Hermitage 2005 Grande Champagne Cognac

There are five or six hundred producers of cognac in the cantons of Cognac. Most produce their spirits for the big commercial names in the industry. Hermitage carefully select the golden nectars from barrels where history has stood still. Many of their cognacs have vintages, others, age statements which define the period of time spent in barrels.

Hermitage seek history and provenance for their cognacs, but also look for smaller details such as cellar location and humidity, size and type of oak barrels along with their toasting and age. They look at the size and shape of the still on which the cognacs are made and perhaps most importantly, the families who have made them and their belief in producing cognac that will be different from the rest.

Grape Variety

Mainly Ugni Blanc but some Folle Blanche is also known to be available and used in this cognac.

Viticulture

The soil here is flatter than that around Segonzac and the Coniaçian chalk is similar to that on which the town of Cognac is built. The weather here is at its most even with only nominal extremes of hot and cold and low rain fall. Vines are Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche.

Ageing

350 litre casks, 6 to 8 months in new and then old Limousin casks. Cellars are medium damp with natural floors.

Reduction and Strength

This cognac is reduced in strength and matured in newer casks with some added wood chips to increase the reaction of wood with the natural tannins. Reduction at this level takes nearly two years to complete .

Tasting Notes

Nose: Chocolatey mocha with walnuts and some vanilla followed by tangerine peel.

Palate: Initial mocha on the palate leads to toffee, hazelnut and spices such as mace with a tangerine peel finish. A true masterpiece at this age.