| |
Dwelling
1000’s of tastings,
all of the music,
all of the rambligs
and all of the enjoyable
(hopefully!)
Whiskyfun.com
Assured ad-free
copyright 2002-2024
|
 |
|
| Hello, that is one in every of our (virtually) day by day tastings. Santé! |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
September 15, 2024
|
|
  |
|
It is grand and grander Cognac Sunday at WF
We’ll attempt to keep away from a vertical tasting this time, though we not often handle it, however let’s give it a go at random. Effectively, after I say ‘at random’, we’ll nonetheless concentrate on the ‘good small producers’ and, as typical, avoid the mainstream. In any case, the mainstream isn’t that eager, its scouts not often make it to Château Whiskyfun, and also you actually gained’t catch me going off to trace them down right here or there. Moreover, do not forget that our principal aim is to seek out ‘malternatives’.
|
Heather honey
(Domaine Apicole de Chezelles) |
|
|
Frapin ‘Further’ (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, +/-2024) 
A venerable cognac, totally from their very own property, distilled on its lees. The 40% ABV and old-school presentation actually lean into the ‘retro’ aesthetic, nevertheless it’s rumoured this grand previous bottle comprises spirits as much as forty or fifty years previous, although nothing is explicitly said. Let’s get pleasure from it. Color: deep gold. Nostril: we’re fairly near the vine right here, with a honeyed facet and a whiff of Sémillon. The same old suspects of tinned peaches and apricots are current, adopted by sultanas and a bag of liquorice allsorts, with some cedarwood and a contact of incense rounding it off. Delicate and chic, if a tad conventional and, certainly, somewhat retro. Mouth: very delicate, delicate, with out a lot oomph or zing, however this smoothness is slightly charming. It’s all about raisins, peach, candy dessert wine, and a touch of tobacco. Alas, it fades a bit too rapidly, a minimum of for a malt fanatic. End: very quick, barely resinous with oak, and a bit irritating. Some apricots, sultanas, a contact of caramel, and some orange zests. Feedback: a minimum of they didn’t end it in mizunara. Severely, it’s actually good, even excellent, simply… a contact irritating.
SGP: 6541 – 85 factors. |
|
|
Famille Cabanne ‘Lot no.100’ (46.2%, The Whisky Jury, one hundredth launch, Grande Champagne, 199 bottles) 
All rijks, I imply, all proper! (not very humorous, S.) The spirits from The Whisky Jury by no means fail to impress, and this one hundredth launch guarantees to be much more so, because it appears to carry a cognac from Cabanne that’s 100 years previous or extra. We’re not totally certain if it spent all these years in wooden—maybe a while in demi-johns, however maybe not. Perhaps we’ll discover out, however within the meantime… Color: reddish amber. Nostril: good heavens, what a nostril! Extremely fragrant but with out a hint of vulgarity—fairly the other—with a touch of previous Sauternes, broom flowers, honeysuckle, and dozens of various sorts of honey. Then, lastly, somewhat spoonful of apricot jam, like a diamond nestled in a golden diadem (getting carried away, am I?). Just a few extra humble pine needles spherical off the nostril. Mouth: the magic of time. There’s nonetheless firmness, with these barely resinous notes that include nice age, but additionally a cascade of dried and cooked fruits, led by sultanas and, as typically, peach liqueur and apricot jam. Magnificent notes of small dried figs, with a contact of argan oil including construction within the background. End: medium size however agency, at all times with that chic stability of pine and sultanas. Completely ripe yellow peach and somewhat espresso carry up the rear with aptitude. Feedback: I used to be tempted to offer this 100-year-old an ideal 100 factors for the one hundredth anniversary, and let’s say I symbolically do, however strictly talking, we’re nearer to a really excessive…
SGP: 661 – 92 factors. |
|
I discover it fairly amusing that, for instance, for the worth of 1 bottle of a 58 year-old, fairly dispensable family-owned previous Speyside malt, you might deal with your self to precisely 100 (100) bottles of the 1965 we’re about to style.
|
|
|
Les Grandes Jouberteries ‘Lot 65’ (49.5%, Genuine Spirits, Fins Bois, +/-2024)
We’re in Val des Vignes, and this Fins Bois is 100% ugni blanc. Color: deep gold. Nostril: magnificent, with extra concentrate on fruit skins, liquorice wooden, ripe apple, and chestnut honey. There’s even a faint whiff of sea air, which is curious given we’re 100 kilometres from the ocean. Excellent, in its chic simplicity. Mouth: it actually does not really feel its fifty years. There is a great stress right here, with oranges, apples, and peaches on the forefront, and never a single raisin in sight. As a substitute, we get these dried and preserved apricots all of us adore—oh, and in jam type too. I additionally sense tiny saline notes mingling with liquorice and only a trace of lavender liqueur. Solely a contact, although. End: lengthy, recent, and virtually a bit malty. Cinnamon biscuits. Feedback: a dram of nice magnificence, with good stress and a touch of acidity akin to a tremendous white wine. You may virtually drink it with oysters—Arcachon, naturally.
