This spirit spent a century inside a French oak barrel.
As we’ve said before, just because a spirit is old doesn’t mean it’s better. Of course that hasn’t stopped distilleries and brands from pushing the envelope with lengthy age statements and releasing spirits that have spent many decades inside a barrel. The latest comes from Hermitage Cognac, which just released what it is calling the world’s oldest barrel-aged Cognac ever.
The “barrel-aged” caveat is because of the fact that there are indeed much older Cognacs out there that you can purchase for astronomical sums, but these have spent many years in glass demijohns or have been bottled at some point—in other words, removed from the barrels they initially aged in. Maison Gautier actually holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for the oldest Cognac, a bottle that dates back to 1762. That’s entirely different from spending a century inside a barrel, even in a cool cellar where temperature and humidity are relatively stable.
Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old was made from Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the Lignières Sonneville region of Grande Champagne, where it was distilled on traditional copper alembic charentais stills a century ago. That lengthy interaction between Cognac and wood can utterly transform the spirit’s character, but according to Hermitage Cognac founder David Baker the Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old is a complex and delicate expression. “It is one of only a very small quantity of Cognac aged in cellars in the heart of the Premier Cru of Cognac known as Grande Champagne,” he said in a statement. “Untouched and unblended, this vintage Cognac has aged for 100 years in Limousin oak barrels. This exceptionally long aging period has created a wide complexity of rich flavors and aromas, common only with the finest and oldest Cognacs.” He says there are notes of cocoa, burnt toffee, mushroom, ginger, candied fruit, and rancio (nutty fortified wine flavor) on the palate.
Of course, a Cognac this rarified should come in a bottle to match, and that is the case here. Each one-liter decanter was made by by Cumbria Crystal, engraved with gold leaf, individually numbered, and housed inside a wooden presentation box with information about the spirit. The SRP for this Cognac is £24,900 (about €29,400), and there are only 68 decanters available. If you’re interested in trying this ancient spirit for yourself (or more likely holding onto it and then flipping it for double the amount), you can contact Hermitage Cognac directly. You can also find other Hermitage vintages and age statement expressions available to purchase from the Whisky Exchange now.
