy
Age: 3 years
ABV: 38%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin Oak
EAN no.: 4016500033116
Serving suggestion: Enjoy at room temperature, with an ice cube, or in a warm toddy

Flavour Profile

Apple · Vanilla · Caramel · Spiced Oak

Did You Know?

Asbach was the first distillery in Germany allowed to call its spirit brandy at all, because Hugo Asbach insisted on using the French distillation method instead of the cheaper German alternatives common in his day.

The story of Braastad does not begin in a distillery, but at a wedding. In 1913, the Norwegian immigrant Sverre Braastad married Edith Rousseau, granddaughter of the founder of the Cognac house Tiffon, giving rise to a name that has since bridged the Charente river between two families.

Expert's Description

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

The Cognac house Tiffon was founded in 1875 by Mederic Tiffon in the town of Jarnac, on the banks of the Charente. When the Norwegian Sverre Braastad took over the family business in 1919 following his wife's family, the Braastad name became Tiffon's bridge to the Norwegian market, where it has enjoyed great standing ever since.

This VSOP is blended from carefully selected eaux-de-vie matured for at least 4 years in French oak casks. The relatively long maturation gives the Cognac a golden colour and a rich, rounded flavour profile.

Braastad VSOP represents the classic, approachable style that has made the house a steady favourite for Cognac lovers seeking depth without the complexity that an XO demands patience to explore.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe fruit and vanilla meet a light touch of nuts.

Palate

Rich and round, with spice and a soft, golden sweetness.

Finish

Medium length and harmonious, with a final warm wood note.

Specifications

Name: Braastad VSOP House Tiffon
Distillery: Braastad
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
Age: Minimum 4 years, VSOP
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French Oak
EAN no.: 3364048109147
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat, with an ice cube, or in a Cognac cocktail

Flavour Profile

Ripe Fruit · Vanilla · Nuts · Spice

Did You Know?

The Braastad name came about because a Norwegian officer married into the French Tiffon family in 1913, making this Cognac house one of the very few in the entire Cognac region to carry a Scandinavian family name on its label.

Cognac Tesseron follows one simple principle governing everything the house makes: only XO and beyond. Not as a marketing line, but because the family has for generations held onto some of the district's oldest, most valuable reserves.

Expert's Description

Tesseron Tresor is a Cognac from Grande Champagne, bottled at 40%.

The house was founded by Abel Tesseron in 1905 with vineyards in both Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, and from the ancestral Domaine Tesseron between the towns of Cognac and Angoulême the family sold its distillates to the large cognac houses for decades. It was not until 2003 that Tesseron began bottling under its own name – after building a reputation as one of the district's most respected suppliers of old, unblended distillate.

Tresor is composed of eaux-de-vie from Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard, which have rested for more than three generations in Limousin oak casks in the family's cellars.

The Tesseron family also owns Château Pontet-Canet, a Grand Cru Classé estate in Pauillac from the famous 1855 classification, underlining how closely the house's identity is tied to both cognac and French wine culture at the very highest level.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe fruit and a distinct, well-established wood tone.

Palate

Rich and full, with layers of dried fruit, spice and a silky structure.

Finish

Long and complex, with a warm, almost honeyed close.

Specifications

Name: Tesseron Tresor
Distillery: Tesseron
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Limousin oak
EAN no.: 3577629007002
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass

Flavour Profile

Ripe fruit · Spice · Oak · Honey

Did You Know?

Tesseron sold distillate exclusively to other cognac houses for nearly a century before the family bottled a series under its own name for the first time in 2003.

While Grande Champagne often gets all the attention, Fins Bois holds another side of the Cognac district – rounder, faster maturing, but with plenty of room for a house like Roullet to let time finish the rest of the work.

Expert's Description

Roullet XO Royal Appellation Fins Bois Contrôlée is a French Cognac from Fins Bois, bottled at 40%.

Roullet holds more than 140 hectares of its own vineyards in Fins Bois, the zone that surrounds the district's two finest crus, and the house has farmed this land since 1772. Fins Bois yields a rounder, less acidic base wine than Grande Champagne, which in turn matures faster – a trait well suited to long XO ageing.

XO requires at least 10 years of ageing under current AOC rules, but this Royal bottling rests a minimum of 15 years in oak casks, gradually taking on colour and depth from the wood.

