Notes: The youngest expression in a long line of cognacs , the others being 1840 Original Formula .Reserve, Reserve Dieux, Selection de Anges, Abel, Ancestrale, and their most prestigious Memoires (Vintages 1914,1970,1971,1973) all the cognacs use only Grand Champagne grapes – many others in the industry only use them in their much more expensive bottlings.

Double distilled in somewhat unusual onion headed copper pot cognac / alembic stills from a base wine with lees (similar to beer with lees -meaning aged unfiltered with particles of wine it in to give it more flavor and depth) it is then aged in French Limousin Oak casks until ready to be blended. Please see our adventure section to see photos of the still, barrel aging and vineyards of these small but amazing cognac house.Twice-distilled in copper alembic pot stills and aged in French oak casks.

Appearance: Attractive golden wheat/dark straw gold color, leaves thin coat on swirling. Could be mistaken for a young  bourbon in color. On swirling it starts with a scalloped edgeline then forms very thin legs or tears.

First Impression: Pears, citrus, caramel, violets, heirloom roses, and some oak and tobacco. A slightly sweet, and intoxicating to the nose and palete. Quite distinctive but understated somewhat light and aromatic, almost delicate, nose to it. Not the usual fruit bomb you find in many more common cognacs.

Taste: Delicate and refined, with intense notes of pear, tree fruits, vanilla, and to a lesser degree of nutmeg, cinnamon and oak. Lovely warm lingering finish is long and downright sensual.

Drinks: We tried the drinks mentioned on the website, all of them were good, if not exciting. Worked well in a Black Pagoda (basically a brandy Manhattan -see Gary Regan’s Bartenders Bible) and everything else we tried. Subtle, nuanced and delicious in anything we made with it. Also works well in a Mary Rocketts Milk Punch or many other brandy punches and simple brandy cocktails. Also delicious in a coffee, particularly Ethiopian or s similar light roast- takes the edge of the caffiene in the morning.

Bottle:Major redo on the bottle/makeover from the original ( to us anyway ) Simple clear glass but with a dimpled finish, with smooth midsection  area for the main label and a deep ridged punt on the bottle ( enough to use for a shaped charge) with the Ferrand  on the front and France on the back.Parchment style and yellow/orange colored label with clipped corners , embossed printing and lots of script with gold accents and black  and black letters harks back to a mid to late 1800’s look making for a nice appearance generally. Also has a decorative seal type medallion going the two ends of the wrap around label that declares the Grand Champagne AOC of the contents. Decorative touches molded into the lip of the bolt which is topped with a large round wooden stopped that is decoratively grooved and makes for a better grip Along with silkscreened information informing the reader that the cognac is made from 1st Cru Grande Champagne grapes (heart of cognac growing area, best there is basically).

Other: Very nice with a shade wrapper cigar, smaller one, or maybe a cigarillo.

Final Thoughts: Almost a polar opposite in terms of style from most of the mass marketed brands – a very lovely delicate yet complex cognac- especially for the money. If I was asked to guess the age and price I would have doubled both. Outstanding! On reflection, the difference between it and the more familiar cognacs in America is similar to the differences between a California Red fruit bomb type wine and a old style Bordeaux – one (IMHO) is brash and overdone, the other is subtle complex, lovely and nuanced – your choice.

Website: http://www.pierreferrandcognac.com/en

A quick-loading, somewhat informative website but somewhat lacking on details at times. Straight-forward and easy-to-navigate.