Category — Cognac

In 1738, King Louis XV issued the Accord Royal, which decreed that only Rémy Martin could plant new vines on his land.  Rémy Martin’s 1738 Accord Royal cognac was created to commemorate the year and the honor.

Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal is a Fine Champagne Cognac, which means that the eaux-de-vie selected come from the two best growth areas of the Cognac region – the Grande Champagne and the Petite Champagne.  The cognac is a blend of nearly 240 eaux-de-vie aged between four and 20 years in Limousin oak barrels.

I’ve remained pretty ambivalent about cognac over the years, and other than a handful of tastings and some recent, ill-fated brushes with Hennessy Black and Conjure, I’ve merely dabbled in the category.  Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal might change that a bit, as I like this stuff.  A lot.

The copper-colored spirit is bursting with oak and candied fruit on the nose, plus chocolate and a hint of cinnamon.  The bouquet is very well balanced, with each scent folded into the next.  Upon tasting 1738, I found lots of oak, more fruit and some light floral notes playing in the background.  It remains very smooth and round on the palate, and the finish is absurdly long.

All in all, I like it.  You could mix Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal into a Sidecar or numerous other cocktails calling for cognac, but with something that’s such a smooth sipping spirit, why bother?

Stats:
- 40% Alcohol by Volume
- $50

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I recently sat down with Chris “Ludacris” Bridges in Dallas to discuss his cognac, Conjure.  As the majority owner of Conjure, Ludacris went to France in early 2009 to research his new cognac. He spent time with Birkedal Hartmann’s master blender, and the pair used more than 40 types of brandy before deciding upon a combination that reflected the rapper/actor’s taste.

Here’s a sampling of what Ludacris had to say about Conjure:

Q: What got you interested in producing your own cognac?

I’ve been a cognac drinker for a long time.  Louis XIII was pretty much my favorite, so I wanted to make something that was as close to Louis XIII as possible, but for a way more affordable price.

Q. How involved were you in the production process?

I went to France to help handcraft it because I want everybody to feel like they’re part of the experience when they buy a bottle. I’m not just another celebrity attaching my name to something; I’m actually invested in it. It’s one VS, one VSOP and one XO cognac all mixed together. That’s why it’s so smooth. It’s higher quality cognac for a better price.

Q: Who do you imagine drinking your cognac?

Just like my fan base, it’s extremely versatile.  There is no limit.  As I like to say, it’s the "new brown in town."  There’s no one demographic. If I had to say, it’s for the sophisticated, luxurious, innovative individual who’s creative and is not afraid to take a chance on something.

After sampling the cognac neat in a snifter, Ludacris encouraged me to mix it with some pineapple juice and ice. Not normally my thing, but sure. The result was actually pretty good, in a very-drinkable-and-tastes-like-juice kind of way.  As a sipping brandy, I found it too sweet, overly fruity and lacking balance, but it works as a mixing spirit, which is how I imagine most people will consume Conjure. 

Today Hennessy announced the nationwide release of Hennessy Black.  Already debuted in select cities in 2009, this lighter, more floral cognac is aimed at the young, mixed drink crowd, rather than Hennessy’s establishment of sippers.

From Hennessy –

Hennessy, the number one selling cognac in the world, today announced the nationwide availability of Hennessy Black, marking the company’s first major product introduction in the United States in nearly 50 years.  Hennessy Black will differ from the brand’s existing line as a highly versatile, “done different” cognac, transitioning from being enjoyed as a sipping drink alone to being the main ingredient in a variety of mixed drinks, similar to tequila and vodka. Hennessy Black was introduced in 2009 in select cities, but beginning this month, will be available nationwide.  To support the release of Hennessy Black, the brand will aim to reach young, hip consumers through dance and music in high-energy settings across the country.

Packaged in a sleek, bold, black bottle, Hennessy Black is a versatile blend of 35 to 45 unique, pale and gold colored eaux-de-vie selected for their elegant floral characteristics, subsequently aged in French oak barrels for at least five years. Hennessy Black’s gentler wood influence results in a different expression of Hennessy cognac: lighter and fresher with scents of jasmine, daffodils and orange flowers that are delicately mixed with hints of citrus, honey, and fresh grapes. This unique combination of ingredients creates a distinctively smooth cognac with surprising finesse, balance and floral notes.

The new Hennessy Black will be available at the top bars and nightclubs nationwide. The suggested retail price per 750ml bottle is $39.99.

Have you gotten your hands on a bottle?  Weigh in with some thoughts below.

Recently 30 booze experts tasted 1,024 premium spirits for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.  Entries represented 58 countries and six continents.  Some winners are noted below.

