We’re going to France again, going over some cognac samples that reached us in the past few weeks. This session includes Jean-Luc Pasquet and Vallein Tercinier (both from the Awakening series), François Peyrot and an assemblage from the Decadent Drams series.
Cognac Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 86’ – Grande Champagne (45,3%, OB for Kirsch Import ‘Awakening series’ 2025)
Nose: a juicy core on mirabelles, stewed apricots and plums. Vibrant overtones of orange blossom, jasmine and spearmint. Then hints of citrons and honeysuckle. Underneath there’s an earthy hint of liquorice and cinnamon dusting.
Mouth: firmer than I expected. A spiciness sets in right away, say cloves and nutmeg and ginger. The earthy notes are back as well: wood bark and tobacco leaves, along with some woody tannins. Slowly coming back to orange peels, plums and raisins. Drying green tea and leather in the end, with subtle herbal extract.
Finish: long, minty and leafy, with more hints of tea, cigar boxes and a firm leathery dryness.
Lovely start, with a very elegant and balanced mix of fruits and spices. High quality but on the palate it becomes a tad too leathery for my taste.
Cognac Vallein Tercinier ‘Lot 78’ – Grande Champagne (48,4%, OB for Kirsch Import ‘Awakening series’ 2025, 156 btl.)
Nose: ripe orchard fruits again, like apricots and fragrant nectarines, along with some tarte tatin and orange syrup. Subtle hints of rose petals and floral honey. More blossomy after a while. Subtle vanilla and cinnamon in the background.
Mouth: fruity sweetness, with more peaches and orange zests, along with eucalyptus and minty freshness. Then it moves towards tobacco and herbal tea, increasing the dryness a little but staying vibrant. Aniseed, a little mint tea, hints of lemon peels and beautiful rancio.
Finish: long, with a return of the floral honey, while the herbal theme develops further.
Overall a step higher in my opinion. Rounder, more elegant, although there’s still a dose of wood to take into account. Score: 90/100
Cognac François Peyrot ‘Héritage Lot 62’ – Grande Champagne (44,5%, OB for Passion for Whisky 2025, cask #147, 120 btl.)
Nose: elegant, with honey sweetness, stewed apricots, honeysuckle and plums. but also a subtle fruity acidity. Then drops of pear juice and a floral note. In the background there is a nice hint of damp soil and a whiff of petrol. A richer, sweeter style but very balanced.
Mouth: a rather big sweetness defines this one. Raisins and more stewed apricots, some caramelized notes even (maple syrup), with drops of vanilla syrup and a hint of lychee on syrup. After the previous two this is really jammy. Gentle oak spice, candied ginger and light hints of mint make it a big fresher.
Finish: quite long, still a bit syrupy with some mint.
We already knew François Peyrot for its richer, sweeter style (check their Lot 61 for instance). Within this profile, this finds a really good balance. Out of stock, I believe. Score: 89/100
The next one is a Fine Champagne – a mix of Petite and Grande Champagne. The youngest components hail from the late 1980s and the oldest go back to the 1970s and early 1960s. This small-batch assemblage is bottled at marrying strength.
Cognac Hors d’Âge – Fine Champagne (47,8%, Decadent Drinks ‘Decadent Drams’ 2025, 116 btl.)
Nose: the most vibrant and complex of this session. It’s full of crystallized fruits, plenty of orange oil, some floral notes and mirabelles. Subtle tobacco leaves, honeysuckle, peaches and quinces, along with light honey. Just a hint of sandalwood too. Complexity is high, simply a matter of combining several vintages.
Mouth: bright fruits. Tangerines, sour berries, mirabelles again. I’m always fond of a decent acidity to break the sweetness. Then also orange peels and grapes, and then this minty-floral and beautiful Earl Grey bergamot. Herbs are just tiny accents here and there’s hardly any wood at all.
Finish: long, still no signs of tiredness or oak power. Just fruity vibrance and the minty, heady freshness.
Well, the elegance is top-notch here, and complexity is great as well. I’m not quite sure why other bottlers aren’t doing these multi-vintages / multi-regions more often. Still available from Decadent Drinks or retailers like Master of Malt and Royal Mile Whiskies. Score: 91/100