Cognac XO 20 years Vom Fass vs Cognac Lot 65 Vallein Tercinier
Much delayed post, due to work and national service obligations. This one is on Cognac, a very rare occurrence on my blog. Simple reason – whisky is avoided by some as an old man’s drink, but to me it’s Cognac, because grandpa bought Cognac. And also the widely available mass market brands I’ve tried tastes more or less the same to me. Distilled wine, pruney fruit and strong oak, that is until I tried the Vallein Tercinier Lot 65 on recommendation. I now believe there are real wonders waiting to be discovered.
Cognac XO 20 years Vom Fass 40%
Nothing else is known. Grande Champagne? Petite Champagne? Borderies? Fin Bois? Unknown. Incidentally, the minimum age of a Cognac to be labelled as an CO is 6 years (?!) so 20 is generous no? Available on tap at Vom Fass.
Nose: Deep dry woodiness like old pine and cedar panels, cracking leather and resin, butter pastry browning in the oven. Scraped tree bark, caramelising sugar whole cinnamon sticks. Lots of dry tobacco leaves, this must be why cognac pairs with cigars so well. Quite an inspired bouquet but somewhat shallow next to the cornucopia that is the Lot 65. Feels like the quality of limousin oak was high.
Palate: Not flat at all despite my trepidation. In fact quite raisiny and woody-toffee sweet, more of these dried rich fruit appear on the palate, more than was in its nose, fruit and wood vague sweet baked dessert.. rather simple
Finish: Not the longest either, but empty prune boxes and humidors.
Cognac Lot 65 Vallein Tercinier 47%
This one says Grande Champagne, some would say the best region for Cognac, but again it would depend on what you want out of your Cognac. Also ‘Brut de Fut’- direct from the barrel and ‘Tres Vieux’ – Very old. Indeed it is old, the ‘Lot 65’ is an established unofficial designation for Cognac likely distilled in 1965 but not aged in a place where a vintage may be specified.
Nose: So I can’t say I know cognacs well, but this is unlike any big brand cognacs I have tasted. Such a spectrum of contrasting flavour. It’s sharp and quite bold with ascorbic fruit, yet also earthy and compost-y, it’s got very fine dark chocolate, and dry tobacco leaves in a cedar box. In fact it’s also got a profound dry oak, as opposed to sappy plankish oak juice so common with whisky now, but at the same time it is also deeply fruity, not quite Irish but there’s quite some fruit basket in here. I like this exceedingly.
Palate: Yes quite quite bold despite the 46%. The alcohol, the sweet-sour sting of citrus juice, oak and cedar, dry tobacco notes come all at once, then resolves to earthier darker tones – also more leather, more wood, furniture cream. Turns into a bitter leafy thing before the finish, tannins I think.
Finish: Not the longest, but full of (good) woody tones and unlit tobacco and leather. There’s really quite a lot of wood here and I don’t mind it – surprisingly.
Personally, I liked this so much, I finished the while bottle in less than 2 months open, quicker than any other whisky I have opened.
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