Malternative Belgium releases two new cognacs today. Both were sourced from François Voyer, a house they’ve been working with for about five years now. In fact every year on July 21st (the Belgian national holiday) they bottle an exceptional dame jeanne to honour this cooperation.
With great success, I must add. This time there is a Lot 79 but also a Lot 19.14, distilled a few months after the Great War started.
Cognac François Voyer Lot 19.14 – Grande Champagne ‘La Gardienne’ (44,9%, Malternative Belgium 2025, 42 btl.)
Nose: a very luxurious fruitiness. Juicy apricots, stewed plums, raisins and figs, along with a few drops of old Sauternes or old fruit liqueur. Hints of marzipan, candied orange peel and honeysuckle, as well as some beeswax and mild tobacco. Really jammy. Then some light cedar and subtle rancio. Quite superb.
Mouth: slightly nervous, now mixing juicy fruits with some elegant tannins and beautiful minty notes. Pears, peaches, some wildflower honey. Bergamot or succade too. Then bits of tobacco, lots of old rancio and some black tea and a mild peppery edge. Then back to fruit compote again, back and forth. It moves towards metholated notes and drying leather in the end.
Finish: not too long and a tad more rustic, but never too dry either. Orange marmalade, drops of bitters, subtle leather and bright citrus notes.
Quite extraordinary, given the age. Of course there’s wood on the palate, but overall it’s fresh and exciting. An important piece of history, no doubt, and being able to bottle this is quite an achievement. Available from Malternative Belgium.
Cognac François Voyer Lot 79 – Grande Champagne ‘Le Baladeur’ (50,4%, Malternative Belgium 2025, 291 btl.)
Nose: after the 19.14 certainly more honey richness and beehive vibes. Quinces, nectarines, papaya and mango. Red and yellow currants in the background. Then some cinnamon and blonde tobacco, along with dried flower petals and aromatic leather. A few drops of old gewürztraminer. Very expressive and right up my alley.
Mouth: tropical fruit bomb, nicely oily and very expressive again. More mango and oranges but also pineapple and nice hints of maracuya. Maybe some lychee. Very succulent, it’s all about fruit juice. Then mid-palate some pepper and cedar appear, getting a tad more rustic again. Some natural vanilla and subtle hints of jasmine tea.
Finish: long, on herbal (mint) tea and leather, as well as a few raisins and dried slices of mango.
Happy dance! The combination of vibrance and tropical fruits is very hard to resist. This time you don’t need to spend more to get the best bottle. Available from Malternative Belgium. Score: 93/100