VSOP/Similar Cognac
While the lower-priced VS category accounts for the lion’s share of global Cognac volumes, the entry point to quality Cognac for most people remains VSOP, encompassing Cognacs aged for at least four years, and often far longer. Beyond the classification, some producers are now preferring to focus instead on provenance – in terms of sub-region or vineyard.
Most Cognac is created via the art/science of blending, but this is one of a new generation of products focused on provenance and character. It undergoes a double maturation on the Ile de Ré – an Atlantic island just off the coast at La Rochelle – which is far from Cognac’s heartland, but the idiosyncratic conditions make for a distinctive style with a marked maritime streak.
Serving Suggestions: Perfectly mixable and adds a point of difference to a sidecar or sazerac, but this is an intriguingly characterful Cognac that’s worth tasting neat to appreciate all of its nuances.
Tasting Notes
In contrast with the finesse of a Grande Champagne Cognac, this is all about mellow roundness, with yellow plum and hazelnut brittle. The pleasingly supple toffee character is undercut by a marked maritime salinity, which helps to elevate the softness into something more intriguing.
