Cognac Archives - Page 7 Of 7 - More Drams, Less Drama

Vaudon 75/78/80 Grape of the Art Cognac

3rd December 20243rd December 2024Coldorak

The second cognac from my 2024 Cognac Expert Advent Calendar is a multi-vintage Vaudon Lot 75/78/80, bottled by German independent bottler Grape of the Art. Vaudon’s estate spans 60 hectares, primarily in the Fins Bois region, the largest Cognac production area. Their history dates back to 1771 when François Gaborit passed the domain to his son-in-law, Pierre Nalbert. Significant expansion occurred in the 20th century under Denis and later Pierre Mousset. Further growth followed when Pierre Vaudon married Anne-Marie Mousset, uniting two winemaking families.

Vaudon produces both single-cru Fins Bois cognacs and multi-cru blends with the neighbouring Grande Champagne region. Today’s review focuses on this multi-vintage, single-cru Vaudon 75/78/80 Grape of the Art.

Claude Thorin Esprit Grande Champagne Cognac

2nd December 20243rd December 2024Coldorak

The 2024 Cognac Expert Advent Calendar begins with Esprit, a Grande Champagne cognac from Claude Thorin. The Thorin story dates back to 1879, when the family vineyard was first established. Shortly after, phylloxera devastated much of the Charente region. In 1950, André Thorin replanted vines and began rebuilding the estate, initially focusing on parcels in Mainxe, part of the prestigious Grande Champagne cru.

Since the 1990s, Claude Thorin has expanded the estate to 84 hectares, introduced his own cognac range, and joined the independent winegrowers’ association. The property is located in Segonzac, at Biard. In 2021, a new generation – Elise and Mathilde – joined, with Elise overseeing production and Mathilde managing sales.

So, my first review of the month is for the Claude Thorin Esprit Grande Champagne Cognac. Let’s see if switching from my usual whisky advent calendar to a cognac one this year was a good choice!

Jean-Luc Pasquet Lot L.70 'Le Cognac d'Arlette' Petite Champagne Cognac

Cognac Jean-Luc Pasquet Lot L.70 Petite Champagne

15th November 202417th June 2025Coldorak

Domaine Jean-Luc Pasquet is both a producer of Cognac and a bottler of cognacs crafted by small-scale winemakers. The estate is managed by Jean and Amy Pasquet, the son and daughter-in-law of founder Jean-Luc Pasquet. On one hand, they produce an organic range of cognacs, with organic practices dating back to 1998. On the other, they consider themselves “treasure hunters,” seeking out hidden gems from small winemakers’ cellars and independent distillers. It’s this latter role that brings JLP to More Drams today, as I review their latest find, the Jean-Luc Pasquet Lot L.70 ‘Le Cognac d’Arlette’ Petite Champagne Cognac, bottled in their ‘Trésors de Famille’ range.

Navarre Souvenir Impérial Cognac

11th December 202215th November 2023Coldorak

For the second malternative we are covering on More Drams, we stay around the Bordeaux region, but this time we are going north of Bordeaux, to the Cognac region. Let’s quickly introduce this type of brandy then we’ll review the Navarre Souvenir Impérial cognac.