Young’s Market Company’s Craft Spirits Specialists FROM THE BAR STOOL FROM YOUR LA CRAFT SPECIALISTS: November 2013 Issue No. 5 Our guide to new products, things we have learned, people we have met, places What’s New In Young’s Market we have visited, and upcoming events Company’s Craft Spirits Portfolio? that are getting us excited INSIDE Whats the Story? -Cognac Boutique Cognac & Brandy Portfolio -Delamain -Cognac Park -Tesseron -DeLuze -Germain Robin The -Maison Surrenne -Leopold Raffin -Remy Martin Cognac Edition [email protected] WHATS THE STORY? COGNAC! PAGE2 Cognac Named after the town of Cognac in France, is Cognac is made from fruit brandy, called eau a variety of brandy. It is produced in the wine- de vie in English, produced by double growing region surrounding the town from distilling the white wines produced in any of which it takes its name. the growth areas. For a distilled brandy to bear the name Grapes Cognac, an Appellation d'origine contrôlée, its production methods must meet certain legal The grapes produce a wine that is very dry, requirements. In particular, it must be made acidic, and thin, "virtually undrinkable", but from specified grapes, of which Ugni Blanc, is excellent for distillation and aging. Cognac the one most widely used at the present time. may be made only from a strict list of grape varieties, if it is to carry the name of one of The brandy must be twice distilled in copper the crus (ex. Delamain- Grand Cru) then it pot stills and aged at least two years in French must be at least 90% Ugni Blanc (known in oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. Italy as Trebbiano), Folle Blanche & Cognac matures in the same way as whiskies Colombard, and 10% lesser known varietals. and wine when aged in barrels, and most Cognacs which are not to carry the name of a cognacs are aged considerably longer than the cru are freer in the allowed grape varieties, minimum legal requirement. needing at least 90% Colombard, Folle Blanche, Jurançon blanc, Meslier Saint- The Cognac region six zones are: Grande François, Montils, Sémillon, or Ugni Blanc, and Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, up to 10% Folignan or Sélect. Fins Bois, Bon Bois, & Bois Ordinaire. Fermentation and distillation A blend of Grande and Petite Champagne Cognacs, with at least half coming from After the grapes are pressed, the juice is left Grande Champagne, is known as Fine to ferment for two or three weeks, with the Champagne. region's native, wild yeasts converting the sugar into alcohol; neither sugar nor sulfur may be added. Distillation takes place in traditionally shaped Alembic copper stills (pictured), the design and dimensions of which are also legally controlled. Two distillations must be carried out; the resulting eau-de-vie is a colorless spirit of about 70% alcohol. [email protected] WHATS THE STORY? COGNAC! PAGE3 Cognac Aging This blending, or marriage, of diferent eaux- de-vie is important to obtain a complexity of Once distillation is complete, it must be aged flavours absent from an eau-de-vie from a in oak for at least two years before it can be single distillery or vineyard. sold to the public. As the cognac interacts with the oak barrel and the air, it evaporates Cognac Classification at the rate of about three percent each year, slowly losing both alcohol and water. Because V.S. ("very special"), designates a blend in the alcohol dissipates faster than the water, which the youngest brandy has been stored cognac reaches the target 40% alcohol by for at least two years in cask. volume in about four or five decades, though V.S.O.P. ("very superior old pale") designates a lesser grades can be produced much sooner blend in which the youngest brandy is stored by diluting the cognac with water, which also for at least four years in a cask, but the makes its flavor less concentrated. Since oak average wood age is much older. barrels stop contributing to flavor after four or five decades, cognac is then transferred to XO ("extra old") designates a blend in which large glass carboys called bonbonnes or the youngest brandy is stored for at least six demijohns, then stored for future blending. years but on average for upwards of 20 years. In April 2016, the minimum storage age of the Blending youngest brandy used in an XO blend will be The age of the cognac is calculated as that of set to ten years. the youngest eau-de-vie used in the blend. Fun Fact: The names of the grades are in The blend is usually of diferent ages and (in English because the historical cognac trade, the case of the larger and more commercial particularly in the 18th century, significantly producers) from diferent local areas. involved the British. [email protected] COGNAC REGION! PAGE4 [email protected] DELAMAIN COGNAC ! PAGE5 The Art