Cognac, like other brown spirits, is shaking off its reputation as an old man’s drink. Today, US demand for the luxurious spirit is growing at a rate producers can barely keep up with. The best cognac brands have successfully caught the attention of a younger generation that is more in tune with what true luxury looks and feels like. Whilst the Bonneuil Single Estate bottlings were about terroir and vintage, these next two speak to ageing. Aged 25 years, these are still young by Cognac standards, meaning that there isn’t too much oak interaction from the barrels. This “Early Landed” edition has been aged in the UK where humidity is higher and constant, and temperature lower and constant compared to Jarnac, meaning less oxidation, less Angel Share loss and slower maturation. Nose Matching the nose, the Homage is fuller on the palate with lovely fresh orange oils, pepper spice, hints of nutmeg and a rich prune ending. Suggested Serve How have they done it? While the precise rules that dictate the production of cognac remain the same, the brands have successfully followed the zeitgeist by partnering with fashionable thought leaders such as Kim Jones and Lee Broom.

Hine Rare VSOP Cognac Hine - Waitrose Cellar

This special edition Cognac has been produced by cellar master, Eric Forget, using a blend of 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987 “Early Landed” Grande Champagne Cognacs that were matured in the UK, as well as some XO Cognac from Hine’s cellars in Jarnac. NoseOn the palate, the warming sensation of spices only serves to enhance and lift the sweet and exotic vanilla, complemented by notes of hazelnut and quince. Accents of fig tart and blonde tobacco also present themselves on the palate in a long and lingering finish. This XO may not boast a typical flavor profile for a Grande Champagne blend, but it certainly proves why this region is considered the premier cru with its complexity and depth of character. Awards Only purchasable at The Orangerie at Maison Hine in Cognac, France. Hine Antique XO Premier Cru Cognac The family believes cognac should be strong and aromatic, which is reflected in the brand’s powerful blends. Founded in 1763 by Englishman, Thomas Hine, Hine is highly regarded around the world for its refined and complex expressions, as well as the House’s impressive collection of single vintage Cognacs. Find out more about Hine Cognac and our trip to Maison Hine here Tasting Notes: Hine Cognac H by Hine VSOP Cognac

Hine | The Champagne Company Selection of Hine | The Champagne Company

Today’s master blender is not thinking about what he wants for his blend but what his successor’s successor might want. As a result, the House of Rémy Martin has been actively working to reduce its environmental impact. It is helping its winegrowers attain High Environmental Value (HEV) certification, which recognizes a holistic approach to air, water, soil and plants. Last year, it reached its goal of having 50% of land HVE-certified, two years ahead of schedule, and is aiming to have 100% certified by 2028. Since that dramatic arrival to the Château de Jarnac estate, Thomas Hine & Co has seen six generations of the Hine family succeed one another as head of the company. Yet, its greatest honour was surely bestowed in 1962, when the House of Hine was awarded a Royal Warrant by Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II. To this day Hine remains the only official supplier of Cognac to the British monarchy. The depth of flavor presented in this XO Cognac make it the ideal digestif, served with a cheese course or chocolate orange, the creamy and citrus textures flawlessly contrast the fruity, earthy and sweet notes brought by Hine's Grande Champagne blend. A real treat to try, Orangerie is only available to buy from The Orangerie shop at Maison Hine in Jarnac. Only 500 editions of this bottle have been produced, all using cognacs aged in the cellar below venue . With an average age of 18 years, it is like the Homage but without its four vintages. NoseThis is Hine’s most entry level Cognac that is blended from more than 15 Cognacs, all more than four years old. Nose These single estate and single vintage Cognacs from the Bonneuil vineyard in Grand Champagne are about producing and demonstrating Cognacs with a wine approach. Both versions we try are aged to around 19 years old and come from the same plot, meaning the only difference is the year they were harvested (so what the grapes tastes like that year). There are around 8,000 bottles released and Rudolph, who is hosting our tasting, explains the expressions need longer ageing, but are still an interesting experiment into terroir. Nose If you’re looking for something truly special, however, the spectacular Hennessy XO x Kim Jones edition will certainly make your drinks cabinet pop. The maison partnered with the Dior artistic director in early 2023 to create a capsule collection featuring two decanters, as well as a pair of sneakers. The taste is refined and elegant with dry cedar notes and a very light, white blossom honey. Suggested Serve Hine has long made an individual Cognac through a careful, traditional distillation process, complemented by rigorous grape selection and extended ageing in seasoned oak barrels. The pairing of the native ugni blanc (trebbiano) grapes, teaming with exclusive flavours produced by the chalk and limestone soil, with Hine’s two trusted crus, the Grande Champagne and the Petite Champagne, help create a particular style and distinct mode of expression.

Hine Rare VSOP Cognac | Master of Malt Hine Rare VSOP Cognac | Master of Malt

This traditional XO with a modern design is a celebration of both old and new, a new and exciting experience in the present that simultaneously pays its respects to the past. This elegant XO releases aromas of sweet vanilla, ripe green fruits with some delicate earthy tones punctuating the sweet and fruity notes, a perpetual play between fruit and oak. Again, enjoy neat, and perhaps alongside a dessert such as a rhubarb crumble or apple strudel. Price The result is an extraordinary cognac that offers a finish that can evolve on the palate for an hour. Some of these eaux-de-vie can take up to 70 years to reach their peak, so needless to say, Louis XIII has a vested interest in the future.Courvoisier is also one of the most experimental of the great Cognac houses. The house recently revealed an experimental cognac aged in rare Japanese mizunara oak casks. These exceptionally rare casks are prized among distillers for their ability to impart a particular spice to a spirit. Due to its slow growth and tendency to twist, the oak itself is in very short supply. Blending 60% Grande Champagne with 40% Petite Champagne Cognacs, aged between six and 12 years, this is a recipe first introduced by Thomas Hine himself. Nose At Kelt, they believe this influence is crucial to the liquid, which is why the brand takes its barrels on a 90-day sea journey around the world before bottling. Kelt considers this its own essential stage of maturation and means it can offer the original taste of exported cognac. The highly regarded Kelt XO Tour du Monde (Tour of the World) shows there is method in the madness. Founded in 1724, the House of Rémy Martin has an intimate relationship with one of the world’s most coveted wine-growing terroirs (a blend of climate, soil, plants and human action).

Hine Rare The Original Cognac : The Whisky Exchange

In the simplest terms, cognac is a type of brandy produced using white grapes. Like champagne, a cognac can only be described as such if it is made in the Cognac region, located in France’s southwest. The grape juice is double-distilled in copper stills to produce a young spirit called eau de vie (water of life), which is then aged in oak casks. Those casks must be either brand new (virgin casks) or previously used to age cognac. Compare this with the Scotch whisky industry, which can use casks previously used to age a variety of other spirits, like bourbon or even tequila. Neat and next to the below bottling (aged in France) of the same vintage to see the difference. Price Alike in every way to the previous Bonneuil except that the grapes were harvested in 2008 and give a snapshot of that year. Nose Blossom, peach, cinnamon, Danish pastry, Crêpes Suzette, grapes, warm prunes and melted butter flood the nose with maddening and mouth-watering occasion. Taste

The house uses grapes grown in the Grande Champagne, shunning mass-market VS (two-year) and VSOP (four-year) cognacs to focus its efforts on producing prestigious XO. Its ethos is not just to protect the heritage of cognac but to resist the general pressures of a speed-obsessed world.