Cognacs are another category of spirits that have always held a special place in my heart, though I’ve rarely had the chance to properly venture into it given that one rabbit hole (specifically rums) has been rather damaging enough for my wallet. But thankfully over the last year or two I have had the opportunity to taste some exquisite cognacs, particularly single casks that were bottled for independent bottlers and exhibited traits that set them apart from the standard or mainstream releases.

Thus I was rather pleased when @joeb0urb0n brought along a cognac that was distilled and bottled by @cognac_vallein_tercinier for @preciousliquors, a Petite Champagne from 1985, aged for 35 years in French oak casks, before bottling at cask strength of 51% abv and an outturn of 570 bottles. Though before I go into the tasting itself, I’d want to put it out there that I’d be writing about the Lot 85 based solely on how it tasted to me, without relating back to the terroir of Petite Champagne, or comparing against the regular cognacs by Vallein Tercinier, given my little experience with cognacs in general.

The nose was such a delight, with a rather uniquely metallic nose and slight flashes green right at the beginning. Then it mellowed down tremendously, developing into a luscious, thick bouquet dominated by purple fruits, dried prunes, ripe red grapes, and a hint of apricots. But perhaps most interesting was this bit of plastic note that I do sometimes come across in spirits, which was surprisingly pleasing as strange as that might sound.

The palate was equally delicious, packed with intensity, a big, round body, laced with juicy grapes, a hint of burnt caramel that might have been overdone ever so slightly. The middle brought with it a soft sweetness, marshmallows came to mind, even a bit of hay if I might say so. And the finish was long, fruity still, yet a notch lighter and fresher than before, giving it a nice lift right at the end.

Unquestionably, this Lot 85 was my favourite spirit of the evening by far. Something about its complexity, how it tasted, and its unique combination of tasting notes worked perfectly, and perhaps the only thing thats really holding me back from getting a bottle is cupboard space, a truly rare commodity in the world of spirit collectors.

Image Courtesy of @weixiang_liu