Máxime Trijol VS

Máxime Trijol VS

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Máxime Trijol

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Dark gold

ABV: 40%

N: Cloves, sea salt, honey, raisins, hints of leather. 

M: Medium body, slippery, loosens slightly, mouth coating. 

T: Sweet salty. Honey, raisins, cherries, leather, white grapes, vanilla. 

F: Medium. Cloves, honey, white grapes, cherries. 

Comments:

This cognac tastes fairly young, with some saline notes on the nose, but layered over with plenty of fruit. There’s a bit of a cough mixture vibe on the tongue, and there’s plenty of spice on the finish. Simple, but enjoyable. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Hine Homage to Thomas Hine

Hine Homage to Thomas Hine 

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Hine

Style: Blend

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: Grape must, elderflower, raisins, honey, vanilla, hints of cloves. 

M: Light body, loosens, airy, slippery. 

T: Bitter. Walnuts, coffee, quinces, honey, grape must, chocolate. 

F: Medium. Chocolate, quinces, honey, hints of elderflower. 

Comments:

A lovely, simple cognac, lots of strong but complementary flavours. Fruit, chocolate and floral notes layered very nicely over each other, with some bitter nutty flavours to add complexity. I’ve always enjoyed Hine cognacs, they’re well constructed and interesting. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Michel Huard Vieux Calvados

Michel Huard Vieux Calvados

Brandy: Calvados

From: AOC Calvados

House: Michel Huard

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Dark gold, tinge of green 

ABV: 40%

N: Butterscotch, toffee, baked apples, fresh baked bread, sea salt, hints of smoke. 

M: Heavy body, thickens, mouth coating, oily. 

T: Sweet sour. Honey, toffee, baked apples, fresh baked bread, vanilla, hints of fig jam. 

F: Long. Menthol, fig jam, fresh baked bread, honey. 

Comments:

Excellent Calvados. I really enjoyed this, silky, heavy, pleasant on on the tongue, with matching complexity in terms of layers of flavour. This is almost sherried, with lots of cooked fruit and honey. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Courvoisier VS

Courvoisier VS

Brandy: Cognac 

From: ?

House: Courvoisier 

Style: Blend 

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: Prunes, honeycomb, black pepper, vanilla, hints of black tea. 

M: Light body, cool, loose, slippery. 

T: Sweet. Blackberries, black pepper, vanilla, sour cherries, honeycomb, hints of prunes. 

F: Long. Sour cherries, black pepper, coffee, hints of chocolate. 

Comments:

Entry level expression from Courvoisier. It’s rather Armagnac-ey, lots of prune notes, especially on the nose, but these then turn to sour cherries and blackberries on the tongue. Nice long bitter finish. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Hine Bonneuil 2008

 Hine Bonneuil 2008

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Hine

Style: Single distillery, single vintage 

Colour: Golden

ABV: 42.7%

N: Red grapes, grape must, raisins, honey, cloves, hints of quince.  

M: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, warm. 

T: Sweet sour. Grape must, honey, quinces, cherries, fresh baked bread, hints of cloves. 

F: Short. Cherries, honey, fresh baked bread, coffee. 

Comments: 

A single distillery, single vineyard cognac from Hine. It’s quite distinctive, lots of cough mixture cherry flavour, along with an odd feeling of under-fermented grape. It’s not unpleasant, rather it’s oddly smooth and drinkable. The strength is hardly noticeable, other than the slightly more intense flavour notes. Anyway, I’ve spent years drinking cask strength whisky, and my taste buds are rather insensitive by now. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Baron de Sigognac XO Platinum

Baron de Sigognac XO Platinum

Brandy: Armagnac

From: Bas Armagnac

House: Baron de Sigognac 

Style: Blend

Colour: Amber gold

ABV: 40%

N: Leather, prunes, tobacco leaf, vanilla ice cream, hints of farmyard. 

M: Light body, thickens slightly, tingly, warm. 

T: Sweet. Black tea, prunes, tobacco leaf, vanilla ice cream, candied oranges, hints of coffee. 

F: Short. Black tea, candied oranges, coffee, walnut skins, hints of farmyard. 

Comments:

I’ve not had too many from this negociant before, but it’s a popular house. This is a little bit of a premium version, and it’s that little bit more complex. Lots of fruit, sure, with the standard pruneaux notes, but also a lot of savoury, even slightly wild ‘smelly’ notes. Not too sweet either, always a plus in my book. 

Verdict:

I like this. 

Frapin 1270

Frapin 1270

Brandy: Cognac

From: Grande Champagne

House: Frapin

Style: Single distillery

Colour: Amber

ABV: 40%

N: Raisins, strawberries, candied oranges, black tea, hints of coffee. 

M: Medium body, cool, slippery, expands. 

T: Sweet. Strawberries, vanilla ice cream, coffee, fresh baked bread, cherries, hints of chocolate. 

F: Medium. Coffee, cherries, chocolate, vanilla ice cream. 

Comments:

This tastes like an entry-level expression from Frapin, and is certainly lighter than some of the other cognacs that I’ve tried from that house. It’s not as deep or intense, instead, it’s rather gentle, with lighter fruit notes and some bitter sweet coffee notes. Highly enjoyable nevertheless.  

Verdict:

I like this.