SGP:661 – 91 factors. |
|
One other Fins Bois (and I promise we gained’t discuss pushy previous malts any extra right now) …
|
|
|
Marie Foucher ‘La Découverte Lot 77’ (51.74%, Malternative Belgium, Fins Bois, 396 bottles, 2024) 
This time we discover ourselves in Foussignac, whereas 1977 remembers none aside from Speaking Heads, and in France, Cerrone (gasp…). Color: deep gold. Nostril: a compact affair at first, all about almond croissants dripping in honey, then a splash of orange liqueur. A drop of water ought to liven issues up a bit… With Water: sure, certainly, extra layers of honey emerge, alongside roasted peanuts and cashews, praline, a touch of orange blossom, dried pear, and figs. Mouth (neat): very exact and extremely recent, brimming with citrus. Orange liqueur dominates, with a delicate nod to elderflower liqueur (although the elderflower stays in verify, fortunately). With Water: a contact of oak peeks via, adopted by natural teas, black tea, and a faint tannic edge. End: lengthy, with varied citrus zests, whereas black tea lingers boldly within the aftertaste. Feedback: Cognac and water aren’t at all times the best pair, however this can be a actually wonderful cognac regardless.
SGP:561 – 89 factors. |
|
|
Laurichesse ‘Les Jeux de Fruits Lot 75’ (46.8%, Malternative Belgium and Maltopedia China, Grande Champagne, 528 bottles, 2024)
A intelligent play on phrases between ‘jus de fruits’ (fruit juice) and ‘jeux de fruits’ (fruit video games). Color: amber. Nostril: it’s a gradual construct, not speedy, it takes its time, beginning off charmingly fruity (peaches) after which turning into much more complicated whereas staying compact. In any case, coherent – if that is smart? So, peaches, guava, orange blossom, North African pastries, then blood oranges, hints of mango, and even a contact of agricole rum within the fashion of J.M. – I promise you. Mouth: pencils down, sermon over. Peaches, mangos, previous Bushmills, previous Littlemill, previous Lochside, previous Balblair (S., didn’t we are saying no extra malt discuss right now?). It’s as if this fruit bomb had spent a little bit of time in new American oak, although we extremely doubt it. Both means, it’s merely unbeatable, nothing to be completed however bow down. End: the identical. Recent, with liquorice within the aftertaste. Feedback: ‘Jeux de Fruits,’ certainly! A really cute cognac, on the very high. Just one flaw – you already know the whole lot from its title; no must even style it. Simply kidding.
SGP:751 – 92 factors. |
|
|
Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 73’ (48.3%, OB for WhiskyJace, Grande Champagne, 2024)
The home of J-L Pasquet continues to grace the world with its marvellous cognacs, both straight or via impartial bottlers throughout the globe who’re extremely discerning of their alternatives (finish of the advert; worth: a small glass of chilled pineau, please). Color: amber. Nostril: this one feels a contact riper than the others, leaning in the direction of overripe apple, medlar, and even some frozen service tree fruit, giving it a delicate previous Meursault vibe, which is, in fact, excessive reward. Hints of orange zest, orgeat, and almond milk observe. Mouth: much like the earlier with only a tad extra oak, which interprets into Earl Gray and chamomile. In any other case, the acquainted guava, apple, mango, liquorice, fir bud liqueur, and a drop of muscat make their look. End: slightly lengthy, a bit extra peppery, with potential hints of quinine. Orange peels and pine needles march alongside within the aftertaste. Feedback: only a tiny bit extra wooden within the aftertaste, however nonetheless a drastically wonderful cognac.
SGP:651 – 90 factors. |
|
|
Mauxion 1960/2024 (42%, OB for Ardour for Whisky, Fins Bois, 78 bottles)
A small outturn, however from a grand classic, mine. Certainly, that foolish joke everybody’s at all times doing. Color: deep gold. Nostril: meadow honey, peaches in syrup, hints of rosewood, a faint contact of beeswax polish, a whisper of beech smoke, and a few beeswax. The stability is ideal, virtually deceptively easy resulting from its flawlessness. Mouth: teas and pink peppercorns, citrus peel, peach pores and skin, adopted by fig wine, arrack, natural teas, and mullein syrup… This lot has turned ever so barely lighter, maybe lacking a little bit of kick, however the profile stays completely great. End: medium size, very a lot centered on natural teas. Verbena, raisins, hints of strawberry, with only a contact of tea and cardboard within the aftertaste. Feedback: it feels as if it’s bidding us farewell on the palate, which is slightly shifting. I feel it was captured at simply the appropriate second. Nonetheless chic, like an incredible actress in her twilight years (you already know what I imply).
