Day 23 of the Cognac-Expert 2025 Advent Calendar features ABK6 Extra, a single-estate cognac from Domaines Francis Abécassis. The producer farms over 370 hectares across Fins Bois, Petite Champagne, and Grande Champagne crus. We’ll introduce ABK6 before reviewing their ABK6 Extra cognac!
ABK6 History
ABK6 Cognac belongs to the relatively young but very large Domaines Francis Abécassis, and it focuses on modern, single‑estate cognac rooted in family vineyards.
Francis Abécassis, originally a winegrower in southern France, moved to Cognac around the late 1990s. At that time, he began buying vineyards and existing brands such as Réviseur and Leyrat. In 2005 he created ABK6, a name that condenses his surname (‘Abécassis’) and signals a fresh, contemporary identity for cognac while still leaning on family heritage.
Today Domaines Francis Abécassis farms roughly 460 hectares of vines across Fins Bois, Petite Champagne, and Grande Champagne. This makes these domains one of the largest independent vineyard owners in the appellation. The estates grow mainly Ugni Blanc and handle every stage in‑house: viticulture, vinification, Charentais double distillation, ageing, blending, and bottling under a strict single‑estate philosophy.
Alongside ABK6, the group also bottles Leyrat, Réviseur, and Grands Domaines, giving the family multiple expressions of different crus and styles under one umbrella. In recent years, Francis Abécassis and his daughter Elodie have extended the ABK6 name into Bordeaux with ‘ABK6 Family Estate’ wines, reinforcing the family’s broader vision as independent growers‑producers across several French terroirs.
ABK6 Extra Cognac Review
ABK6 Extra blends single‑estate cognacs drawn from different vineyard parcels within the ABK6 estate. Ugni Blanc grapes form the base of this mature expression, which distillers run with the lees through 25‑hectolitre pot stills. The eaux‑de‑vie then age in French oak casks from Tonnellerie Allary, using wide‑grain staves and a heavy toast, maturing for around 50 years in humid cellars before bottling at 43% ABV with no additives declared. Retailers such as Cognac‑Expert list it at roughly €500 per bottle.
Colour:
Russet.
Nose:
Neat: On the nose, it opens with elegant notes of cedar, cigar box and sandalwood. They‘’’re quickly joined by dried and stewed fruits such as figs, apricots and candied orange peel. Then, layers of honey, floral sweetness and hints of leather, dark chocolate and nutmeg complete the nose that lacks a bit of intensity.
Palate:
Neat: The palate is full, clean and powerful for the stated strength. It delivers concentrated flavours of candied fruits, marmalade and honeyed spice. Cinnamon, ginger and pepper ride on well‑integrated oak, while vanilla and light tannins provide structure without drying the mouth. The mouthfeel is slightly oily. There is a light bitterness of spent tea leaves and a light nuttiness of almonds and cashews.
Finish:
The finish runs long, warm and gently persistent, with lingering cedar, cigar box notes and a return of candied lemon and orange zest that freshen the aftertaste.
Comments:
This ABK6 Extra is a lovely blend, and, strangely, the only one in this year’s calendar. But let’s not forget that cognac blends are, as in whisky, the bulk of what is sold and drunk all over the world. Courvoisier, Rémy Martin, Hennessy… these major brands all bottle blends made from dozens of eaux de vie coming from all crus. Even a Fine Champagne is a blend of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne cognacs. In no way is this ABK6 Extra a lower cognac because it is a blend, and it shows on the rating below, reflecting its quality and complexity. ABK6 Extra is a blend, yes, and a very good cognac, yes as well.
Rating: 7.5/10
Advent calendar provided by Cognac-Expert.