Bonbonne of 1889 Cognac Sells for £68K

A very exciting Christmas present for someone perhaps?  This 8 litre bonbonne of Hermitage 1889 Paradis Cognac was sold last week, the asking price was £68,300.  A one-off presentation of this superb 1889 cognac is a very rare offering by Hermitage Cognacs and was snapped up at Hedonism Wines in Mayfair.

It was distilled in the late nineteenth century (1889) when Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) in Paris opened with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch.  At 300m high it retained the record for the tallest man-made structure for 41 years.

The cognac comes from the southeast part of the region, now known as Grande Champagne, around the charming little village of Bouteville.  It was made on a small wood fired still and is a glorious example of some of the finest Premier Cru craftmanship of the era, when the understanding of cognac production methods was at its best.  Aged for more than 70 years in oak casks, which has optimized its key qualities of balance and rancio, this cognac is completely natural, with no reduction.  Such a long time in wood has produced an even distribution of flavours including cocoa, walnut kernels and coffee with a final and delicious long rancio, the much favoured richness, so highly desirable in these fine old cognacs.