Premium Awards

Distillery of the Year – Glenmorangie Distillery
Importer of the Year – Moët Hennessy USA
Best in Show, White – Trago Silver Tequila ($40)
Best in Show, Whisky – Isle of Jura Prophecy ($70)
Best in Show, Brandy – Père Magloire 20 Year Old Calvados ($100)
Best in Show, Liqueur – Grand Marnier 100th Anniversary ($135)

“Best of” Awards

Vodka – Chase ($40)
Flavored Vodka – Rain Organics Cucumber Lime ($21)
Gin – Beefeater 24 ($30)
Rum – Vizcaya VXOP Solera  ($38)
Extra-Aged Rum – Pusser’s 15 Year Old ($55)
Cachaça – Leblon ($30)
Reposado Tequila – Trago Reposado ($45)
Añejo Tequila – El Jimador Añejo ($30) and Mujer Bonita Añejo ($25) – TIE
Mescal – El Zacatecano Añejo Mescal ($42)
Bourbon – Elijah Craig Single Barrel ($40)
Canadian Whiskey – Seagrams VO ($23)
Irish Whiskey – Bushmills 1608 ($100)
Blended Scotch – The Grand Bark Equinoxe ($55)
Single Malt Scotch – Ardbed Single Malt ($85)
Armagnac – Comte de Lauvia 21 Year Old ($35)
Pisco – Pisco O Torontel ($35)
Cream Liqueur – Godiva White Chocolate ($30)

More info here – www.sfspiritscomp.com

On rare occasions Christie’s auction house does something that makes me pay attention, like hock pricey bottles of hooch.  On November 14, Christie’s will auction off upwards of $2 million worth of wines and spirits, including select bottles of whiskey, cognac, armagnac and champagne, plus the very rare 1964 Bowmore Trilogy.

The Black, White and Gold Bowmore whiskies were aged below sea level at Bowmore’s Islay distillery for 42, 43 and 44 years, respectively. For their trouble, the trio of bottles is predicted to sell for up to $24,000.

Other highlights include a 100 year old armagnac from Baron de Sigognac, estimated at up to $3,000, and a ceramic demijohn of British Imperial Rum sourced from the last remaining stores of the Royal Navy, estimated to go for $4,500 – $6,000.

Opportunities to procure such fine spirits are scarce, so isn’t it time to cash in your kid’s college fund and invest in your future.

[via Duncan Quinn]

The Cable Car cocktail is a variation of the classic Sidecar.  But while the Sidecar dates back to World War I, the Cable Car is a recent creation, as far as drinks go, and was created in 1996 by Tony Abou-Ganim as a signature cocktail for the Starlight Room, a cocktail lounge in San Francisco’s Sir Francis Drake Hotel.

The Sidecar uses cognac as its base spirit, while the Cable Car opts for spiced rum, namely, Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum.  The Sidecar also calls for Cointreau, and the Cable Car calls for orange Curacao.  I’ve crafted this drink with both orange liqueurs, and was pleased with the results of each, but in general I stick with Tony’s original recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
3/4 ounce orange Curacao
1 1/2 ounces fresh lemon sour (to create lemon sour, mix two parts fresh lemon juice with one part simple syrup)

Directions:

Shake all ingredients with ice, and strain into a cinnamon sugar rimmed cocktail glass.  Garnish with an orange spiral.

The Vieux Carré was born sometime prior to 1937 in New Orleans at what would later become the Carousel Bar at the Monteleone Hotel.  According to Ted Haigh’s Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, the cocktail was named for the old French term for New Orleans’s French Quarter—le Vieux Carré—which means “The Old Square.”

Ingredients:

1 ounce rye whiskey
1 ounce cognac
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1/2 teaspoon Benedictine
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Stir all ingredients with ice, then strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass.  Garnish with a twist of lemon.

The sidecar is one of six basic drinks listed in David Embury’s The  Fine Art of Mixing Drinks.

Comprised of just cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice, the proportions of each ingredient have changed with time. The original drink is cited as having contained equal parts of all three components, which yields a sweeter drink than the one listed below, while David Embury recommends eight parts cognac, two parts Cointreau and one part lemon juice, creating a strong, less sweet cocktail.

However you prefer to make it, this classic cocktail is a refreshing drink that has endured the test of time. Though its origin is debated, it’s believed to have been first created around the end of World War I, perhaps in London but more likely in Paris. But regardless of its origin, it became a signature drink in Paris and was supposedly a favorite of Hemingway’s post-war crowd of American expatriates in the 1920s. Speaking of Paris, if you’re ever in the city and you don’t like money, visit the Ritz Paris, where you can plunk down $515 for a sidecar made with the extremely rare 1865 Ritz Reserve cognac.

Ingredients:

1 ½ ounces cognac
¾ ounce Cointreau
¾ ounce lemon juice

Directions:

Rub rim of chilled cocktail glass with lemon juice and dip rim in sugar. Shake all ingredients with cracked ice and then strain into cocktail glass.