Dudognon "Vieille Reserve" Grand Champagne Cognac (750ml)

Look for a burnished gold hue and mild floral aromas. The palate is relatively dry, alternating cigar wrapper and espresso with chamomile and honey, finishing long with ginger and clove heat. Pair with a slice of honey cake. Made with eau-de-vie a minimum of 20 years old. (KN)

Somethings in the world our are subjective. Other things are not. For instance, I can unequivocally that Dudognon is the most open, transparent, and honest producer in Cognac. They have some of the best terroir and use only the highest quality wood (100% of their cognac sees at least 1 year in new oak). They are the only producer who I can honestly tell you have not utilized additives in their cognac in any way. All of these things come together to make me say highly subjective things like, "Dudognon is the best producer in Cognac!" One might quibble with the details, but what is clear is that Dudognon makes their brandy like no one else in the region. Absolutely the purest expression of terroir with nothing in the way. The real complexity starts to show when their brandies at the Vieille Reserve level (20 years). Always drier than most people are used to with cognac, Dudognon's house style is this wonderful tension between freshness and age. Always keeping you guessing, this is the superlative product for the price point, a base from which I believe all others should be judged.