TASTING

The first pleasure with a glass of cognac is …watching it. Its golden colour , its viscosity , give a quick overview about age and quality.

Then comes the time to slightly breathe it. First comes the “MONTANT” , made of the lightest fragrances.

After a few minutes, the Cognac will open to reveal its full “BOUQUET” :
Floral / fruity: young Cognac (less than 10 y.o.)
Soft spices with fruity hints: 15 + y.o.
Cedar, leather for a 30 + y.o.

Then it is time to taste it, gently, with a few drops on top of the tongue. Let them flow and fill the palate. Feel the sensation and the way they are rolling, the sweet and bitter taste of the alcohol. After swallowing it, feel its length, its persistence on your palate.

Usually, a GRANDE CHAMPAGNE Cognac reaches its peak at around 60 years of age. When there is just a small volume left, it is removed from the barrels and poured into glass jars (dame-jeanne) where the ageing process is stopped.


There are 4 FAMILIES OF AROMAS in the Cognac:

 Floral: lime tree, vine flower, dry rose, violet, hyacinth, jasmine...
 Fruity: pear, raspberry, apricot, dry prune, walnut, fig, lemon, coconut, banana...
 Spicy: curry, saffron, vanilla, honey, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, black pepper...
 Woody: oak, cedar, sandalwood, eucalyptus...

Others: butter, cocoa, roasted coffee, leather, tobacco, oak, fresh pâtisserie, cedar tree…+ all the smells and scents one keeps deep inside from their own olfactory experience.