Maison Dudognon "Vieille Reserve" (40.0%): The Dudognon Family is producing Cognac in the small town Liginieres-Sonneville in Grande Champagne region since 1776. They distill their spirit only from Ugni Blanc grapes grown organically on their own premier cru estate using two alembic stills they have on their property. Although they sell the bulk of their annual 200 barrel production at a very young age to big blending houses like almost every producer in the region does the eau de vie they keep for themselves is aged carefully in air dried Limousin oak barrels in their small aboveground cellar (chai) without using any additives such as sugar, boise or caramel which is extremely rare in Cognac. Vieille Reserve is their twenty year old expression.
Color: Mahogany, chestnut honey color with thin legs.
Nose: Cellar funk, cooked mushrooms and forest floor. Nectarines, white peach and apricot. Damson plums, tobacco and buckskin. Light cinnamon and nutmeg dusting.
Palate: A little thinner that the nose prepared me for... Cocoa powder, nutmeg and rose jam. Light honey, poached pears and crunchy pastries: Mille-feuille. Fruit tarts and caramel sauce. It has this slightly burned pastry notes all over. It's fruity, sweet and creamy.
Finish: Medium long with baking spices, burnt custard and creme caramel.
Finish: Medium long with baking spices, burnt custard and creme caramel.
Overall: Excellent spirit... Seriously, it is delicious. Next time when any of your whisky loving friends try to complain how sweet Cognacs are this is the bottle they should be trying to see how delicate, balanced and delicious an unadulterated Cognac can be. For a twenty year old Cognac it is insanely priced as well... This bottle will be killed way too soon in this household.
Price: $90
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