LES HAUTS DE SMITH 2016 – 750ML

Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège is a balanced cognac, expressing 200 years of Hennessy’s know-how. The fruit of nature’s uncertainties, this unique blend has tamed the elements to craft and embody the original concept of cognac. The emotion awakened by the pleasure of tasting it continually reveals new facets of its personality.

The savoir-faire of the Maison Hennessy is fully expressed in this balanced cognac: the selection of eaux-de-vie, aging and assemblage. A cognac of remarkable consistency and vitality, Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège conveys all of the savoir-faire of the Hennessy master blenders who have ensured the continued success of this harmonious assemblage for 200 years.

In 1870, Maurice Hennessy created Hennessy X.O for his circle of friends and introduced a new style of cognac.  Hennessy X.O is the Original, the emblematic icon of the Hennessy Maison.
Deep and powerful, the eaux-de-vie of this Hennessy X.O cognac are aged in young barrels and marked out by their power and energy, but also by their capacity to achieve a great roundness through time.
Our Tasting Committee has explored every facet of the blend and identified several emotions that were assimilated to an Odyssey through 7 chapters:

• Sweet Notes: The palate is warmly embraced by flavors of candied fruit.
• Rising Heat: The intriguing sensation of an intense, rising heat slowly reveals the complex taste of eaux-de-vie patiently aged in oak barrels.
• Spicy Edge: Perception of a strong spicy cognac note, tantalising the lips and palate with its distinct peppery flavor intertwined with a hint of chocolate.
• Flowing Flame: A wave of warmth grows, crests and then breaks. A robust presence, full and voluptuous, is felt.
• Chocolate Lull: There is the gradual discovery of something very familiar. It is the well-rounded flavor of a rich, dark chocolate.
• Wood Crunches: A striking sensation is suddenly felt – the vigorous ebb and flow of oak notes interlaced with vanilla.
• Infinite Echo: The evanescent oak notes leave a long, omnipresent finish in their wake. Seemingly endless, it echoes all of the subtleties of each taste and sensation that has preceded it.

Martell Cordon Bleu was created in 1912 by Edouard Martell, the great-grandson of the founder. Named after the blue ribbon which is an international emblem of excellence, it was destined to be one of a kind: a new quality of cognac to delight even the most demanding connoisseurs. Its distinctive taste, characterised by a predominance of eaux-de-vie from the Borderies, and its timeless bottle design have made it a classic – an icon in the world of cognac and beyond.

Rémy Martin VSOP is composed of eaux-de-vie coming exclusively from the highest-quality vineyards of Cognac, the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. Such eaux-de-vie offer an exceptional ageing potential and are known as Cognac Fine Champagne.

In 1927, Rémy Martin’s Cellar Master André Renaud created the very first VSOP Fine Champagne. Moreover, it is a truly visionary and audacious decision. This prestigious appellation would be officially recognized 11 years later as an AOC. AOC= (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée – a specific growing area protected by French law).

Created by Maurice Hennessy in 1870 for his circle of friends, X.O was born at a turning point in history and introduced a new style of cognac: bold, rich and complex. The 100 eaux-de-vie assembled to create X.O were aged for a long time – some for 30 years – to give an unparalleled robustness. Maurice Hennessy gave the name X.O to this unique “extra old” cognac.

Its intense and deep amber color is a sign of its strength. Its flavors of candied fruit and its subtle and lightly spicy nose create a complete harmony: a mark of its roundness. To taste, a smooth, full sensation gives a simultaneously powerful and soft tonality with a hint of cocoa and a warm fruity presence. The long finish expresses all the complexity of the cognac’s blending and its long aging process.

p/s: The ‘Luminous’ bottle comes with a button which brings up light under the bottle and on the label.