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David on Technical Topics – How to Taste Cognac

Posted in Brandy Education, Learning about Brandy and tagged

The brandy balloon glass is certainly an attractive and traditional way to drink cognac and it is probably the image we most associate with it. However, it is far from ideal because the surface area of the cognac in the glass is too large thereby allowing too much spirit to escape from the drink.  This spirit remains in the glass and blinds the aroma of the cognac. The best glass to use is a smallish tulip shaped one.  It should be filled to about a third full and then rotated gently so that the cognac comes into contact with the sides.  One should never swirl the cognac as this releases the spirit and blinds the aroma. The aroma is important because 50% of the enjoyment is in the smell of the drink perceived in the tasting.  Allow the cognac to stand for a while before bringing it gently to the nose. Try and recognise the different smells in the glass. They may be sweet or dry, fruity or nutty, they may be vibrantly fresh or like hay in a field, there are thousands of different aromas which can be identified on the cognac tasting wheel, a copy of which can be supplied next time you place an order with Brandyclassics.

Before tasting wash the mouth with water to clean away previous flavours, take a reasonably sized mouthful of the cognac and hold it in the mouth.  Try and identify where in the mouth you get the flavours and the effects it has in each part. Strong cognacs will often be felt on the front of the tongue whilst those at 40% are more likely to be felt all over the mouth. Compare the flavours and see if the taste matches the aroma.  Lastly, if you are comparing it with another spit it out and wash again.

The Complex Aroma of Cognac

Posted / in Learning about Brandy, News and tagged

The aroma of luxury cognac is, without doubt, part of its appeal but why is it so significant? Scientists from the Technische Universitat Munchen and the German Research Centre for Food Chemistry have found that food smells have 230 key aromas (or odourants).  The molecules that make up the odour of specific food stuffs comprise a group of between 3 and 40 odourants and it is the combination of these that mean we can instantly recognize a foodstuff by its smell before we see or taste it. The smell of butter, for instance, is created by 3 key molecules, strawberries have 12 but cognac has 36 different key odour molecules categorising it as the most complex of all foodstuffs.  This is important because the chemical codes of these odours are translated by the olfactory receptors in the nose, of which only 42 respond to food odours.  Since our senses of smell and taste are intertwined, the likelihood of us purchasing a product we can smell, which has complex aromas, is therefore greatly increased.  We can’t yet smell products advertised online but this research goes some way to explaining why aroma is so important when choosing different cognacs.

Try the theory out for yourself – our Hermitage 30 Year Old has a wonderful aroma of molasses, bitter chocolate, cardamom spice and ripe cherries whilst the Hermitage 43 Year Old has fresh straw, mangosteen, kumquats, grapefruit peel, thyme, almonds and a host of other wonderful smells  – how many can you recognise?

The Cognac Process – Part 11. 100 Years of Market Growth

Posted / in The Cognac Process and tagged

The Phylloxera outbreak in 1872 was, in hindsight, the best thing which could have happened to the growers and viniculturists in the Charente. Instead of just producing cognacs for blending, they had to start thinking about what their customers wanted.  At the turn of the 20th century the plague had left many of the growers in a desperate state.  Some of the more financially better off and larger merchants were therefore able to buy land at knock down prices; around one tenth of 19th century values.  Cheap land meant that the vineyards could be replanted with the specially imported American root stock that was Phylloxera resistant.  As a consequence, the quality of the wines produced improved.  Things started to look rosy for the growers but after the First World War, prohibition in the United States slowed everything down again. In 1922, as the decline continued, Martell and Hennessy formed a pact, taking shares in each others firms and effectively carved up the world’s major markets between them.

During the First World War, Hennessy and a well-known grower, Pierre Verneuil, worked together to form what is today cognac’s governing body, the Bureau National Interproffessionel du Cognac (BNIC).  The regulations that the BNIC now bring to the cognac industry protect the distillers and help produce quality cognac.

L’Esprit de Tiffon

Posted in Brandy Bottle Reviews, The Bottle Story and tagged

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 the wealthy.  All decanters were sold, for undisclosed sums, before the launch.  Unsurprising maybe but surely Tiffon would have benefitted from giving such a statement piece broader geographical exposure?

The Charente Scene – Autumn 2014

Posted / in News and tagged

A Flood of Cognac

It seems somewhat crazy that this time last year we were expecting cognac price increases to be as high as in previous years but, in actual fact, the price has held steady and may even drop. Suddenly we have an excess of very young, good cognac and distillers are seeking to find customers for unsold stocks.  So why has this dramatic change occurred? Well it is all to do with the big houses not needing to buy so much eaux de vie for their blends.  The vast Chinese markets have reduced considerably the quantity of top quality cognac they purchase. This is a direct result of austerity and anti-corruption measures introduced by the Chinese authorities. Luxury cognacs have always been seen as ideal gifts in China and the more expensive they are the better.  In the past, those presenting them have been more able to convince their bosses and business associates to continue with their services. It seems that the authorities seek transparency in the ways of doing business in China. Can’t argue with that!

