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Francois Voyer Extra Cognac Limited Edition
Highly Recommended 87 /100
- Cognac age
- Hors d'Age
- Growth area
- Grande Champagne
- Bottle size
- 700ml
- ABV
- 43%
Taylor C.
Reviews written: 41 (see reviews)
Average Score given: 86
Review Overview: Best & Most rated, All Reviewers & Reviews
Bio:
French wine, and the concept of terroir, captured my interest early on. Naturally, curiosity took me to spirits, in particular Cognac. Today I'm proud to be a member of the Cognac Expert team managing B2B projects, working on Cognac Expert Originals, and writing bottle reviews for the English Blog. I love to taste anything and everything - rum/rhum, whisky(ey), Armagnac, etc. - but no other spirit grabs my attention quite like Cognac, and all of its subtleties and nuance. Santé !
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Francois Voyer Extra Cognac Limited Christmas Edition
Highly Recommended 88 /100
Eye: The Cognac pours a bright amber color, with some orange reflections. Gently coating the glass walls reveals many thick legs that slowly parade down the glass. While this is clearly no cask strength beast, it does seem to have an elevated viscosity.
Nose: The nose takes some time to get going. While smelling the Cognac over its first minutes, it’s evident that a handful of notes are lurking but only slowly unfolding, rising up out of the glass. I’m reminded of what Youtube’s famous whisky and spirits commentator Ralfy says, “A minute in the glass for each year in the cask.” Well, if this is a 30 year old spirit, then patience is required for things to unfold. And do they ever...
After some time, I smell tingly autumn spices. A mental image of a warm spicy pumpkin pie flashes through my mind. Imagine some orange zest sprinkled on that pumpkin pie too, which contributes a bright citrus note. I smell quince paste - a recent discovery of mine - and fine artisanal apricot jam. There is some fresh grated vanilla for sure and a fragrant precious wood smell. So the nose has a lovely balance of fruit, spice, and perfumed wood. In short, the Cognac smells like a Cognac of exceptional balance. I should also add that the empty glass reveals a creamy milk chocolate note.
Palate: In the mouth yes this is indeed a more spice-focused Cognac, but the spice does not contribute any abrasive heat. There is a gently warming tingle from these spices which stays firmly in a comfortable zone. I get cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg in an equally proportioned blend. There are some orange peel or orange zest notes too, which add a certain youthfulness, and then under the spice and citrus is a layer of the quince paste and apricot jam. It’s almost as if the flavors arrive in waves with each sip: spices arrive first, then the fragrant woodiness, then a cushion of the aforementioned fruits behind it all. Everything comes off as in total balance. The Cognac is classy and elegant but not dainty. It is flavor-rich more than it is texturally-rich. There is drive thanks to the 43% ABV, which heightens those flavors and sensations and carries them from the entry into the finish.
Finish: As expected, the finish is long but certainly not eternal. The flavors linger on the center of my tongue for a decent amount of time before departing and forcing me to take another sip. As this is not a cask strength Cognac, I do not get any bitter note or tannic grip on the finish. My teeth do not feel as if they've been stained, and my cheeks do not cling to my teeth. Everything is just so comfortable, so pleasant. The blend is dialed in and complex, yet accessible.
Tags
Flavour
Tasting
Nose
What aromas do you get when you sniff the Cognac? Do you get hints of fruits or flowers - perhaps it's sweet? Is it intense or rather flat - and most importantly, is the nose coherent to taste and finish? The nose is the most important part when tasting Cognac.
22/25
What aromas do you get when you sniff the Cognac? Do you get hints of fruits or flowers - perhaps it's sweet? Is it intense or rather flat - and most importantly, is the nose coherent to taste and finish? The nose is the most important part when tasting Cognac.
Mouth
A small sip: Allow your taste buds in the various areas of your mouth to distinguish the different flavours. This part of cognac tasting is described as ‘the palate’. Don’t just swallow it down; allow the liquid to touch all the regions of the mouth. Doing this is necessary as the taste buds pick up contrasting flavours in the different areas of the mouth; on the tip of your tongue to the sides, for example. Take a tiny sip to prep your palate for the sensory experience to come. Take a second larger sip, and gently roll the cognac around, etting it come into contact with every corner of your mouth. Focus on the perceived textural sensations. Are the sensations round and rich or fresh and elegant? Is the overall mouthfeel intense, balanced, disjointed, or lacking presence? In short, how does the cognac feel in your mouth?
18/20
A small sip: Allow your taste buds in the various areas of your mouth to distinguish the different flavours. This part of cognac tasting is described as ‘the palate’. Don’t just swallow it down; allow the liquid to touch all the regions of the mouth. Doing this is necessary as the taste buds pick up contrasting flavours in the different areas of the mouth; on the tip of your tongue to the sides, for example. Take a tiny sip to prep your palate for the sensory experience to come. Take a second larger sip, and gently roll the cognac around, etting it come into contact with every corner of your mouth. Focus on the perceived textural sensations. Are the sensations round and rich or fresh and elegant? Is the overall mouthfeel intense, balanced, disjointed, or lacking presence? In short, how does the cognac feel in your mouth?
Taste
Quite simply, what do you taste as you gently roll the cognac around in your mouth? Pay close attention to any flavors of fruits, flowers, oak, and spices - or a complex combination of those elements. Are the flavors cohesive with the Nose and the Mouth, giving a sense of balance and complexity?
23/25
Quite simply, what do you taste as you gently roll the cognac around in your mouth? Pay close attention to any flavors of fruits, flowers, oak, and spices - or a complex combination of those elements. Are the flavors cohesive with the Nose and the Mouth, giving a sense of balance and complexity?
Finish
The ‘finish’ is the experience you get after you’ve swallowed the cognac. What flavours can you detect? Is it a flat or rough finish and rather sharp, or is it a slight 'punch' you like? How long does the finish last? Also think about overall balance: How does the finish compare to nose and taste?
17/20
The ‘finish’ is the experience you get after you’ve swallowed the cognac. What flavours can you detect? Is it a flat or rough finish and rather sharp, or is it a slight 'punch' you like? How long does the finish last? Also think about overall balance: How does the finish compare to nose and taste?
Overall Impression
Consider the Nose, Mouth, Taste, and Finish simultaneously - the cognac as a whole. Is there cohesion between the four categories, or does the cognac shine in some areas and appear dull in others? Quite simply, is the memory from the tasting experience one that will last your lifetime; is the memory good but nothing extraordinary; or is the cognac’s impact entirely forgettable?
8/10
Consider the Nose, Mouth, Taste, and Finish simultaneously - the cognac as a whole. Is there cohesion between the four categories, or does the cognac shine in some areas and appear dull in others? Quite simply, is the memory from the tasting experience one that will last your lifetime; is the memory good but nothing extraordinary; or is the cognac’s impact entirely forgettable?
Total: 88/100
- 80-84: Recommended
- 85-89: Highly Recommended
- 90-95: Exceptional
- 96-100: Superlative