The result is a rich, golden-copper cognac with amber highlights, where the melted tannins have had time to become fully rounded, and where the long ageing gives a fullness reaching well beyond the minimum requirement for XO.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and dried fruit sit over notes of nuts, almond and a touch of dried apricot.

Palate

Full-bodied and rounded, with melted tannins carrying a sweetness of caramelised fruit and lightly toasted wood.

Finish

Long and warm, with a final trace of orange peel that ties the dried fruit notes together.

Specifications

Name: Roullet XO Royal Appellation Fins Bois Contrôlée
Distillery: Roullet
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French oak
EAN no.: 3760089070024
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass as a digestif

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Dried fruit · Nuts · Caramel

Did You Know?

Fins Bois is the largest of the six cru areas in the Cognac district and literally surrounds both Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne like an outer ring around the town of Cognac.

In 1942, amid the German occupation of France, this Armagnac was distilled in the country's south-western corner, far from the front lines but not from the hardships of daily life. 64 years later, it was finally bottled in 2006.

Expert's Description

Castarède 1942 Vintage Appellation is a French Bas-Armagnac, distilled in 1942 and bottled in 2006, at 40%.

The house of Castarède, founded in 1832, is the oldest trading house in the entire Armagnac region and has built one of France's most extensive archives of vintage Armagnac across six generations, with bottles dating back to 1893.

This 1942 vintage was distilled in Bas Armagnac and rested in oak for 64 years before being bottled in 2006. The back label on every bottle documents both the distillation and bottling years.

Compared with its two-years-older sister vintages from 1939 and 1940, the 1942 vintage is slightly younger, yet still carries the same deep, integrated character that only decades of cask ageing can bring.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toasted walnut, dark caramel and a light earthy undertone.

Palate

Warm and spiced, with notes of dried dates and a hint of pepper.

Finish

Long and soft, with a closing, dry tobacco note.

Specifications

Name: Castarède 1942 Vintage Appellation
Distillery: Castarède
Country: France
Type: French Bas-Armagnac
Vintage: 1942, bottled 2006
Age: 64 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: French Oak, Gascony

Flavour Profile

Toasted Walnut · Dark Caramel · Dried Dates · Tobacco

Investment Potential

As a documented wartime vintage, Castarède 1942 carries a medium to high investment potential. Vintage Armagnac from the 1940s grows scarcer by the year, and comparably old Bas Armagnac bottles often change hands for above their original release price when they appear on the secondary market.

Did You Know?

Although France in 1942 was split between the occupied zone and Vichy-controlled territory, the Armagnac region in Gascony continued its distillation, making this bottle one of the physical threads connecting today's tasting experience directly to the everyday life of the war years.

1939 was the year Europe went to war again. As the world held its breath, the grapes for this Armagnac were harvested and distilled in Gascony, unaware the bottle would not be filled until 67 years later, in 2006.

Expert's Description

Castarède 1939 Vintage Appellation is a French Bas-Armagnac, distilled in 1939 and bottled in 2006, at 40%.

The house of Castarède was founded in 1832, making it the oldest trading house in the entire Armagnac region. Across six generations, the family has curated one of France's most extensive archives of vintage Armagnac, with bottles dating back to 1893.

This 1939 vintage was distilled in Bas Armagnac, the finest of the district's three production zones, and matured in oak for 67 years before being bottled in 2006. Every bottle carries a back label guaranteeing its vintage and bottling date.

The 67 years of cask contact have given the Armagnac a depth and an integrated sweetness found only in the very oldest vintages, setting it markedly apart from the district's younger, more fruit-driven releases.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried apricot, old leather and a deep rancio tone.

Palate

Integrated sweetness meets spiced oak, tobacco and a hint of prune.

Finish

Very long and warm, with lingering wood notes and a trace of dark honey.

Specifications

Name: Castarède 1939 Vintage Appellation
Distillery: Castarède
Country: France
Type: French Bas-Armagnac
Vintage: 1939, bottled 2006
Age: 67 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: French Oak, Gascony

Flavour Profile

Rancio · Dried Apricot · Spiced Oak · Dark Honey

Investment Potential

As one of the oldest vintages in the range, Castarède 1939 carries a high investment potential. Pre-war Armagnac with a documented vintage and bottling date is among the most sought-after by collectors, and comparably old Bas Armagnac bottles often change hands at auction for well above their original release price.

Did You Know?

When this Armagnac was distilled in 1939, Castarède had already been a trading house for over a hundred years, and the family continued its work of harvesting and distilling grapes even as the Second World War broke out later that same year.

