Forgive the potential OT post, but with Arnold behind the proverbial wheel, Napa's bound to follow suit. Anyway, I have tried but one cognac, very run-o-the-mill, VSOP Courvassier. (sp?!) It is gone, and I would like to replace it with something else. I live in Utah, but will be in Vegas in a month or two where the moral code is, er, different...below is a list of bottles available in Utah, but suggestions otherwise are welcome, given the circumstances. And are these priced fairly? Thanks. John
Hine Rare VSOP $41 Frapin VSOP $51 Kelt VSOP $53 Prunier Family Reserve $61 Delamain XO $72 Ferrand Cigarel er Cru $90
I don't a lot of experience with Cognac, but I have been impressed with ones from Pierre Ferrand. I've never tried the Cigarel, but the ambre, reserve and Selection des Anges were tasty and a better QPR than the typical Courvoisier, Hennessey, Martell and Remy Martin that I usually see in stores.
You don't say what you like or don't like in a cognac. Courvoisier VSOP is a reasonable example of the breed, aimed at a mass market, nose-to-nose with Hennessey, Martell, and Remy-Martin. They all shoot for about $35-40 for VS and $45-50 for VSOP in the US. There are also XO versions of each marque that run around $100.
I've enjoyed the Hine "Rare & Delicate" for several years. It's a very light style of cognac that doesn't burn the hair out of your nostrils if you swirl and sniff and doesn't attack your taste buds like an early morning napalm strike. Many, however seek a more intense experience.
Kelt is quite good, but the "Tour du Monde" business seems to be so much marketing hype. Do they really ship it around the world on a boat to have the sea voyage pitching and rolling massage the flavors into smooth drinkability? Well, if driving the right car can make me attractive to the right girl, I suppose I'll swallow that one as well.
The Delamain XO is a more intense experience and certainly inexpensive for an XO. But, does it have the smoothness on the palate to accompany the deeper flavors? I'd opt for a higher priced sip if I were into XO.
You might explore other options for similar drinks. I like Larrisingle Armagnac, particularly the XO and I'm a great fan of Spanish (not Mexican) brandies. Commonly available are Carlos I at about $40 and my current favorite, Cardenal Mendoza at about $45.
If you're just trying new things, splurge and go for an XO level. (Not always specifically called "XO", and all XO's are certainly not alike) Might as well see what "good" cognac really is. (or isn't) Prices will vary a lot, from $50 to $100. There isn't much on the internet in the way of recommendations so you're pretty much left to trying things on your own. Best value I found was Planat XO at about $40, which I like as well as anything at $100. The brands you listed are well-known. The Ferrand is supposed complement Cigars - I'm not quite sure how they tweak it for that.
You allude to Napa in your post . . . well last year a Napa brandy distiller (RMS Distillery) closed up shop when one of the parents (Remy Martin) pulled the plug on the operation a little over a year ago. The RMS XO always intrigued me . . . it was from 100% pinot noir, 10 years in the barrel. You might find some still in dsitribution . . . but probably hard to find. The distillery site was purchased by Beringer, who intends to put some winery there (what label I do not know).
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