Little by little, we are reflecting on 2025, and the years that came before it, while still looking ahead into 2026. And in the Cognac region, beautiful things often emerge from the quieter moments. Made to be enjoyed at home, this re-released L’ESSENTIEL Prunier edition is an exceedingly old 50-year-old Fins Bois Cognac, available exclusively at Cognac Expert.
Let’s take this time to ralentir, réfléchir, réunir—slow down, reflect, and reconnect with those closest to us. In messy times marked by political and economic uncertainty, war and other challenging conflicts, these simple gestures feel more essential than ever.
Prunier cellarmaster Stéphane Brunez, working together with his daughters Claire and Alice Burnez, have bottled a Cognac aged for over half a century in oak casks. This very old Cognac has been reduced naturally, with no additions—not even water. It’s made with grapes harvested in the Fins Bois more than 50 years ago. The cognac has not been chill-filtered.
Family-run Cognac Prunier are masters of their craft. They know exactly when a Cognac has reached full aromatic potential and appreciate the subtleties of a particular terroir. The Fins Bois is characterized by a diverse range of soils, however L’ESSENTIEL comes from a predominantly limestone soil. Expect fruity, floral aromas that are both smooth, yet incredibly intense.
As a memory refresh, this same Cognac was first released back in 2020 as the second edition of the L’ESSENTIEL series. Recently, during a conversation with the Prunier family, we learned that the Cognac is in fact still available—just in very small quantities. While conducting an inventory deep in a far corner of their chai, they uncovered several dame-jeannes containing the exact same liquid used for the original release. Cognac is often transferred into glass dame-jeannes once it has reached its ideal maturity in oak; this halts further aging, preserving the spirit at its peak. Stéphane tasted these rediscovered dame-jeannes against the library bottle from the 2020 edition. As expected, they matched perfectly, an identical expression of the same time-stilled Cognac, patiently waiting in glass - until now.
By purchasing L’ESSENTIEL, you’ll be supporting the Cognac producer directly, and helping them to maintain their livelihood. The bottle will be shipped directly from the Cognac region to your door. We’re as enthusiastic as ever about supporting local Cognac makers, farming families, and exchanging our ideas with our neighbors.
Please note that this is not a formal return to the former L’ESSENTIEL series. Rather, the opportunity presented itself by chance, and knowing how deeply appreciated this Cognac was, both for its character and its striking retro visual presentation, we felt compelled to make it available once again. The bottle itself honors a time gone by, and features original artwork from the Prunier Cognac house.
