Fanny Fougerat Petite Cigue

Fanny Fougerat Petite Cigue

Brandy: Cognac
From: Borderies / Fin Bois
House: Fanny Fougerat
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Pale gold
ABV: 40%

N: Sea salt, pears, lemon zest, miso, sulphur, hints of apples.

M: Light body, airy, loose, astringent.

T: Sour salty. White grapes, pears, woodsmoke, oolong tea, apples, miso, hints of sulphur.

F: Short. Pears, orange peel, lemon zest, sea salt, oolong tea.

Comments:

Fanny Fougerat is a new-ish house, run by the eponymous fourth-generation distiller who is the only woman currently making cognac. That seems... unfortunate, and there should be a more diverse group of people involved in making spirits; quality goes up along with diversity, in my experience.

Spirit from the Borderies or Fin Bois tend to go into the blends created by the larger houses, so something that is one or both is unusual. This VSOP expression is young, without the deep, rich fruit, leather and tobacco notes in older brandies. Instead there's white fruit, savoury miso, and something sulphurous, though not unpleasant. There's plenty of tannic savouriness in the finish as well.

Verdict:

I like this.

Vecchia Romagna 25yo Riserva

Vecchia Romagna 25yo Riserva

Brandy: Stravecchio
From: Emilia Romagna
House: Vecchia Romagna
Style: Single distillery
Colour: Oolong tea
ABV: 40%

N: Raisins, red grapes, dark chocolate, orange zest, vanilla, pear drops, hints of rose.

M: Medium body, slippery, tingly, warm.

T: Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, orange zest, oolong tea, hints of coffee, hints of leather.

F: Long. Orange zest, butterscotch, leather, oolong tea, coffee.

Comments:

Oddly, for a country with a long and storied brandy making tradition, Italy does not seem to have an accepted term for grape brandy. Pomace brandy, is, of course, grappa, but brandy distilled from grape wine within the borders of Italy seems to be known by the brand of the producer. However, there are a couple of sources that seem to use 'stravecchio' as a term for grape brandy, so that's what I shall use. It's also a brand of brandy, Stravecchio Branca, made by the famous Fratelli Branca distillers, who also make Fernet Branca.

This stravecchio brandy comes from Emilia Romagna, from a winery that makes its spirit Cognac-style, aging it in French oak. The result of 25 years in wood is stunning. The spirit itself is robust, and stands up to all that aging, with notes of orange, tea, and coffee, over a subtle hint of leather. It's rather in the style of aged whiskies that I, a brandy novice, find familiar, comforting and enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.