Distillerie du Peyrat Rare Prestige VSOP Cognac

Rare, prestigious, organic: Distillerie du Peyrat Rare Prestige VSOP Cognac

The Rare Prestige VSOP Cognac by Distillerie du Peyrat is an exquisite and organic blend of Fins Bois and some Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie with a minimum age of 7 years old. Limited production of 160,000 bottles a year, it boasts a wonderfully rich and complex flavor profile, with notes of leather perfumed by warming spices, prunes and sweet vanilla bean.

The family has been distilling in the Fins Bois region for over three hundred years, yet continue to innovate with their unique distillation processes and environmentally-friendly production methods.

This single distillery produced VSOP is certified organic, which means both planet and palate are protected from harsh chemicals that could impact your drinking experience. The Peyrat estate are known in the Fins Bois terroir as pioneers in organic Cognac production, the family was quick to realize the rewards that could be reaped by growing organic grapes, resulting in increased quality and more intense aromas.

The brand's environmental mission doesn't end there however, powered by solar energy, they insist on using local suppliers and their packaging is produced using recycled materials.

Unlike bigger brands, Peyrat opts to do things differently, turning their back on traditional methods of distillation and developing their own trademark "fatty distillation process" which offers a rounded mouthfeel with a pleasing "natural suppleness" to their eaux-de-vie.

The nearby neighboring river provides useful humidity to the estate's cellars, which proves essential in the maturation process by adding a level of finesse that other brands may never achieve. The VSOP is placed in new Limousin oak casks for one year before being transferred to older barrels for its remaining aging time.

The Distillerie du Peyrat Rare Presige VSOP Cognac is, as with all of the Cognacs from this house, certified as wholly organic.  Being a small concern, the house only produces around 160,000 bottles of this particular Cognac per year, each created from both Fins Bois and Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, making for a beautifully round, light taste sensation.

A VSOP quality, the youngest component in this blend is aged for a minimum of 7 years.  This is a great Cognac to enjoy in a variety of ways: neat, on the rocks, perhaps with a mixer or as a delicious component in a cocktail.  The bottle is attractive as well.

Awards:

In 2009, Paul Pacult, of The Spirit Journal, awarded this the 4 stars/Highly Recommended status.

How to Enjoy:

This VSOP can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, neat, on the rocks or perhaps as a base spirit for a refined cocktail. It's warming spice and stone fruit flavors make it the perfect ingredient in the classic-with-a-twist Cognac Manhattan cocktail.

Ingredients:

• 2 fl. oz of Peyrat Rare Prestige VSOP
• 0.75 fl. oz of Sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes of bitters.

Add the ingredients into a large glass filled with ice, stir for 30-50 seconds before straining into a martini glass. Garnish with a few maraschino cherries. To add a sweeter touch to the cocktail, stir in a little of the syrup from the cherries.

Presentation of the bottle:

The Rare Prestige VSOP bottle has a rustic and authentic feel to it with its visible cork stopper, the earthy and natural color scheme are a subtle nod to its organic production, featuring a signature seal of approval from the estate's cellar master. This bottle would be a delightful addition to any home bar or drinks cabinet, its sturdy and round design would sit nicely along others in your collection.