Category: Brandy Bottle Reviews

Cognac has long been the most traditional of spirits and so has its packaging.  It is the white spirits, such as gin and vodka, which have embraced more contemporary marketing through their advertisements, bottle shapes and labelling.  That is, until now.   Returning to their Norwegian roots, Braastad recently commissioned Snøhetta and Magne Furuholmen to design a new bottle and label for their latest cognac presentation.  Named simply Contemporary XO the sleek lines of the bottle and funky lettering epitomise minimalist Scandinavian style.  So will this original style appeal to the traditional cognac lover?  Only time will tell but one thing… Read more

We are very excited about the addition of three, new, luxury Grande Champagne Cognacs to our Hermitage collection.  Our best-selling Hermitage 2000 has now sold out but any one of these new arrivals would be a perfect alternative.  Hermitage 2005 is very similar in style with its mocha, toffee and spice flavours and is remarkable for a cognac of its age.  Already a Masters winner at the recent Cognac Masters Awards, Hermitage Provenance 10 is “really expressive”, according to the judges, and will surely have everyone coming back for more.  And Hermitage 20 Year Old is a gorgeous, deep golden… Read more

About six years ago we decided to sell a late vintage cognac.  From our Chez Richon cellars we chose a 2000 vintage which had around 6000 bottles available.  The cognac epitomised our style of powerful flavours, which tend to be on the side of mocha and roasted walnuts but with some good staying power on the palate.  Hermitage Cognac 2000 was an immediate success.  Our customers loved it, partly for its rich qualities and distinctive flavours and partly because it demonstrated that good cognacs don’t have to be expensive. Little did we know then just how well this wonderful nectar would… Read more

Last year we were delighted to announce the success of our Hermitage Provenance Cognacs winning Gold medals at The Cognac Masters – a blind tasting competition with an independent panel of expert judges – but our latest news is even better!  Just before Christmas we were thrilled to be announced as The Spirits Business Cognac Grand Master.  A real accolade, designed to emphasise excellence in the spirits industry, it confirmed Hermitage Cognacs as the best cognac house in the entire competition. Click here to view the entire range and judge for yourself.

Only 150 crystal decanters of L’Esprit de Tiffon have been made using cognacs from the private cellar of Sverre Braastad (1879-1979).  He took over management of the Tiffon Cognac house after marrying the producer’s daughter, Edith Rousseau, in 1913.  L’Esprit de Tiffon is unique because it has been blended entirely from pre-phylloxera cognacs with the oldest dating back to 1805. The flavour is also unique because the grape variety used in the pre-phylloxera era was mainly Folle and Brastaad’s cognacs were from the Fins Bois cru.  L’Esprit de Tiffon was created specifically for a Polish company specialising in gifts for… Read more

Launched recently at VINEXPO 2014 in Hong Kong, our new Hermitage Provenance Cognac range was designed specifically for the Asian market.  All have age statements and bear the hallmarks of luxury, single estate cognacs.  The range currently comprises 6 and 10 year old in our trademark ‘Exception’ bottle,  20 year old in the ‘Helios’ carafe and 25 and 30 year old (pictured) in our new ‘Eden’ carafe.  Following extensive research, the range was launched in a new style of packaging, featuring  the iconic Charantais still, which encompasses the Asian desire for recognisable and regal presentation boxes.

A secret hotel cellar in Worcestershire has been discovered, revealing amongst other treasures, two bottles of Hine 1914 Cognac.  A wonderful find, you might think, in 2014 the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of The Great War.  Due to be auctioned shortly, they have been valued at £3000 each which is surely a little optimistic.  WW1 Cognacs are, of course, great vintages to have but there are still a few alternatives available.  Our own Hermitage 1914 Borderies Cognac is very special indeed with an incredible spectrum of flavours from toffee to walnuts and provides excellent value for money.  Referred to… Read more

TV Presenter and journalist, Olly Smith,  tastes plenty of cognacs in the course of his work and last month he recommended our Hermitage 1999 Cognac as “The Daddy of gifts – as complex and satisfying as a Dickens novel.”  He also had some other gift ideas too – “…why not hunt a bottle from his birth year from a top quality range at Brandyclassics which presents bottles in impressive boxes?” http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/home/event/article-2649801/OLLY-SMITH-Choose-Daddys-sauce-The-old-man-wants-one-thing-Fathers-Day-not-pair-socks.htm

In a recent list of the Ten Most Expensive Spirits, this bottle of Henry IV Dudognon Heritage Cognac Grande Champagne came second, retailing at a cool £1.2 million. Although the cognac is 100 years old most of the value is in the bottle.  Made from 24 carat gold and sterling platinum, scattered with 6,500 diamonds, the bottle weighs in at a mere 8kg.  You might expect such an extravagant piece to be unique but amazingly that is not the case.  Sitting at number one in the same list is a bottle of Tequila worth £2.1 million. Made from white gold, platinum and… Read more

We are very excited about our latest addition to the Hermitage range.  New on our shelves this year is the Hermitage 1974 Chez Richon Cognac.  Coming from Chez Richon, which is in the very heart of Grande Champagne near Segonzac, this cognac is typical of the area and exudes the qualities associated with the region.  Distilled 40 years ago, it has been aged in oak barrels for 38 years and has bags of nutty flavours and a long citrus tail.  This exceptional vintage is in short supply, so enjoy it while you can.