Cognac

Delamain
Pale and Dry Cognac
Grande Champagne XO

Cellars: £96.00

The Pale and Dry XO is on average 25 years old. Brilliant pale gold in colour, this Cognac is distinguished by its remarkable delicacy and refinement. The grape and vanillin aromas are confirmed on the palate, where intense yet elegant fruit flavours are offset by floral and liquorice notes which linger in the extended finish.

APPEARANCE: Pale gold

NOSE: Its bouquet is characterised by the powerfulness and length of the intensely floral aromas, backed by the distinctive vanilla of its rancio.

PALATE: Its mellow roundness on the palate blossoms into a full-bodied fruitiness, with a slight, harmonious hint of liquorice.

FINISH: Complex. Very elegant round and well balanced

THE IDEAL SERVE: Enjoy after dinner

Country: France

Region: Jarnac - Segonzac

Appellation: Cognac Grande Champagne Controlle:
Premier Cru de Cognac

Producer: Delamain

Bottling: Distillery Bottling

Grape varieties: Ungi Blanc (Trebbiano)

Status: Operational

Age: at least 25 years

Cask Type: 100% French Oak Cask

Colour: Pale Gold

Flavour Profile: Floral

Allergens: Not Known

Bottle size: 70cl

abv: 40.1%

Distillery Information

The Family History

The House of Delamain is one of the oldest names in the cognac business, with roots dating back to the early 1600s when Nicholas Delamain left France for Ireland. However, it wasn't until 1725 that descendant James Delamain moved back to France and joined forces with cognac trader Issac Ranson to create Ranson & Delamain. After James' death in 1800, the company fell apart due to inheritance laws, and it wasn't until 1924 that his grandsons restablished the firm in the family name and it became Delamain & Co.

Today, Delamain is one of the last family-run cognac houses, and has a very strict selection process when it comes to choosing their supplies. They do not have any contracts and only purchase eaux de vies after tasting.

The company doesn't have any VS or VSOP cognacs, its entry level is a 25 year old XO.

The historical roots of the House of Delamain, still run to this day by the direct descendants of the founder, Patrick Peyrelongue and his cousin Charles Braastad, run deep down into the origins of cognac, such that it is today one of the oldest names of the region.

The Delamain family boasts amongst its members humanists, scientists and poets alike, such as Jacques Delamain, a writer and great ornithologist, or Robert Delamain, author of "The History of Cognac", a superb book still today considered as a work of reference by scholars and cognac-lovers. The family has remained homogenous and united in the intimacy of a House steeped in memories and traditions handed down by the previous generations.

The Region

The Cognac region is located in South Western France north of Bordeaux bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the west and stretching inland towards Angoulème. The climate is mild with a marked maritime influence. The main grape is Ugni Blanc and the majority of region’s wine production is distilled to make Cognac.

The Cognac appellation was first defined in 1909 however the region’s history dates back to the 13th century when spirits distilled from wine were already popular and exported around Europe. The appellation is divided into six sub regions based on work done by the geologist Henri Coquand in 1860. The six regions are Grande

Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires. The geology in each of these six regions differs and has a marked impact on the style and quality of the resulting cognacs.

The successive heads of the House of Delamain, open-minded and attentive to the due observance of things, have always master-minded all the crucial operations of the profession: purchasing the eaux-de-vie, ageing, blending, reducing, which explains the extraordinary consistancy of the end product.

In accordance with the original nature of the old Houses of Cognac, Delamain selects and purchases its eaux-de-vie from owners and distillers in the region, with whom it has maintained ties of mutual confidence, often going back decades.

Delamain thus has access to the finest sources of provisioning, exclusively in the terroirs of Grande Champagne, as being the only areas capable of providing a quality matching its stringent requirements.

The House of Delamain has remained faithful to its tradition of craftsmanship.

All the preparatory operations are carried out by hand, according to the rules of the art, in compliance with the demands of total quality, in cellars imbued with the heady fragrance of the precious casks.

The Delamain objective is simple : to remain faithful to its tradition and offer cognacs of the very purest and most genuine expression.

Maturation

The cognac Pale and Dry takes its name “Pale” because it is much lighter than other cognacs of a similar age owing to the maturation in old casks, the term “Dry” refers that it has only natural sweetness

The cognac is matured in old cellars in to the Charente river which are more humid than dry.

