Malternative Belgium Les Patissiers Bertrand MA 50 54,8%

MALTERNATIVE BELGIUM LES PATISSIERS BERTRAND MA 50 54,8%

Spiced Oddity

Good Morning Belgium! #2 (Part II)

We’re back in Petite Champagne, this time in Brissons de Laage estate. A 50yo+ cognac bottled at 54,8%! There’s already an OB 60yo P.C from Bertrand (a nice one by the way, very refined) bottled at 49,2%, so quite high for the cognac world. But 54,8%. That’s another level. So let’s see if it’s well-integrated in this venerable P.C. Here is the Malternative Belgium Les Patissiers!

Colour: Amber, gold lights. Very heavy regular tears. 

Nose: Impressive exotic notes of kiwi to begin with this Les Patissiers! A great mix of exotic fruits (kiwi, banana, young pineapple) and some French Indies rum earthy notes. Dry rancioted notes too. Very tobacco-y in fact. Hints of plums liquor and raisins with more air. It feels old for sure. A tad of umami notes on white mushrooms and strong tea scents. A definitive dryness on tobacco and dry cellars smells. 

Palate: Acidulous texture with a bit of acidity at the very end of your tongue. Dried fruits melted to buttery tones. Opulent acidity on young quinces. Heavy licorice aromas stuck to the palate. Young melon shades in the aftertaste. Very dry and spicy. Fresh menthol notes in the background.

Last Notes: Obvious cedarwood and tobacco notes.  Great quinces and acacia honey shades too. A tad of freshness on sandalwood and cardamom. Nice chocolate/moka notes too. Delicious toffee aromas back on the palate. The dryness previously perceived seems a bit smoother now but there’s still a strong spiciness on nutmeg and black pepper. Full of cocoa powder notes with its typical bitterness. Roasted hazelnut and mint chocolate in the aftertaste. 

Another style of P.C, far from Jurignac’s outstanding fruity bombs for example. This Malternative Belgium Les Patissiers from Réaux-Sur-Trègfle is darker, with a distinct dryness on tobacco. The ABV could be a bit lower in my humble opinion, but that’s the only shortcoming I see in this great P.C. 

My very subjective note: 89/100

More info on this Malternative Belgium Les Patissiers 

Thanks Pieter for this one