Napoleon Carte Noire V.S.O.P. First Class Brandy Vintage Bottle Brandy 100 cl 40%

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

The Expert's Description

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

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Wood-aged · Round

Did You Know?

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about Napoleon Carte Noire V.S.O.P. First Class Brandy

What does V.S.O.P. mean on a brandy bottle?

V.S.O.P. stands for Very Superior Old Pale and is a classic brandy quality classification. It tells you that the youngest part of the brandy in the bottle has spent a certain minimum time in cask, and the term has been used on brandy bottles across Europe for over a hundred years.

What does the Napoleon designation on the label mean?

Napoleon isn't an official age statement, but a quality term producers use to mark a brandy that sits a level above standard V.S.O.P. The name comes from Napoleon Bonaparte, who is said to have enjoyed a good brandy.

Is this a bottle worth collecting?

Yes – the worn label, the dark glass and the age all make it a typical collector's bottle. Old brandy bottles like this one with their original label intact are often sought after, precisely because so few survive in good condition.

Should you drink an old brandy bottle like this, or is it just for display?

That depends entirely on how it has been stored. If the bottle has stood tightly sealed and cool its whole life, the contents could well still be good to drink – but with a bottle of unknown age and origin, it's worth smelling and tasting carefully before pouring a full glass.

How do you best store an old bottle of brandy?

Upright, cool and dark, away from temperature swings. Unlike wine, brandy doesn't suffer from being stored upright, since the high alcohol content makes the spirit far more stable over time than wine.

Which glass suits this type of brandy best?

A classic cognac or brandy glass with a narrowed opening gathers the aromas best and gives you room to warm the glass gently in your hand while you nose it.