François Voyer 12yo Double Cask 42,7% (2026 release)

10 years of classic ageing, 2 years in Swiss oak (Bussigny forest), more precisely in a specific barrel made by Jean-Noël Pelletant, a renowned cooper.

Colour: Gold, orange lights. Irregular medium tears.

Nose: Bright profile with warm spiced notes. A refined spiciness, quite close to some mizunara whisky profiles. Fresh fruity notes follow, mainly raw plum and quince jam. Slightly rough oak in the background.

Palate: Oily texture, with a small amount of acidity. Lingering vanilla notes, hints of pear and almond. Easy on the palate, but I’m quite disturbed by this kind of oak, maybe a bit too sharp for a cognac, even more so for a chalky 12yo GC. Perhaps this type of wood would fit better with a FB or BB? Just my own hypothesis.

Last Notes: A few cereal notes surrounded by fresh waxy aromas. It remains quite sharp and angular with air. Hints of herbal notes on thyme and chive. Back on the palate, you get subtle umeshu-like notes.

Fresh and uncommonly spiced. Quite interesting, but I’m not a huge fan of this oak profile for cognac.

My very subjective note: 84+/100