The quality of a cognac is determined by four factors according to Alain BraastadlDelamain, each in equal parts- the distilled brandy before maturation - the humidity of the cellars in which the ageing takes place - the skill of the blender - and time ( the aging of the cognac in the cask)

The Delamains do not distill, neither do they own vineyards or ferment any wine. They are negociants- purchasing spirit at 10-15 years of age, maturing, blending, and bottling. All of their stock comes from the Grande Champagne district.

No new wood is used, instead seasoned barrel of Limousin and Troncas are used. The distilled spirit is purchased “on the lees .

The cognac is matured at whatever strength it has naturally reached when it was bought.The blending is undertaken at well above the final strength.Pale and Dry is a blend with an average age of 25 years and is blended at about 50% abv.

The reduction to 40% abv , instead of just adding distilled water alone a mixture of weak cognac and distilled water of 15% alcohol is gradually over a period of 24 months.

Bottles are washed and rinsed with codnac before filling, individsually checked, hand labelled and sealed

Frapin Château de Fontpinot
Grande Champagne XO

Cellars: £125.00

A subtle, complex and persistent bouquet composed of candied fruit aromas and notes of port and the famous “rancio'', together with notes of hawthorn and wild flowers. On the palate, the vanilla-flavoured tannins of the wood develop generously and support aromas of candied fruit, such as apricot and orange.

APPEARANCE: Warm autumn gold

NOSE: Delicate and elegant. The woody fragrances disappear to let the floral bouquet develop at its best: vanilla, hawthorn and wild flowers.

PALATE: long lasting aromas, such as old Port and the famous “Rancio “ This “Rancio” is characterised by nuts, walnuts and dried fruits savours melted with dried flowers, such as apricot and orange jam. A well-balanced complex bouquet, due to the distillation with the lees.

FINISH: Complex. Very elegant round and well balanced

THE IDEAL SERVE: Enjoy after dinner

Country: France

Region: Jarnac - Segonzac

Appellation: Cognac Grande Champagne Controlle:
Premier Cru de Cognac

Producer: Jean-Pierre Cointreau

Bottling: Distillery Bottling

Grape varieties: Ungi Blanc (Trebbiano)

Status: Operational
Sustainable Environmental Management

Age: at least 7 years

Cask Type: 100% French Oak Cask

Colour: Golden

Flavour Profile: Fruity - Candid fruits

Allergens: Not Known

Bottle size: 70cl

abv: 41.0%

Distillery Information

The Family History

The Frapin family have been based in SW France since the late 13th century, and have a history of distillation in the Cognac region for 20 generations. Located in the heart of the Grande Champagne region in Segonzac, they own all of their vineyards.

Cognac Frapin has an illustrious history. Still in original family ownership, the company’s head Jean-Pierre Cointreau is a direct descendant of the founder and can trace his family’s vine growing and distilling history back to 1270.

Frapin is unique and differs greatly from the region’s other significant producers. Their Cognacs are made entirely on the family’s single estate which includes 240 hectares of vines surrounding the Château de Fontpinot with its distillery and ageing warehouses over two levels. The whole property lies in the Grande Champagne area which is regarded as Cognac’s best appellation and is highly prized for both the quality and intensity of its spirits and their longevity. The extended ageing that all Frapin’s Cognacs receive sets them apart from their competitors and contributes to the House’s rich, complex and smooth style.

The Region

The Cognac region is located in South Western France north of Bordeaux bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the west and stretching inland towards Angoulème. The climate is mild with a marked maritime influence. The main grape is Ugni Blanc and the majority of region’s wine production is distilled to make Cognac.

The Cognac appellation was first defined in 1909 however the region’s history dates back to the 13th century when spirits distilled from wine were already popular and exported around Europe. The appellation is divided into six sub regions based on work done by the geologist Henri Coquand in 1860. The six regions are Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires. The geology in each of these six regions differs and has a marked impact on the style and quality of the resulting cognacs.

Vineyards and Winemaking

Cognac Frapin’s domaine , the largest single domaine in the region, is located entirely within the Grande Champagne appellation, their whole production comes entirely from the domaine.

This area has thin clay chalk soils lying over soft Cretaceous Chalk and a high percentage of limestone. The wines grown here produce fine floral cognacs that are capable of long ageing.

The domaine has 240 hectares of vines planted with Ugni Blanc. The vineyards are managed sustainably and the vines cultivated traditionally with respect for the natural balance of the soil and vines. Vine cuttings and distillation residues are returned to the soil and when vines are re-planted the land is left fallow for a minimum of seven years to allow the natural ecosystem to thrive and to ensure the old roots are entirely eliminated.

