The French Experience

Throughout  all of my distillery visits and education about spirits Cognac is one to be marveled at.  It seems that Cognac has gotten pushed to the back burner in many bars, cocktail menus and educational tastings in the U.S.. In the states Cognac does not get the credit it deserves and has taken on a poor stigma usually with some rapper endorsing it. Don’t get me wrong I would drink Louis Royer with Hip- Hop artist VAIN all day.   It is clear to see that cognac is  a luxury item represented by many high profile people but what is not so apparent is the fine craftsmanship, history and future of the water of life.

Cognac is one of the most labor intensive spirits in the market today.  The master distillers have to know everything from the varieties of soil with how that affects the grapes taste, along with disease that may attack the vines, distillation, blending and so much more that my other classmates have went into great depths about in their blogs. What  was most  interesting to see was how some of the brands chose to represent themselves, highlighting different types of standards and experiences. Three Brands really set themselves apart for me by the way they display their roots in tradition but are also at the forefront of innovation.

Royer –  Its only natural that the companies symbol would be the bee symbolizing their commitment to craftsmanship. Louis Royer was a beekeeper ” Like his father and grandfather before him. He liked to compare his firm to a hive. As the bee looks for pollen to make honey in the hive, Louis looked for wine around the Cognac region to make cognac by distillation” As we waked around at first everything seemed pretty similar to most distilleries until we got to the production plant and they had us put on footies, caps and coat.  With China and Japan contributing heavily to cognac sales it is of no wonder why Royer would take on the cleanliness standards held by the Japanese. In their state of the art bottling plant they also produce a number of Liqueurs for the Asian market such as lychee, yogurt and passion fruit.

Courvoisier – Just your usual AMAZING french chateau branded with Napoleon imagery on the Charente river.  The Brand took focus of creating an experience while you tasted the vast portfolio. They lead us on a sensory experience  first starting with a 3D cinematic showing, followed by  an assortment of desserts to reveal the aromas found in XO Imperial. Finally we taken into a room in groups of 5 . Imagine your are in a room with soft music, plush seating with a blind fold over your eyes.  Then a mist goes into the room , candied orange, followed a few minutes late by Iris Flowers and then Creme Brulee.  Leading you through a sensory experience ” Le Nez de Courvoisier” deconstructing the intricacies of XO Imperial lead by none other than Master Blender Patrice Pinet.

All of the Cognac producers are amazing and so different.  I have to say that i was most impressed with Pierre Ferrand.  Maybe its all the cognac, or Pineau des Charentes, or rum….gin…. dry curacao….I drank but its hard to pin point but I have never been more impressed with a distillery.

Pierre Ferrand – Alexandre Gabriel welcomed us all into Cognac Ferrand as if it was our home as well. As soon as he started speaking about the company and products his passion and knowledge overflowed. Most of the other brands seemed a bit more conservative as this is how we have been making cognac and this is how we will keep doing it.  Although cognac thrives off of its history and legacy Pierre Ferrand seemed to be the company truly embracing their past but constantly exploring the possibilities of the future. Alexandre’s passion emanates  through his work of producing fine spirits. They Nurture their  cognac and rum as if they are raising a child.  They give it time and allow it to grow, helping it blossom into its full potential.I was impressed with their entire portfolio and am excited to see the new things they will be doing in the future.

I am blessed to have had this amazing experience and have a deeper appreciation for cognac.