of Making Cognac [email protected] DELAMAIN COGNAC! PAGE6 Delamain Cognac GRAND CHAMPAGNE COGNAC Pale & Dry X.O. Tres Venerable A blend produced exclusively from Grande This blend of extremely old Champagne, the first cognac Grande Champagne cognacs growth, and aged for many has benefited from maximum long years, comes draped in barrel aging. It expresses all extremely bright, light amber the nobility of the truly great robes, clear and shot through eaux-de-vie when they reach with flashes of gold, that the peak of their development. subsequently reveal its remarkably delicate elegance and distinction. Vesper X.O. This Grande Champagne, older than the Pale & Dry X.O, has been crafted in a different, more classic style, with a more pronounced amber colour, with bright flashes of pure gold. [email protected] DELAMAIN COGNAC! PAGE7 Delamain Cognac GRAND CHAMPAGNE COGNAC EXTRA Reserve De La Famille Older than Pale & Dry XO and Vesper, the EXTRA de Grande Champagne shows deep Not a blend, but an eau-de-vie maturity and a full-bodied from a single barrel and from bouquet. It is the perfect a single estate. expression of an old Cognac from Grande Champagne. This cognac has benefited The EXTRA de Grande from maximum barrel ageing, Champagne is an original where by its alcoholic decanter, designed and blown strength has dropped for Delamain. The shield on the naturally, with only a simple decanter, comes from an adjustment to 43% vol. being original plate made by Henry required. Delamain in 1762 at his delftware factory in Dublin for The magnificent deep, old the wedding of his nephew amber colour is typical of James Delamain to Marie these extremely old cognacs. Ranson. The bouquet is powerful and long, offering a harmony of fragrances, with floral touches, a rarity for such an old cognac. [email protected] COGNAC PARK! PAGE8 Park VS Park VSOP Cognac Park VS highlights the remarkably Unlike any other VSOP, the unique fusion of unadulterated style typical of cognac Park while crisp flavors makes this cognac easy to drink providing a satisfying and enjoyable tasting and delectable. Crafted from select eaux-de- experience. Hand crafted in small batches, the vie intended to guarantee a distinguished result of an attentive production process results in final product, this cognac would suit the a young cognac of exceptional quality. One first desire for a VSOP of absolute elegant quality. encounters the combined aromas of dried spring A crisp bouquet of citrus flavors, caramelized flowers, caramelized apples, and macerated banana flambé, and freshly-picked wild cherries opening up into a structured yet delicate peaches flourishes to a pleasing marriage of palate, resulting in a perfectly robust and subtly jasmine and earl grey truly incomparable peered aftertaste. sensory experience. The luminous honey color and clarity of this cognac are indicative of its pure character. cognac PARK VS cognac PARK VSOP [email protected] COGNAC PARK! PAGE9 Park XO Park Borderies Single Vineyard The Park cognacs are produced in the heart of the This special blend hails exclusively from the Cognac vineyards among the most prestigious idyllic Borderies growing area of the Cognac estates. The eaux-de-vie are obtained after the region and has been carefully assembled to distillation of carefully selected and sorted wines highlight the delightful characteristics typical of and are then left to mature in oak barrels for many only the best Borderies cognacs, as seen through long years to produce at long last a cognac of its rich and bright apricot color. outstanding quality. Exemplifying the particular characteristics typical To craft the Park XO cognac, which has proved to of the Borderies growing area such as delicate be the best in its class, the cellar master made his floral aromas and a light palate, this cognac is a choice from a stock of no less than 15,000 oak smooth transition from a VSOP cognac to an XO barrels, forming a living encyclopedia of cognac, and has the combined aromas reminiscent of to produce the unique blend of this cognac. The apricots and vanilla with subtle notes of violets. It Park XO cognac comes in a deep amber color rich finishes by leaving a smooth, supple, long, and with intense flashes of gold. Its bouquet memorable taste. progressively blossoms to offer up aromas of dried apricot, almonds and wild blackberries. The carefully crafted blend aimed at offering a perfect balance makes this a truly unique cognac. cognac PARK Borderies cognac PARK XO [email protected] COGNAC PARK! PAGE10 Park XO Cigar Blend Park XO Extra Cognac Park XO Vieille Fine Champagne is The House of Tessendier, which has been producing made from exceptional grapes thus resulting in a cognacs ever since 1880, has painstakingly crafted the cognac of outstan- ding quality.