Cognac quality shines through at all levels
Patience Gould reviews this year’s Cognac Masters and finds that the standard, from the VSOP through to the Prestige class, was quite breathtaking
The day after the student riots in London was probably not the most propitious time to stage the Cognac Masters, particularly as the chosen rendezvous was the Cinnamon Club – a tad too close to the Houses of Parliament for absolute comfort! However it was Remembrance Day so there was a justifiable reverence in the air.
It was much the same as we settled down to the task of judging the Cognacs in this year’s Masters, particularly after the first flight – which was VSOP. The quality on the table was tangible and so much better than last year, when we were at pains to award even a medal – this time round there was a Master as it turned out for Tessendier’s Cognac Campagnere and a Gold for Rémy. Was this a sample of even greater things to come?
Happily it was and how! The XOs were next up and there were two Masters and three Golds – and the golden trio, namely Rémy Martin, Louis Royer and Hine, were inseparable even though they are very different styles of Cognac.
This was a first though for the Cognac Masters, as over half the Cognacs entered won a medal. Could this level of quality be maintained?
Well, yes as it happens. In the Superior class, which was easily the largest flight of the whole tasting, two Masters were awarded to Rémy’s Coeur de Cognac and Bache Gabrielsen’s Cognac Hors d’Age and two Golds for Jenssen’s Hors d’Age and Cognac De Luze’s Extra Grande Champagne. By this time superlatives were raining down – until one of the judges who will remain nameless said: “Just imagine how much these would cost at retail.”
That did bring us back down to planet earth, but we still had one flight to go – a new one for the Cognac Masters – Prestige, which was added in the light of the complexity of the eau de vie’s quality standards. Again it was two Masters’ for the Prestige Delamain Extra Grande and Tesseron’s Lot 29 XO Perfection and two Golds.
There was certainly a feeling of anti climax after we’d finished tasting, and the judges, me along with Keith Lyon and The Cinnamon Club’s Salvatore decided to finish proceedings with a Cafe Cognac (of our choice!). Interestingly we each selected a Cognac from the Prestige class – but I’m not say which one – for that would be telling!
There were medals aplenty in the Design & Packaging class too. Judged by the drinks business team, medals are not easily given – and a Master is extremely rare. So good to see Cognacs made the grade with a Master, two Golds and a Silver.