SGP:541 – 89 factors. |
|
Lets attempt some actually previous ones once more? To illustrate, to have fun the method of autumn.
|
|
|
Tiffon ‘T.V.RES.’ (43.6%, Malternative Belgium for The Antelope Macau and Kanpaikai Japan, Grande Champagne, 2023)
We may attempt to guess what ‘TV RES’ stands for, however we gained’t hassle – the names Tiffon and Malternative Belgium are sufficient to go by. All proper, perhaps ‘Très Vieille Réserve’? The kind of phrase that not often means a lot however is at all times endearing. Color: glowing amber. Nostril: it comes throughout as frivolously jammy, with sultanas, mirabelle plum and damson jam, then a fragile contact of menthol and earthy tones. A little bit of pipe tobacco, damp potting soil, prunes… I’d even dare to say there’s a touch of previous Armagnac, however in fact, that’s not possible. Mouth: comparable emotions. Notes of previous wooden, tobacco, a leathery high quality, darkish chocolate, menthol, countryside black tea, and liquorice wooden… It’s lovely, very totally different from the others, and maybe fairly historical. A touch of very previous pu-ehr tea begins to emerge. End: medium in size however with a splendid earthy high quality. Chocolate, prunes, and peppermint lingering within the aftertaste. Feedback: sure, it does really feel very previous. It’s fantastically, fantastically good, in a method fairly distinct from all of the others, maybe extra basic.
SGP:562 – 90 factors. |
|
|
Mauxion ‘Lot 36’ (43.2%, OB for Ardour for Whisky, Borderies, 2024)
Effectively, right here we’re, skipping proper over the Second World Battle, and we discover ourselves within the Borderies – the ‘frontiers’. Eighty years in cask, adopted by only a few years in a demijohn to get pleasure from a well-earned paradise. I need to say, it’s at all times a shifting expertise to style cognacs that ‘may have been sipped with out a second thought in the course of the battle, but narrowly escaped that destiny’. Color: gold. Actually not darkish. Nostril: oh, how beautiful that is! Moss, ferns, mushrooms, mint, camphor, melon, overripe apples, and people eternal honeys… do you know honey is the best-preserved natural product of all? Mouth: fairly unimaginable how recent it’s after 80 years in cask. The honeys and ripe fruits are staggeringly vibrant—apples, melons, peaches in fact—adopted by earth, tobacco, verbena, mint, anise, gentian, bergamot, a contact of mead, and even, for enjoyable, a drop of Buckfast tonic wine. Actually. End: fantastically lengthy, with out the slightest trace of misplaced wooden. Roasted and caramelised pecans within the aftertaste. Feedback: astonishingly recent and exact in spite of everything these years. The successive cellar masters who oversaw this cask did a top-notch job, except it’s all right down to luck. If that’s the case, hooray for luck! Let’s not overlook the last word rule everybody’s neglected: relating to maturation, the most effective methodology is commonly ‘to do nothing in any respect’ as previous managers used to say, although that’s grow to be hardly fashionable. Lengthy dwell the passing of time!
SGP:651 – 93 factors. |
|
All of it comes down to at least one final one…
|
|
|
Vallein Tercinier 1935/2024 (47%, OB for Kirsch Import, Petite Champagne)
Now, this charming drop was transferred to demijohns in 1990, so technically talking, it spent 55 years in wooden therefore is a 55 years previous. Personally, I’d think about time in glass as effectively, by no means totally sealed (for glass containers cannot be totally sealed, except you are in some kind of vacuum chamber at a continuing temperature). Let’s say, it counts for roughly twenty % of the time in wooden, only a wild guess. So, 55 years + (34*0.20) offers us round 62 years, give or take. Open to debate, naturally. Color: amber (Baltic selection). Nostril: previous waxes, beeswax polish, a classic library with cedarwood, fir, yew, and a great deal of thuja. Orchard apples, and the inside of an previous Jag (a correct Jag, thoughts you), then we get some mint, eucalyptus, Tiger Balm, and even a whiff of previous Ardbeg – and I’m not joking (suppose early Seventies). After all, a number of raisins sneak in too. Mouth: resins, pine needles, and lots of liquorice wooden begin to take over a bit, which makes it clear why some very intelligent soul determined to maneuver this nectar into glass in 1990 – simply think about, that was earlier than Oasis even fashioned! The fruit has been fantastically preserved, leaning extra in the direction of liqueurs, candy wines, orange liqueur, and even a contact of calvados. There’s some verbena in there as effectively. End: lengthy and virtually refreshing with all that menthol, liquorice, and certainly, the verbena too. Feedback: this can be a true journey throughout a number of temporal dimensions. An impressive cognac that highlights why quick-fix flavouring with any sort of factor (no names talked about) merely doesn’t reduce it. The whisky world ought to catch on to that once more quickly sufficient.
SGP: 661 – 92 factors. |
|
Serge from cognacfun.com signing off.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
