Remy Martin VSOP -- A Benchmark Cognac
Cognac is, in my opinion, and according to my tastes, one of the finest spirits ever produced by man. A good Cognac is an excellent digestif to serve after a meal. It is also a great drink to serve when smoking a fine handmade cigar. A great Cognac is a great pleasure... and something to be savored and enjoyed.
If one were to offer me any kind of spirit -- Bourbon, Scotch, Tequila, whatever I wanted -- I would almost always pick an old Cognac or Armagnac. There is no Bourbon or single malt Scotch that I prefer in favor of a good V.S.O.P. Cognac.
What is Cognac?
--------------------------------------------------
Simple enough, Cognac is brandy. It is a grape based spirit that is distilled from a thin, acidic wine. The wine, itself, is awful tasting; but when it is boiled and distilled, and given a few years of aging in Limousin oak, the end product is spectacular. The term brandy is derived from the German word Gebranntwein, which means "burnt wine." The name Cognac, itself, is taken from the town of Cognac and the Cognac growing region on the western side of France. The Cognac region contains six wine growing regions, two of the most important are Grande Champagne and Petit Champagne.
Only those brandies produced in Cognac, France, can be rightfully called Cognac. This is similar to the situation with sparkling wines. Only those sparkling wines produced in Champagne, France, can be rightfully called Champagne.
By law, no Cognac may be blended from spirits that are less than two years old. There are a number of different quality grades for Cognac --
VS, or Three Star: may contain brandies that are as young as three years old, but may contain some older reserve blends.
VSOP (Very Special Old Pale): A five-star brandy, since the youngest spirit in the blend must be aged a minimum of 4½ - 5 years. Most, though, are aged between 7 and 10 years. Cognac develops its caramel color through wood-aging, but oftentimes caramel coloring is added to create a darker and richer looking blend.
XO (Extra old): the youngest Cognac is the blend must be at least six years old. Some Cognac houses have their own names for brandies of this type such as Cordon Bleu (Martell) or Paradis (Hennessey). Most name brand distillations are aged between 15 and 20 years.
The finest Cognac in my liquor collection is an unopened bottle of Courvoisier V.O.C. bottled in a Baccarat crystal decanter. The youngest blend in this Cognac is probably at least 40 years old. Some elements in this blend are reputed to be 100 years old.
Remy Martin V.S.O.P. Cognac
--------------------------------------------------
This is an 80 Proof (40% alcohol by volume) spirit.
Color: deep caramel color;.
Nose: classic Cognac tones... deep fruit, honey, raisin, and vanilla tones.
Flavor: Deep, rich, somewhat sweet, lightly herbal. A very slight burn but it is almost welcomed and definitely not off-balanced. Finishes clean, with some weight.
Price and Availability
--------------------------------------------------
This Cognac is widely distributed and should be available at most well-stocked liquor stores through North America. Expect to pay about $38 U.S. for a 750 ml bottle.
Recommendations
--------------------------------------------------
This is one of the finest V.S.O.P. Cognacs on the market. It is a benchmark brandy. I've been a fan of this Cognac for nearly 20 years now. I enthusiastically recommend this Cognac to others.
I never, ever, mix V.S.O.P. Cognac (or higher grades like X.O. [Extra Old] or V.O.C. [Very Old Cognac]) with soft drinks or mixers. Cognac of this quality is meant to be consumed at room temperature or may be served in a heated snifter, if you are adept in the art -- but I really don't recommend this practice. The simple warmth from your hand, as it holds the body of the brandy glass, is enough. Always serve "neat" with no ice or other liquids. I never dip my cigars in Cognac.
Hennessey, Remy Martin, Courvoisier and Martell V.S.O.P. Cognacs are all excellent and rank among my favorite brands.
100ml (3¼ ounces) of Cognac is a very healthy serving size. Let's call that two servings... one serving for after the meal, and one serving with one's cigar.
Recommended:
Yes
Price ($US, 750 ml or standard size): 38.00
If one were to offer me any kind of spirit -- Bourbon, Scotch, Tequila, whatever I wanted -- I would almost always pick an old Cognac or Armagnac. There is no Bourbon or single malt Scotch that I prefer in favor of a good V.S.O.P. Cognac.
What is Cognac?
--------------------------------------------------
Simple enough, Cognac is brandy. It is a grape based spirit that is distilled from a thin, acidic wine. The wine, itself, is awful tasting; but when it is boiled and distilled, and given a few years of aging in Limousin oak, the end product is spectacular. The term brandy is derived from the German word Gebranntwein, which means "burnt wine." The name Cognac, itself, is taken from the town of Cognac and the Cognac growing region on the western side of France. The Cognac region contains six wine growing regions, two of the most important are Grande Champagne and Petit Champagne.
Only those brandies produced in Cognac, France, can be rightfully called Cognac. This is similar to the situation with sparkling wines. Only those sparkling wines produced in Champagne, France, can be rightfully called Champagne.
By law, no Cognac may be blended from spirits that are less than two years old. There are a number of different quality grades for Cognac --
VS, or Three Star: may contain brandies that are as young as three years old, but may contain some older reserve blends.
VSOP (Very Special Old Pale): A five-star brandy, since the youngest spirit in the blend must be aged a minimum of 4½ - 5 years. Most, though, are aged between 7 and 10 years. Cognac develops its caramel color through wood-aging, but oftentimes caramel coloring is added to create a darker and richer looking blend.
XO (Extra old): the youngest Cognac is the blend must be at least six years old. Some Cognac houses have their own names for brandies of this type such as Cordon Bleu (Martell) or Paradis (Hennessey). Most name brand distillations are aged between 15 and 20 years.
The finest Cognac in my liquor collection is an unopened bottle of Courvoisier V.O.C. bottled in a Baccarat crystal decanter. The youngest blend in this Cognac is probably at least 40 years old. Some elements in this blend are reputed to be 100 years old.
Remy Martin V.S.O.P. Cognac
--------------------------------------------------
This is an 80 Proof (40% alcohol by volume) spirit.
Color: deep caramel color;.
Nose: classic Cognac tones... deep fruit, honey, raisin, and vanilla tones.
Flavor: Deep, rich, somewhat sweet, lightly herbal. A very slight burn but it is almost welcomed and definitely not off-balanced. Finishes clean, with some weight.
Price and Availability
--------------------------------------------------
This Cognac is widely distributed and should be available at most well-stocked liquor stores through North America. Expect to pay about $38 U.S. for a 750 ml bottle.
Recommendations
--------------------------------------------------
This is one of the finest V.S.O.P. Cognacs on the market. It is a benchmark brandy. I've been a fan of this Cognac for nearly 20 years now. I enthusiastically recommend this Cognac to others.
I never, ever, mix V.S.O.P. Cognac (or higher grades like X.O. [Extra Old] or V.O.C. [Very Old Cognac]) with soft drinks or mixers. Cognac of this quality is meant to be consumed at room temperature or may be served in a heated snifter, if you are adept in the art -- but I really don't recommend this practice. The simple warmth from your hand, as it holds the body of the brandy glass, is enough. Always serve "neat" with no ice or other liquids. I never dip my cigars in Cognac.
Hennessey, Remy Martin, Courvoisier and Martell V.S.O.P. Cognacs are all excellent and rank among my favorite brands.
100ml (3¼ ounces) of Cognac is a very healthy serving size. Let's call that two servings... one serving for after the meal, and one serving with one's cigar.
Recommended:
Yes
Price ($US, 750 ml or standard size): 38.00
posted by alexsakne at 5:31 AM
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