The grapes are all harvested by machines and the whole bunches are pressed. The unfiltered grape juice undergoes a natural fermentation in stainless steel tanks and becomes Vin de Charente.

Distillation

The Vin de Charente produced by Patrice Piveteau will be distilled and eventually transformed into Cognac by Frapin’s master distillers Gilles Lardant and Alex Cosson. Cognac is distilled twice and at Frapin this takes place on lees in six Charentais red copper stills. The first distillation results in an unclear alcohol of around 28°. This alcohol is distilled for a second time and it is the heart of the distillation that is captured to produce fine eaux de vies that will be be matured in one of Frapin’s Chais.

Maturation

Frapin Cognacs are matured in Limousin oak casks on the domaine. Cellar Master Patrice Piveteau is responsible for the Cognacs as they age and chooses the location of each cask based in the atmospheric conditions in different parts of their warehouses. At Frapin there are two floors; the ground floor which has greater humidity and the attics which are drier; these two factors have a clear impact on the character of the final Cognac.

At Frapin recently distilled eaux de vies are matured in new casks for the first quarter of their maturation period after which they are transferred to older ones. Frapin’s rich colour comes only from contact with the wooden cask.

The final task is for Patrice to select and blend each expression of Frapin and to maintain a consistent style and quality.

Cognacs Frapin are made entirely on the family’s single estate which includes 240 hectares of vines surrounding the Château de Fontpinot.

The whole property lies in the Grande Champagne area which is regarded as Cognac’s best appellation. This X.O. Cognac is the fruit of long ageing, mostly in dry cellars which gives it a subtle, complex and refined bouquet.

Frapin Cognac VS
Grande Champagne

Cellars: £51.50

Its fine bouquet and lingering aftertaste are the results of a very special distillation on the lees. The short period it spends in new oak barrels fro the Limossin forest gives this cognac its unique colour, its roundness and an extra touch of vanilla

APPEARANCE: Straw-coloured

NOSE: Very fine and fresh, it recalls the smell of the fresh grapes during the autumn harvests melted with a touch of vanilla coming from young Limousin oak

PALATE: Very harmonious with floral and fruity flavours and persistent savours. With a wooden vanilla melted touch from the tannin (oak casks).

FINISH: Round and complex with notes of Coffee (English caramel) and fruit (orange), very light with a long aftertaste.

THE IDEAL SERVE: Very pleasant and excellent for mixed and long drinks

Country: France

Region: Jarnac - Segonzac

Appellation: Cognac Grande Champagne Controlle:
Premier Cru de Cognac

Producer: Jean-Pierre Cointreau

Bottling: Distillery Bottling

Grape varieties: Ungi Blanc (Trebbiano)

Status: Operational
Sustainable Environmental Management

Age: at least 3 years

Cask Type: 100% French Oak Cask

Colour: Straw-coloured

Flavour Profile: Vanilla with aromatic notes

Allergens: Not Known

Bottle size: 70cl

abv: 40.0%

Distillery Information

The Family History

The Frapin family have been based in SW France since the late 13th century, and have a history of distillation in the Cognac region for 20 generations. Located in the heart of the Grande Champagne region in Segonzac, they own all of their vineyards.

Cognac Frapin has an illustrious history. Still in original family ownership, the company’s head Jean-Pierre Cointreau is a direct descendant of the founder and can trace his family’s vine growing and distilling history back to 1270.

Frapin is unique and differs greatly from the region’s other significant producers. Their Cognacs are made entirely on the family’s single estate which includes 240 hectares of vines surrounding the Château de Fontpinot with its distillery and ageing warehouses over two levels. The whole property lies in the Grande Champagne area which is regarded as Cognac’s best appellation and is highly prized for both the quality and intensity of its spirits and their longevity. The extended ageing that all Frapin’s Cognacs receive sets them apart from their competitors and contributes to the House’s rich, complex and smooth style.

The Region

The Cognac region is located in South Western France north of Bordeaux bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the west and stretching inland towards Angoulème. The climate is mild with a marked maritime influence. The main grape is Ugni Blanc and the majority of region’s wine production is distilled to make Cognac.

