Cognac is quickly becoming one of the favourite malternatives. The price / age ratio in cognac is several times better than what we’re seeing in the whisky world and a lot of independent whisky bottlers are venturing into cognac as well.
The Whisky Jury just released a first cognac release, a 1979 vintage Petite Champagne, selected from the house of Prunier.
Prunier 42 yo 1979 ‘Petite Champagne’ (53,7%, The Whisky Jury 2021, 570 btl.)
Nose: on the bright side with lots of fruity notes. Damsons, mirabelles, oranges and pink grapefruits. Precious woods with just a hint of eucalyptus and potpourri in the background, as well as beehivey tones and a drop of herbal liqueur.
Mouth: oh, really a blast of fruits now. Bright passion fruits, lychee, guava, Muscat grapes and pink grapefruits again. Some mentholated notes and herbal tea. Orange peels or rather tangerines. Floral honeys and hints of rose petals. A wee earthy / resinous touch in the end.
Finish: long, still beautifully fruity and floral, with some resinous hints.
A perfect start. The brightness and almost ethereal fruitiness is gorgeous. A great profile and a good choice to come up with something relatively affordable (€ 190) and with a decent yield. Recommended.