 

Expensive Drinks Remain Popular….and some people have money to burn!

Posted / in News and tagged

Even in these times of austerity there is still money to be found for expensive tastes in alcohol.  Well, that is certainly how it would appear reading the recent news columns.  According to a Onepoll survey, the average Britain spends £49,581 on alcohol during their adult lifetime and those with really expensive tastes manage to rack their average bill up to a whopping £167,000.  Perhaps they are the customers who frequent Gigi’s restaurant in Mayfair where a cocktail, created in honour of the James Bond actress Grace Jones, retails for £9,000?  Made from 1990 vintage Champagne and 1888 vintage Armagnac, it claims to be the world’s most expensive cocktail.  A believable statement given that the bill would burn a hole in most peoples’ pockets – except that is, Paris Hilton’s.  Last week in New York the heiress to the Hilton hotel empire managed to spend £140,000 at the bar in one night – some people still know how to party!

We have some wonderful vintage armagnacs on our shelves and even though they are cheaper than a Grace Jones, we wouldn’t waste any one of them in a cocktail!

 

The World’s Most Expensive Hot Dog

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More than 1000 people have paid $100 for a ‘Dragon Dog’, the world’s most expensive hot dog.  At the Vancouver restaurant ‘Dougie Dog’, the bratwurst is served soaked in $2000-a-bottle cognac, fried in truffle oil and topped with Kobe beef and fresh lobster.  The idea behind the 12″ hot dog was to provide “something super tasty but also high-end” and customers who have been tempted have all absolutely loved it.  Hot dogs are normally classed as Fast Food –  quick and cheap – but this one can profess to be neither.  It must be ordered 12 hours in advance and with no change out of a $100 bill its consumption would take a bit of planning – but at least then you could order a take away and choose somewhere truly delicious to eat it!

Not sure that we would pour our $2000 cognac, Hermitage 1903 Ambleville over a hot dog, it’s much too precious and tasty for that!

 

The End of Counterfeit Spirits?

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According to market analysts, 25% of European spirits imports in some Asian countries  are counterfeit. The refilling of empty high-end bottles is now the gold standard for counterfeiters, especially in China.  So, it is particularly good news to see the launch of ‘Capseal’, a device which prevents bottles from being refilled fraudulently.  A chip is connected to an antenna which is inserted on the neck of the bottle, just above the cork. When the cap is removed, the tag is mechanically deactivated.  By using a smartphone or NFC device to scan the chip embedded in the tag, anyone can easily verify the authenticity of the bottle, confirming that it has not been previously opened. This technological breakthrough provides the wine and spirits industry with a unique and secure solution to solve counterfeiting and refilling problems.  It is compliant with existing bottle caps allowing producers to incorporate it easily into current production systems. Let’s hope that this most effective anti-counterfeiting solution is welcomed by the industry so that confidence in brand quality can be restored in the Asian market.  Provenance is key to the selling of luxury cognac which is why our latest range is called exactly that – Hermitage Provenance Cognacs.

Hermitage Provenance Cognacs Win Masters Medals

Posted in News, News from the Brandy Houses and tagged

We are delighted to announce that three of our new Hermitage Provenance range of single estate cognacs, produced for the Asian market, have won medals at the 2014 Cognac Masters Awards.

The Hermitage Provenance Grand Champagne 10 year old, Grand Champagne 25 year old and Petite Champagne 30 year old were all awarded Masters Medals. This exciting array of awards proves that it is not just us that think our cognacs are the best, the judges were obviously bowled over too!

Yet another accolade for our exceptional Hermitage Cognac Range – single estate, luxury, vintage cognacs with age statements – surely the most decorated cognac house in existence today.

David on Technical Topics – Keeping Cognac

Posted / in Brandy Education and tagged

We are often asked how long you can keep a bottle of cognac once it has been opened and the answer is for quite a long time – provided the bottle is stored upright and the cork replaced firmly every time you take some out.  Cognacs deteriorate in the bottle over time for many reasons, the most common being that the bottle has been stored lying down.  Strong spirit affects the cork to a far greater extent than wine does stored in the same position; this action compromises the flavour and allows air into the bottle.  The more air there is in the bottle, the faster the cognac will deteriorate, however, cognac’s minimum strength is 40% abv so, providing that the cork or stopper is replaced firmly, there is no reason why it should not last up to ten years or even more.

Of course there is a limit as to how long you can store any spirit in a bottle, even unopened, and so much depends on the quality of the seal and the condition of the cork. Ultimately, even with the bottle in an upright position the seal around the cork will fail, air will enter the bottle and the alcohol will escape rendering the cognac with a completely unacceptable flavour.  This often happens with some very old cognacs from previous centuries and so the level of cognac in the bottle is important. We believe that cognac corks should be changed every twenty years but there are some in Cognac who recommend changing them every ten.  Perhaps the safest option is to drink and enjoy it!