Time for some more cognac. Two of them are independent releases, one is a producer venturing into single cask cognac for the first time themselves.
We start with Le Déménageur, the mover. The name comes from the fact that Malternative Belgium is moving to a new location. This allows them to strengthen logistics, host larger tastings, etc. The spirit comes from an undisclosed house in the Verrières region.
Cognac ‘Le Déménageur’ Lot 66 – Grande Champagne (46,4%, Malternative Belgium 2024, 234 btl.)
Nose: a nice jammy fruitiness (stewed apricots, ripe mango) with round honey and hints of cinnamon pastry. Then also the (pepper)minty side that we also found in the Lot 68 from Verrières. Light resin, Woolong tea and tobacco. Really good.
Mouth: oh yeah. Tropical fruits, now also with pineapple, pink grapefruit and passion fruits. Mango sweets, dried papaya cubes. The full monty, enriched by generous honey, with some fruit jams and syrup. Then light tobacco, which fades into menthol and eucalyptus, with candied ginger and rose pepper on the side.
Finish: long and elegant, with herbal freshness, liquorice and fruity sweetness underneath.
Another excellent bottling from Verrières. In terms of roundness and tropical fruitiness, this is hard to beat. Highly drinkable. Available from today, check Malternative Belgium.
We continue with the latest cognac release from The Roots. This was selected from the stocks of Famille Cabanne, through the Belgian importer The Purist. Other reviewers mention 44.2% but my sample says 44.7% ABV.
Famille Cabanne Lot 50 – Petite Champagne (44,7%, The Roots 2023, 100 btl.)
Nose: stewed fruits and honey, in a very round and warm style. Apricots, hints of mango and bananas. Aromatic wood (cigar box) along with hints of eucalyptus and mint. Then light varnished notes and a whiff of leather.
Mouth: some mint and menthol, with tobacco leaves and herbal tea. The oak is bigger than the fruits. Sweet figs and heady bergamot, lacking a bit of weight in the middle. A light grassy / autumnal side appears in the end, along with aniseed and hints of liquorice.
Finish: medium, on minty notes, hints of apricot, tobacco and orange peels.
Bright and entertaining nose, wih a nice aromatic width. On the palate you start to feel the herbal and autumnal signs of high age. Sold out, as far as I can tell. Score: 89/100
Next up: Cognac Godet‘s first foray into single cask cognac. Few people realize that Cognac Godet is one of the oldest houses in the region (with only Cognac Augier preceding it). It was founded in 1588 in La Rochelle by Dutch merchant Bonaventure Godet. They present a Vintage 1999 from Petite Champagne.
Cognac Godet 24 yo 1999 – Petite Champagne (47,1%, OB 2024, cask FB1124)
Nose: slightly more oak-driven, with vanilla, some varnish and lots of minty notes, as well as some aromatic pepper. Fine orange, tangerine and peaches. Acacia honey and some meadow flowers. Slightly thin and high-pitched, but this also makes it very elegant.
Mouth: yes, quite a bit of wood influence here. A lot of ginger, peppermint and verbena. Then more citrus fruits, as well as sweet apricot jam and herbal honey in the background. Lightly prickly, with fine tannins underneath.
Finish: medium, with liquorice and nutmeg, as well as some sweeter cinnamon.
Quite nice, with floral notes and bright fruits. The woody side is a tad loud though, Score: 88/100
We end this session with the most recent Grape of the Art release, selected from the house of Cognac Tiffon (part of Braastad).
Cognac Tiffon Lot 90 – Petite Champagne (47,8%, Grape of the Art 2024, 222 btl.)
Nose: lots of varnished notes, even a hint of glue. Then bright fruits like bergamots, apricots and tangerines, mixed with white blossoms. Hints of sandalwood, mint and banana skin. Nutmeg and cinnamon, as well as some earthy and mossy notes.
Mouth: quite spicy and woody now, with a mild bitter edge, pepper and ginger. More cedar wood with orange peels, grapefruits, liquorice and some green fruits. Less fruity than expected, with a serious resinous side. Some grassy notes and orange marmalade towards the end.
Finish: quite long and dry, with this herbal / resinous side, liquorice and wood spice.
Great nose, too bad the palate isn’t on the same height, in my opinion. Interesting choice as long as you’re not expecting any exuberant fruits. Check Grape of the Art for more information. Score: 88/100