André Petit VSOP Cognac

A Delicate VSOP Beauty: Andre Petit VSOP

The Andre Petit VSOP Cognac is an excellent quality VSOP to own, and one that represents good value for money. It is a mellow Cognac with vanilla aromas from the old wooden casks - and is beautifully delicate. Although it is classified as a VSOP, the youngest element of the blend is 8 years old, and it reaches up to 15 years of age. It is a multi-terroir Cognac, but is predominantly composed of grapes grown in the mixed soils of the Bons Bois terroir.

It is this very composition that exerts its own characteristics on the eaux-de-vie that hails from here. Sweet vanilla is dominant, but further aromas and flavors develop throughout the tasting process. This, as producer Jacques Petit reveals, is down to the careful balance between aging his eaux-de-vie in both older and newer casks. He uses the newer casks to give Cognac its color, for about half of the aging time, before transferring it to older casks. It is this transfer that gives a sweet vanilla, aromatic and balanced quality to the Cognac.

This Cognac has been produced following very old methods. The grapes are harvested by hand and distilled following the teachings of his grandparents. In the distillation, they do not use any machines to separate alcohol - they trust their noses alone. This family producer are wine growers who develop a Cognac with a pronounced style following their feelings and tastes.

Serving Suggestions

This VSOP can be enjoyed in a number of different ways. The traditional - neat, as a digestif, over ice for a subtle flavor difference, or combined with your favorite mixer to create a long drink on a hot summer's day. It's your Cognac - your choice. And for an introduction to the Cognacs of Andre Petit, this really is a great choice.