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.

The name means ten thousand bottles, and that same spirit of scarcity has defined the house of Ximénez-Spínola since 1729. Chestnut casks older than most of us give this brandy a softness oak rarely matches.

Expert's Description

Bodegas Ximenez-Spinola Diez Mil Botellas is a Spanish Brandy, bottled at 40%.

The winery was founded in 1729 by Phelipe Zarzana Spinola and was originally called Zarzana Spinola. When a major English customer found the name impossible to pronounce, it was changed to Ximénez-Spínola, the name the house still carries today. From the outset, the house has worked exclusively with the Pedro Ximénez grape.

What sets this brandy apart is the use of chestnut casks during ageing, a tradition that nearly disappeared in Spain after the civil war of 1939, when large parts of the country's chestnut forests were felled. The casks at Bodegas Ximénez-Spínola are all at least 70 years old and therefore release only a very limited amount of tannin.

The brandy is distilled from a Solera founded in 1984 and subsequently ages for a minimum of 12 years in the old chestnut casks, giving it a rounder, softer taste than brandy aged in oak.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Unmistakable notes of plum and raisin.

Palate

Smooth with a light sweetness that masks the alcohol and lends a pleasant roundness.

Finish

Round and soft, with lingering dried fruit and a hint of spice from the chestnut wood.

Specifications

Name: Bodegas Ximenez-Spinola Diez Mil Botellas
Distillery: Ximénez-Spínola
Country: Spain
Type: Spanish Brandy
Age: Minimum 12 years, Solera
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Chestnut Wood
EAN no.: 843700199803
Serving suggestion: Enjoy after the meal, alone or with a cigar

Flavour Profile

Plum · Raisin · Dried Fruit · Chestnut Wood

Did You Know?

The casks this brandy is aged in are all at least 70 years old and date from a time when enough chestnut wood could still be found in Spain to build barrels, a tradition that largely ended after much of the country's chestnut forests were felled during the civil war.

Only 2820 bottles exist of this vintage, and every one of them was born on the same soil where the grapes were harvested in 1985 and the Cognac finally bottled thirty years later in 2015. From grape to bottle, the entire journey has taken place within the boundaries of a single estate.

Expert's Description

ABK6 Millesime 1985 Vintage Single Estate is a French Cognac, distilled in 1985 and bottled in 2015, at 40%.

The Cognac comes from Domaines Francis Abécassis, a house that stands apart from most others in the Cognac region by growing, distilling, ageing and bottling its entire range on its own land. Francis Abécassis moved to Cognac in the early 2000s and built his house around exactly this single-estate idea, rather than buying eaux-de-vie from a wide network of independent growers, as most houses do.

This particular vintage comes from just six small casks in the house's so-called paradise cellar, where the most treasured eaux-de-vie rest. Three decades on oak have given the Cognac a complex, mature profile, far removed from the house's younger, fresher releases.

The bottle also comes with a set of 10 Cognac glasses, making it a natural centrepiece when a rare vintage is shared among friends.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Floral notes meet dried fruit, cedar and a hint of orange peel.

Palate

The palate offers pepper, quince and caramelised tones, balanced by gentle oak spice and ripe dates.

Finish

Long and harmonious, with lingering warmth, hazelnut and a final touch of oak.

Specifications

Name: ABK6 Millesime 1985 Vintage Single Estate
Distillery: ABK6
Country: France
Type: French Cognac
Vintage: 1985, bottled 2015
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French Oak, paradise cellar
EAN no.: 3459280566824
Includes: 10 Cognac glasses
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a tulip-shaped Cognac glass, alongside coffee or a cigar

Flavour Profile

Dried Fruit · Orange Peel · Pepper · Caramel

Did You Know?

The entire production behind this bottle, from the grapes picked in 1985 to the final bottling in 2015, took place on the very same small estate, making ABK6 one of only a handful of Cognac houses practising true single-estate production from soil to bottle.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Eight years on oak is a long time for a German brandy, and it shows: Asbach 8 Year Old is a rounder, more contemplative take on the house's classic style, from the same Rüdesheim distillery that set the German brandy standard back in 1892.

Expert's Description

Asbach 8 Year Old is a German Brandy, matured for up to 8 years, bottled at 40%.

The brandy is produced by the respected Asbach distillery in Rüdesheim am Rhein, known since 1892 for quality brandy made in the French tradition. This 8 year old edition represents a more mature and complex version of the house's core style.

