The news of a slowdown in cognac sales in the valuable Chinese markets has originated mainly from the big houses.  More than any other they have seen a substantial slowdown in the sales of younger spirits which have, in many ways, been over exploited with fancy and attractive presentations.  After all, there is a limit to what you can say about a VSOP regardless of how it is packaged and the Chinese seem to have seen it all. It would appear to the smaller, but higher quality firms, that there is VSOP fatigue and XO malaise hanging over the Charente,… Read more

Suntory Holdings Limited, based in Osaka, and US based Beam Inc. have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Suntory will acquire all shares of Beam in a deal worth $16bn.  The acquisition, which will bring together Beam’s Courvoisier Cognac with Suntory’s Louis Royer Cognac, amongst other famous brands, is expected to make it the third largest supplier of premium spirits in the world, with a stated aim of becoming the global leader in distilled spirits.  Wasting no time on its expansion plans, it is reported that Suntory have subsequently made a bid to buy Whyte & Mackay whisky… Read more

Hermitage Cognac is found in many countries including the Middle East and Russia but this year Thailand has taken its first full container shipment of our second brand, Siécle d’Or, 10 and 20 year old cognacs. The 6000 bottle shipment is available at all of the Thai Duty Free shops and outlets and we are expecting a further order from them later this year. Demand for our Hermitage and Siécle d’Or Cognacs, with age statements, continues to grow as customers seek greater levels of individuality so, for the first time in the company’s history, we will be exhibiting at VINEXPO… Read more

There is a very definite correlation between the Chivas Brothers’ view of producing a great spirit and our own.  Three or four years ago the whisky producers launched the ‘Age Matters’ campaign which challenged consumers to ‘Look for the number.  Know the age.  Know whisky.’  The campaign was based on research conducted worldwide which found that over 90% of consumers believe that age is an important indicator of quality and 89% stated that they actively look for an age statement when buying. ‘Numbers on Bottles’, as an ethos, was pioneered by Hermitage Cognacs in the late 1990s.  We wholeheartedly agree… Read more

Longer days and lazy evenings are what we are all looking forward to now that British Summer Time has begun. This time of year also marks the end of the cognac distillation process for last summer’s harvest – strict regulations dictate that it must be completed by 31 March – and so, the ageing process for the 2014 vintage has already begun. The longer it is left in oak barrels the finer it will be, which is why our very old vintages are particularly special. Hermitage Reaux 1954 was distilled 60 years ago and just oozes rich, dark chocolatey flavours… 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.

The prosperity from the trade with Britain in the late 1800s was sadly doomed as production rose even faster than consumption. Thousands of acres were planted with vines to supply the anticipated surge in sales.  This threatened overproduction was however, overtaken by an even worse disaster. In the early 1870s the infamous louse, Phylloxera Vastatrix, arrived in the Charente and by the end of the decade it had spread to the whole of the region. The plague ended the 100 years of independence by the growers and their stocks grew even more valuable as the devastation spread. The growers tried… Read more

There have been significant changes at Remy Martin over the past month.  First, it was announced that their Cellar Master, of 10 years, is to be replaced in the spring and then, last week, their newly appointed CEO resigned after only 3 months in post.  Although his resignation came as a surprise, it coincided with some poor company results.  Stock levels have dropped by 23% since he took over in October and operating profit is expected to be down by 20% at the end of the fiscal year.  These personality changes suggest that all is not well at Remy. It… Read more

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has welcomed the latest survey of UK drinking trends by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which shows an increasing number of people drinking responsibly. Reduction in the frequency of drinking enables customers to be more discerning in their choices and look towards the luxurious end of the drinks market.  Brandyclassics has always positioned itself at the top end of this market as our customers seek exceptional quality and individuality from our cognacs and other brandies.  Our own house, Hermitage, was in fact borne out of the need to supply a range of exquisite… Read more

Never has the weather in an area been more important than it is in the Charente and once again the unexpected has happened with temperatures in the high teens. Indeed growth has already started to show on many of the vines before all of them have been cut back. One surprised cognac merchant reported seeing butterflies in his garden! Of course a cold spell is hoped for as this often kills off the bugs before they can do any damage. The official figure from the BNIC for cognac production last year is 13hl/hectare of pure spirit but most producers appear… Read more