Three cognacs from 1971, 1967 and 1920 tasted during the Cognac Festival. A rare opportunity to compare old Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Grande Champagne profiles from different decades, and to explore how time, terroir and cellar style shaped each expression. Let’s go!
Remi Landier Tres Vieux Fins Bois
Distilled in 1971, this Tres Vieux Fins Bois is a good opportunity to taste a specific terroir from the northern part of this cru: Rouillac, very close to Foussignac and Neuvicq-le-Chateau.
Colour: Dark amber with orange lights. Medium irregular tears.
Nose: Full of exotic fruit at first: passion fruit, mango juice. Candied citrus follows. Very expressive profile. Hints of watermelon. Fresh spice on cardamom. Light wood notes on cigar box.
Palate: Extra-oily texture. Quince jam with a touch of acidity in the aftertaste. Nice acidulous notes on bergamot sweets. Nutty aromas in a second wave, almond paste in particular. Finishes on jasmine and lychee.
Last Notes: Juicy tangerine, hard cider. Quince jam reappears. Slightly more wood influence, mainly on pine needle. Tropical shades echoing the nose. Ends on gentle clove and anise.
Remarkable old Fins Bois, elegant and fun at the same time. I only miss a bit more depth to reach 89. A nice overview of what kind of bold cognacs this part of the cru is able to deliver.
88/100
A .de Vacqueur Bons Bois Lot 67 52,4% (cask sample)
You’ve probably heard about that one with TTG bottling. They brought a cask sample for the Cognac Festival, giving me a chance to taste it again (and finally review it).
Colour: Dark amber with orange lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Massive rancio at first. Exotic fruits: papaya, passion fruit. Slight musky tones. Heady citrus, mainly on orange zest infusion and yuzu liqueur. Rustic background shades. A few malted notes on blonde beer and muesli.
Palate: Oily texture. Great acidulous shades: melon jam, cola sweets. Extreme vegetal freshness on freshly cut grass and eucalyptus. Not the first old Bons Bois to lean this way. Slight imprecision in the length, but a truly funky palate. Powerful earthy notes (clay), a bit like eating the court at Nadal’s prime.
Last Notes: Lingering grassy tones. Earthy/yuzu shades. Intense black tea. Vine peach. Rare level of funkiness. Back on the palate: a surprisingly high acetate level for a Bons Bois. Ends on marijuana and freshly cut thuya (never smoked, never eaten).
Many imperfections, but a very high funk factor, making it hard to score. Technically around 85, emotionally closer to 90.
88+100
A. de Vacqueur Grande Champagne Lot 20 45,2% (cask sample)
Yes. 1920. Around a century of ageing. It was great to see some producers bringing such venerable material to the first Cognac Festival, a gesture that clearly speaks to a more geek-oriented audience.
Colour: Amber with golden lights. Medium irregular tears.
Nose: Slightly honeyed. Earthy tones. Deep nutty notes blended with ample tea-ish scents. Undeniable complexity, but lacking expression and precision for now. Quite shy, possibly gasping for air.
Palate: Oily texture with peppery notes: nutmeg, black pepper. Light fruitiness on banana jam and raisins. Ample leathery tones followed by soft tannins.
Last Notes: Delicate floral shades with air. Fragile yet vivid. A spoonful of acacia honey. Warm spice: caraway, ras-el-hanout. Back on the palate, the same structural disconnect appears: beautiful fragility, but something in the architecture doesn’t fully align. An obvious lack of precision and depth imho.
Fascinating in many ways, after all, this is a 1920 cognac! But the discrepancy between nose and palate prevents it from reaching higher scores.
84+/100
Once again, several producers brought remarkable material to the Cognac Festival, making it possible to taste cognacs of a level and age rarely accessible. A great reminder of how much history still lies in certain cellars, and how valuable it is when they choose to share it.
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