The Cognac appellation was first defined in 1909 however the region’s history dates back to the 13th century when spirits distilled from wine were already popular and exported around Europe. The appellation is divided into six sub regions based on work done by the geologist Henri Coquand in 1860. The six regions are Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires. The geology in each of these six regions differs and has a marked impact on the style and quality of the resulting cognacs.

Vineyards and Winemaking

Cognac Frapin’s domaine , the largest single domaine in the region, is located entirely within the Grande Champagne appellation, their whole production comes entirely from the domaine.

This area has thin clay chalk soils lying over soft Cretaceous Chalk and a high percentage of limestone. The wines grown here produce fine floral cognacs that are capable of long ageing.

The domaine has 240 hectares of vines planted with Ugni Blanc. The vineyards are managed sustainably and the vines cultivated traditionally with respect for the natural balance of the soil and vines. Vine cuttings and distillation residues are returned to the soil and when vines are re-planted the land is left fallow for a minimum of seven years to allow the natural ecosystem to thrive and to ensure the old roots are entirely eliminated.

The grapes are all harvested by machines and the whole bunches are pressed. The unfiltered grape juice undergoes a natural fermentation in stainless steel tanks and becomes Vin de Charente.

Distillation

The Vin de Charente produced by Patrice Piveteau will be distilled and eventually transformed into Cognac by Frapin’s master distillers Gilles Lardant and Alex Cosson. Cognac is distilled twice and at Frapin this takes place on lees in six Charentais red copper stills. The first distillation results in an unclear alcohol of around 28°. This alcohol is distilled for a second time and it is the heart of the distillation that is captured to produce fine eaux de vies that will be be matured in one of Frapin’s Chais.

Maturation

Frapin Cognacs are matured in Limousin oak casks on the domaine. Cellar Master Patrice Piveteau is responsible for the Cognacs as they age and chooses the location of each cask based in the atmospheric conditions in different parts of their warehouses. At Frapin there are two floors; the ground floor which has greater humidity and the attics which are drier; these two factors have a clear impact on the character of the final Cognac.

At Frapin recently distilled eaux de vies are matured in new casks for the first quarter of their maturation period after which they are transferred to older ones. Frapin’s rich colour comes only from contact with the wooden cask.

The final task is for Patrice to select and blend each expression of Frapin and to maintain a consistent style and quality.

Cognacs Frapin are made entirely on the family’s single estate which includes 240 hectares of vines surrounding the Château de Fontpinot.

The whole property lies in the Grande Champagne area which is regarded as Cognac’s best appellation. This X.O. Cognac is the fruit of long ageing, mostly in dry cellars which gives it a subtle, complex and refined bouquet.

Frapin Cognac VSOP
Grande Champagne

Cellars: £64.50

This cognac is golden amber in colour. It develops a fruity grape and floral bouquet characteristic of Grande Champagne. There is also a discreet hint of vanilla from the tannin in the oak barrels in which it matures. The persistence of the flavours reflects a balance and a maturity that is already clearly marked.

APPEARANCE: Brilliant golden amber

NOSE: Honey, bread of spices, hazelnut and a touch of vanilla. Aromatic with complex fruity notes, the aromas reminiscent of blossoming vines in June, a floral bouquet composed of rose and white flowers.

PALATE: Very harmonious with floral and fruity flavours and persistent savours. With a wooden vanilla melted touch from the tannin (oak casks). Homogeneous bouquet (combined scent of all fragrances exuded) characteristic of 10 years old Frapin Grande Champagne average Cognacs.

FINISH: Very elegant round and well balanced

THE IDEAL SERVE: Enjoy after dinner

Country: France

Region: Jarnac - Segonzac

Appellation: Cognac Grande Champagne Controlle:
Premier Cru de Cognac

Producer: Jean-Pierre Cointreau

Bottling: Distillery Bottling

Grape varieties: Ungi Blanc (Trebbiano)

Status: Operational
Sustainable Environmental Management

Age: at least 5 years

Cask Type: 100% French Oak Cask

Colour: Golden Amber

Flavour Profile: Fruity

Allergens: Not Known

Bottle size: 70cl

abv: 40.0%

Distillery Information

The Family History

The Frapin family have been based in SW France since the late 13th century, and have a history of distillation in the Cognac region for 20 generations. Located in the heart of the Grande Champagne region in Segonzac, they own all of their vineyards.

Cognac Frapin has an illustrious history. Still in original family ownership, the company’s head Jean-Pierre Cointreau is a direct descendant of the founder and can trace his family’s vine growing and distilling history back to 1270.