Distilled from wine and matured in small oak casks, the brandy gains a round, full character, while its natural colour and lack of chill-filtration underline an authentic, unadulterated expression.

With a medium body and balanced sweetness, the 8 year old edition appeals to both newcomers and seasoned brandy lovers seeking more depth than the house's younger bottlings.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Apple, apricot and a hint of coconut, supported by red grape.

Palate

Full and round with a clear presence of oak and a soft, ripe sweetness.

Finish

Medium length, with warm spice and a final dry wood note, without any smoke.

Specifications

Name: Asbach 8 Year Old
Distillery: Asbach
Country: Germany
Type: German Brandy
Age: 8 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak
EAN no.: 4016500013101
Serving suggestion: Enjoy after dinner as a digestif, with dessert, or alone as a sipping brandy

Flavour Profile

Apple · Apricot · Coconut · Oak

Did You Know?

Asbach 8 Year Old is made without chill-filtration and without added colouring, meaning the bottle's deep colour comes entirely from eight years of contact with the oak cask rather than from caramel colouring, as is common in many other brandies.

The name Accord Royal carries a sense of something sealed with a handshake, an agreement fit for a royal court. In the glass there is nothing formal about it, only plum marmalade, toffee and the scent of fresh bread unfolding calmly, a Cognac that knows exactly what it is.

Expert's Description

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

The blend consists of at least 60% eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne, the rest from the neighbouring Petite Champagne, a higher share of Grande Champagne than the Fine Champagne designation requires as a minimum. The grapes, mainly Ugni Blanc supplemented by Folle Blanche and Colombard, grow in the same chalky soil that has made the region famous for generations.

Remy Martin was founded in 1724 in the town of Cognac, and the house has held to a simple philosophy ever since: only Fine Champagne Cognac leaves its cellars, whether the bottle is its most accessible or its rarest.

1738 Accord Royal is built for everyday small celebrations, a Cognac with enough body to reward attention, without the weight that demands a special occasion.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is generous and full, with plum and fig marmalade leading, backed by toffee and the scent of toasted bread.

Palate

The palate is soft like creamy caramel, spiced with baked spice and a hint of dark chocolate underneath.

Finish

The finish is medium-length and warm, where caramel and a faint trace of chocolate are the last things to remain.

Specifications

Name: Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal French Cognac
Distillery: Remy Martin
Country: France
Type: French Cognac, Fine Champagne
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3024480010233
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed at room temperature in a cognac glass, letting the caramel and spice aromas open up.

Flavour Profile

Plum Marmalade · Toffee · Baked Spice · Dark Chocolate

Did You Know?

Did you know that 1738 Accord Royal contains at least 60% eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne, ten percentage points above the legal minimum for the Fine Champagne designation?

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.

In 2007, this bottle was named the world's best brandy at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, an award that put Château de Laubade and the entire Armagnac category firmly on the international spirits map.

Expert's Description

Château de Laubade Bas Armagnac Intemporel No 5 is a French Bas-Armagnac, bottled at 40%.

Intemporel No 5 is the house's oldest and most ambitious release in the Intemporel range, made primarily from the Baco grape, of which Château de Laubade holds the largest production in the entire Armagnac region. The Baco grape lends the Armagnac a distinctive peppery spice and a hint of smoke that few other grapes in the region can match.

Château de Laubade was restored from ruin in 1974 by Jean-Jacques Lesgourgues and has since established itself as one of the district's very finest estates, including the title World Class Distillery at the World Spirits Award three years running.

The oak casks used for No 5 come from the house's own cooperage, where Gascony oak is air-dried for at least three years, a process that gives the casks an unusual character from the very first filling.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich and peppery, with a hint of smoke and ripe forest berries.

Palate

Big and spiced, with a clear character from the Baco grape and a warm, almost peppery intensity.

Finish

Long and complex, with lingering spice and a lightly smoky close.

Specifications

Name: Château de Laubade Bas Armagnac Intemporel No 5
Distillery: Château de Laubade
Country: France
Type: French Bas-Armagnac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French Oak, Gascony
EAN no.: 9145525064241
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat at room temperature, ideally to close a meal

Flavour Profile

Pepper · Smoke · Forest Berries · Spice

Did You Know?

Intemporel No 5 was named the world's best brandy at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2007, an award that places it shoulder to shoulder with the most celebrated Cognacs, even though Armagnac has historically received far less international attention.