VSOP Selection Anee 41%
100% Uni Blanc
Tasted: Feb 2006
A high toned and floral nose, displaying a touch of youthful marc-like notes. Lovely depth with hints of earth/ manure and lightly grilled nuts. Very natural, rounded and full with a hint of beautiful orange fruit over time.
The palate is soft and youthful with a delicate druid fruit rancio and some floral marc-like notes. Full flavoured and elegant with a touch of orange fruit, a delightful nutty length and some peppery wood notes coming through on the finish, exiting with a slightly creamy after taste.
VSOP Selection Anee 41%
Re-Tasted: Mar 2015
Soft and elegant aromas of herbal dried grape, apricot and apple with a light baked fruit demeanour. Hints of pure vanilla pod and hyacinth emerge.
The palate is succulent and classy with vanilla infused dried fruit and herbs. Lightly aromatic white fruit and soft spices comes through on the middle. Mouth-filling and long with the spices developing on the finish.
Alliance No 10 VSOP 41%
100% Ugni Blanc
Tasted: Feb 2006
It has youthful, winey upfront aromas of earthy stewed apples, honey with a touch of orange/ apricot fruit. On the palate it is quite oily with a delicate intensity and hints of light dried sweet fruit, spice and nuts. Quite weighty with a lovely freshness and a long dry finish.
Alliance No10 VSOP 41%
Bottling Code: 5351
Re-Tasted: Oct 2016
Elegant and silky aromas of apricot, fig and sultana. Beautiful, delicate rancio with a touch of citrus and floral, almost honeyed notes.
The palate is silky and lightly honeyed with a delicate dried fruit rancio. Subtly floral with an elegant sweet/ citrus balance. Long and elegant finish, remaining citric with a touch of vanilla and subtle sweet-ish spices.
Alliance No 20 Reserve Speciale 43%
100% Old Vine Ugni Blanc
Tasted: Feb 2006
An incredibly complex, aromatic, crisp and powerful nose. Mature and earthy with delicate spice and an underlying apricot/ orange fruit, developing rancio and hints of vanilla oak. The palate is soft, fruity and creamy with a lovely depth of softly spiced dried fruit, which mellows into a stunning marzipan and almond richness. Full bodied and flavoured with a long weighty finish.
Alliance No20 Reserve Especiale 43%
Bottling Code: L13317/ Tasted: Mar 2015
Deep and elegant aromas of nutty dried grape, apricot, sultana and apple. Lovely, gentle oxidised rancio with a touch of soft spice and herbs.
The palate is soft and elegant, showing plenty of nutty dried fruit – apple, apricot and sultana along with hints of wood spice and floral fruit. Very deep, succulent and long with the warm marzipan oak coming through on the finish along with the lingering, delicious oxidation notes.
Ragnaud Sabourin Alliance No20 Reserve Especiale 43%
Bottling Code: 15176/ Tasted: July 2017
An elegant and aromatic nose with a lovely depth of matured baked apple and apricot fruit. Subtle, sweet, oxidised rancio with hints of orange, wood spice and a touch of vanilla.
The palate is delicate, aromatic and elegant, opening with gently honeyed apple and apricot, followed by subtle dried fruit notes. A touch of citrus and vanilla comes through along with some gentle wood spice. Lovely depth and length with lingering marzipan, dried apple, sultana and off sweet spices.
Alliance No 25 XO 40%
100% Ugni Blanc
Tasted: Oct 2005
A seriously dense nose. Mature and floral hyacinth notes merge with a serious apricot/ orange character, which is not a million miles away from the Leyrat XO ‘Vieille Reserve’ in style. Very mellow and fuller than the Alliance 10 and 20 with a serious oiliness.
The palate is similar to the nose with a stunning depth and complexity. There are some gorgeously sweet spices on the middle and the dried fruit rancio is quiet well hidden amongst the soft fruit and already mentioned spices, only eventually revealing themselves on the finish.
Alliance No 25 XO 40%
Re-Tasted: Feb 2006
25 years old with quite a mature bouquet. Lots of dense orange/ apricot fruit. Fuller and fruitier than the No20 with an amazing, complexity. Very oily with a marked floral note (lime tree and hyacinth).
Mellow on the palate, mature, floral and fruity. Superb depth and complexity, slightly nutty and winey with a lovely developing sweet spiciness. Its rancio character comes through on the finish with its dried fruit notes. Very long with a soft, dry finish.
Alliance No 35 Fontvieille 43%
60% Ugni Blanc, 40% Folle Blanch/Colombard
Tasted: Feb 2006
An exceptional Cognac with an incredibly intense, pungent bouquet of waxy orange/ apricot fruit, beeswax, and loads of spice. It has a superb balance of power and elegance, restrained yet pungent with dried fruit rancio, sweet spices, a touch of vanilla, old real honey and coffee.
There is no let up in intensity on the palate with the waxy/ oily beeswax and floor polish flavours combining with the dried fruit rancio, mature apricot fruit, sweet spice and coffee notes. The flavours come in waves, this is awesome, mouthfilling, multi-dimensional with a superb balance of sweetness and dryness.
Alliance No 45 Florilege 46%
60% Ugni Blanc, 40% Folle Blanch
Tasted: Feb 2006
From spirits that have been aged for 45 years and has naturally reduced to 46%. A slightly aggressive but elegant bouquet. Quite earthy whisky-esque aromas of apricot/ orange and quince, along with honeyed dried fruits, deep, dusty spices and hints of vanilla.
Very intense on the palate, quite dry with lots of initial wood tannins, tangy, mouth watering apricot/ orange fruit. Again reminiscent of a cask strength whisky with an aggressive intensity. Very long with quite a floral finish. Superb balance between age and freshness.
Le Paradis Heritage Briand 41%
Is a blend of very old spirits, 90% were distilled in 1901/2/3 and 10% were distilled before the Phyloxera epidemic in 1870.
Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Folle Blanche, Jurancon, Blanc Rame, Bouilleux, Balzac Blanc and Chalosse
Tasted: Feb 2006
Wow, an awesomely deep and entice bouquet with a rich rancio of dried fruits, coffee and vanilla. Pungent and complex, dripping in luscious honeyed fruit and spices.
Incredible depth which still has a lively edge. Soft, oily and luxuriant coating the mouth with an awesome array of flavours. Stunning, sexy with a honeyed dried fruit rancio and layers of tangy, complex cinnamon and herbal spices. Words cannot describe the complexity of this Cognac it floods the mouth and its flavours seep into every corner of the mouth. A truly awesome length, the flavours ebb and flow and finishes with a spicy flourish.
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 