Frapin is unique and differs greatly from the region’s other significant producers. Their Cognacs are made entirely on the family’s single estate which includes 240 hectares of vines surrounding the Château de Fontpinot with its distillery and ageing warehouses over two levels. The whole property lies in the Grande Champagne area which is regarded as Cognac’s best appellation and is highly prized for both the quality and intensity of its spirits and their longevity. The extended ageing that all Frapin’s Cognacs receive sets them apart from their competitors and contributes to the House’s rich, complex and smooth style.

The Region

The Cognac region is located in South Western France north of Bordeaux bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the west and stretching inland towards Angoulème. The climate is mild with a marked maritime influence. The main grape is Ugni Blanc and the majority of region’s wine production is distilled to make Cognac.

The Cognac appellation was first defined in 1909 however the region’s history dates back to the 13th century when spirits distilled from wine were already popular and exported around Europe. The appellation is divided into six sub regions based on work done by the geologist Henri Coquand in 1860. The six regions are Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires. The geology in each of these six regions differs and has a marked impact on the style and quality of the resulting cognacs.

Vineyards and Winemaking

Cognac Frapin’s domaine , the largest single domaine in the region, is located entirely within the Grande Champagne appellation, their whole production comes entirely from the domaine.

This area has thin clay chalk soils lying over soft Cretaceous Chalk and a high percentage of limestone. The wines grown here produce fine floral cognacs that are capable of long ageing.

The domaine has 240 hectares of vines planted with Ugni Blanc. The vineyards are managed sustainably and the vines cultivated traditionally with respect for the natural balance of the soil and vines. Vine cuttings and distillation residues are returned to the soil and when vines are re-planted the land is left fallow for a minimum of seven years to allow the natural ecosystem to thrive and to ensure the old roots are entirely eliminated.

The grapes are all harvested by machines and the whole bunches are pressed. The unfiltered grape juice undergoes a natural fermentation in stainless steel tanks and becomes Vin de Charente.

Distillation

The Vin de Charente produced by Patrice Piveteau will be distilled and eventually transformed into Cognac by Frapin’s master distillers Gilles Lardant and Alex Cosson. Cognac is distilled twice and at Frapin this takes place on lees in six Charentais red copper stills. The first distillation results in an unclear alcohol of around 28°. This alcohol is distilled for a second time and it is the heart of the distillation that is captured to produce fine eaux de vies that will be be matured in one of Frapin’s Chais.

Maturation

Frapin Cognacs are matured in Limousin oak casks on the domaine. Cellar Master Patrice Piveteau is responsible for the Cognacs as they age and chooses the location of each cask based in the atmospheric conditions in different parts of their warehouses. At Frapin there are two floors; the ground floor which has greater humidity and the attics which are drier; these two factors have a clear impact on the character of the final Cognac.

At Frapin recently distilled eaux de vies are matured in new casks for the first quarter of their maturation period after which they are transferred to older ones. Frapin’s rich colour comes only from contact with the wooden cask.

The final task is for Patrice to select and blend each expression of Frapin and to maintain a consistent style and quality.

Cognacs Frapin are made entirely on the family’s single estate which includes 240 hectares of vines surrounding the Château de Fontpinot.

The whole property lies in the Grande Champagne area which is regarded as Cognac’s best appellation. This X.O. Cognac is the fruit of long ageing, mostly in dry cellars which gives it a subtle, complex and refined bouquet.

H by Hine Cognac

Cellars: £51.50

Notes of iris, fresh apricot, acacia and white pepper.

As the years pass, the cognac takes on a radiant amber hue and, while always maintaining the fruit as its primary aroma, unleashes hints of walnut, freshly toasted bread and blonde tobacco.

APPEARANCE: Golden amber colour

NOSE: Complex and strong nose, giving floral notes.

