1805 Cognac Massougnes snapped up for £200k

What is thought to be one of the UK’s most expensive bottles of Cognac has sold for £200,000 (US$260,400) at London-based merchant Hedonism Wines.

The 1805 Cognac Massougnes bottling was supplied for the sale by Hermitage Cognacs, which acquired the spirit 20 years ago from Marie-Antoinette des Allées, whose family owns the former Cognac producing estate that created the expression.

Hermitage managing director, David Baker, said: “In over 30 years of buying and selling Cognac, this 1805 is one of the oldest and rarest I have ever come across. Massougnes produced historically famous Cognacs pre-Phylloxera, and we have dated their records back to at least 1730, making them the oldest known growers and sellers of brandies.

“At its peak, the property covered 346 hectares, and Marie-Antoinette, who is the last remaining descendant of this famous family, has written a charming note about the ‘life’ of this extraordinary Cognac, which was created in the same year as the Battle of Trafalgar.”

In 2015 Brandyclassics sold a bottle of Massougnes 1805 for more than £140,000 (US$182,000). At the time of the sale, the expression was described as having a “light hazel nut flavour” combined with straw and grassy notes, as well as herbaceous and wood tones.