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Great Lakes Area Wine Brokerage
Cognac Education
Tasting Cognac -- Step by Step Aging Cognac -- VS, VSOP, XO, etc. Cognac Trivia -- Napoleon who? What Does Grande Champagne Mean?
Single Vineyard Cognac
For the Trade
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Cognac Lovers & Wine Brokers since 1999 |
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©2007-2010 — 1st Cru, LLC — (970) 566-7862 — CONTACT |
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Be Patient... Don’t be in too much of a hurry to drink the wonderful Cognac you just poured. You must wait just a bit.
It Pays Off... Especially with Older Cognacs like these, you must realize that they are very similar to a big Cabernet or Port wine in that they must breathe prior to tasting. The best rule of thumb is to let older Cognacs breathe at least a half-minute per year old that they are. Thus an XO that is 20-years old must breathe for a minimum of TEN MINUTES prior to tasting. This is critical. An otherwise magnificent Cognac will be at best mediocre if it is not permitted to breathe completely. Even longer is better. |
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YIELD |
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CONGRATULATIONS !!! You now know more about tasting fine Cognac than 98% of the people in the world, and you are now a Cognac Tasting Expert !
NOW GO TO “Where to Start Tasting Cognac” for ideas on which cognacs to start with and which will suit your palate. |
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How to Taste Cognac |
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What Flavors Should I Taste in Cognac? |
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The Age of Fruit In younger, great cognacs, ideally any quality older than VSOP or older than 8 years, you should be able to find fruit. Translating from the French, the cognac is literally in the “Age of Fruit.” Typical fruits might be oranges, lemons, apricots, raisins, apples and/or peaches.
The Age of Flowers In middle-aged great cognacs, typically those older than 13 years or so, you should be able to find flowers, both in the nose and on the palate, if the cognac is a good one. Typical flower scents might be roses, clover, and/or honey. In cognacs from the Borderies, you can find lavender.
The Age of Spices In the oldest great cognacs, over 20 years old, you can find nutmeg, cinnamon, coffee, toffee, allspice and similar notes. A great, old cognac will also give you fruit and flowers with the spices.
Rancio Rancio is a somewhat archaic term used in describing the slightly sweet brown nut quality of the flavor of the wood in a cognac. The best old cognacs develop a rancio which is powerful and unmistakable, transcending the mere flavor of oak, becoming warm, brown nuts, latte and oak all mixed together, making the finish long, and pleasantly memorable.
Chalk & Oak In young cognacs from Grande Champagne, you should always be able to find the taste of white chalk in the upper half of your mouth, and earthy, oaky flavors underneath your tongue. These are the hallmarks of the Grande Champagne.
Greatness If a Grande Champagne cognac is truly a great cognac, then even when it is very old and spicy, you can still find fruit and flowers. Average old cognacs are all wood and alcohol. |
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GO |
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The Perfect Cognac Glass
The tulip shaped glass concentrates the vapors of the cognac for optimal enjoyment, and the smaller size makes 1.5 oz of cognac seem a perfect portion. |