PALATE: Fruity flavours - notes of flowers and vanoilla

FINISH: Complex with a short but intense finish

THE IDEAL SERVE: Enjoy after dinner

Country: France

Region: Jarnac

Appellation: Fine Champagne Controlee VSOP
Blended eaux-de-vie from Grande
and Petit Champagne grapes

Owner: Thomas Hine & Co

Style: VSOP

Grape varieties: Ungi Blanc (Trebbiano)

Status: Operational

Age: at least 4 years

Cask Type: 100% French Oak Cask

Colour: Golden Amber

Flavour Profile: Fruity, Banana, Pear

Allergens: Not Known

Bottle size: 70cl

abv: 40.0%

Distillery Information

Three hundred and eighty-one kilometres through France. Four départements crossed before the Atlantic Ocean is reached, with Rochefort as the last leg. From the low plateaux of the Limousin, Charente appears gentle and bucolic, softer than its imposing neighbour, Garonne. This aquatic Via Agrippa traces its path to distant destinations, bearing eaux-de-vie fashioned by Charente’s limestone soils and the skill of the region’s winegrowers, distillers, coopers and cellar masters. Before Rochefort and the ocean lies Saintes. Further upstream, the abundant town of Cognac. And then, on the right bank of the river emerges the discreet Jarnac. It is here in 1763 that the adventure of the House of Hine begins…

The year is 1791. A young Englishman sets out from his native Dorset to learn the secrets of how cognac, his father’s favourite tipple, is produced. Thomas Hine was the sixth of twelve children and had just turned sixteen. His sense of timing is questionable though, given how inopportune a moment it is for an Englishman to find himself in France! Fleeing the French Revolution, he was imprisoned at the Château de Jarnac, where he remained sequestered for several months. His marriage to Françoise-Elisabeth, the daughter of his hosts, ensues. In 1817, Thomas Hine gives his name to this House, established on the banks of the Charente in 1763.

Since this dramatic arrival, six generations of the Hine family have succeeded one another at the head of Thomas Hine & Co. The tasting rooms at 16 Quai de l’Orangerie have seen it all, from the Great French Wine Blight to local conflicts, world wars, first bottlings, international incidents, economic booms and slumps, legendary river floods, connoisseur parties and exalted blends. Today, under the watchful eye of sixth-generation member Bernard Hine, a dedicated team of twenty people strive to preserve and act upon 254 years of spirited history.

Cognac region. Like the Cognac area, there are 3 important areas for Armagnac: Bas Armagnac, Haut Armagnac, and Tenareze. The region the Armagnac is made is usually shown on the bottle and if not, is probably a blend from more than two regions. The aristocracy in the region of Armagnac were the politically powerful Albret family from the 14th through to the 16th century and were against the monarchy of France, introducing Protestantism to south-west France, and during their rule the local spirit or 'eaux-de-vie' was commercialised and sold in France as Armagnac.

The House of Hine draws its identity from the heart of two Premier Crus (in a region where Crus number just six): the Grande Champagne and the Petite Champagne. In the village of Bonneuil, 70 hectares of vineyards unfurl their rows of Ugni Blanc vines across rolling valleys – a landscape that is characteristic to Grande Champagne. Limestone rocks peep out at the foot of the vines like a promise of future vivacity.

Once the autumn grape harvest is finished, distillation on lees concentrates the aromas of these resolutely acidic white wines tenfold. There in the heat of the still, everything hinges on precision and alchemy, transforming the work of the vine into a clear and impetuous eau-de-vie suffused with intense notes of banana and fresh pear, carnations and violets.

At Hine, French oak casks are used to age the eaux-de-vie selected with a view to showcasing their aromatic profile. The aim is not to mask the flavours with dominant woody tones, but to enhance them as part of a delicate exchange between the eau-de-vie and oak staves. This finesse is the result of two key choices made during the manufacturing of the barrels: the selection of wood with a very fine grain and the light toasting it then receives. As the years pass, the cognac takes on a radiant amber hue and, while always maintaining the fruit as its primary aroma, unleashes hints of walnut, freshly toasted bread and blonde tobacco.

Since 1962, the House of Hine has been awarded a Royal Warrant by Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, and remains the only official supplier of cognac to the British monarchy.

Hine Antique XO Cognac

Cellars: £115.00

Notes of iris, fresh apricot, acacia and white pepper.

As the years pass, the cognac takes on a radiant amber hue and, while always maintaining the fruit as its primary aroma, unleashes hints of walnut, freshly toasted bread and blonde tobacco.

APPEARANCE: Dark gold in colour

NOSE: Aromatic richness. Dried and crystallised fruit - fig, apricot, honey with a hint of liquorice.

PALATE: A full and supple body with notes of perfume and spice, this is a particularly spicy cognac with zinging top notes.

FINISH: Complex, balanced velvety and subtle.

THE IDEAL SERVE: Accompanied after dinner with a few pieces of orange chocolate.