Grosperrin Cognac No.35-41 Grande Champagne

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 45.8% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

This Cognac brings together two lots from the same estate in Bonneuil, in Grande Champagne. The blend was created many years before bottling and forms part of André Noblet’s family heritage. In 2012, Grosperrin acquired three casks from this reserve, containing different blends that André had composed from his father’s Cognacs. N°35-41 Héritage is one of them.

The Cognac’s history is closely intertwined with Jules and Berthe Noblet. Jules was mayor of Bonneuil during the Second World War, and both were active in the French Resistance. Following a denunciation, they were arrested in March 1944 and deported to Germany, where they died. Their son André, himself a prisoner of war in Germany, learned of his parents’ deaths after returning home. The Cognac casks had lain hidden in the attic of the family estate.

Lot 778 comprises 240 litres. The Cognac was bottled in September 2020 at a cask strength of 45.8%, without any further substances being added for bottling. It is non-chill-filtered and contains no added colouring. The bottle holds 0.7 litres and comes with a pouch.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: This amber-coloured Cognac combines aromas of sesame oil and macadamia with mandarin liqueur, pink grapefruit, citron and figs. Hints of mature sweet wine and tobacco add further nuances.
• Palate: A distinctly floral character takes centre stage on the palate. Wallflowers, jasmine tea and dandelion meet delicate hints of mature Chardonnay.
• Finish: The fairly long finish highlights cedarwood, cinnamon and chocolate. A light coffee note lingers in the aftertaste.

Distillery/Bottler:

Jean Grosperrin began working as a Cognac broker in 1992, visiting small producers throughout the appellation. He encountered old family reserves whose individual character would have been lost in large blends. In 1999, he bought his first casks of old Cognac, which his family bottled in small quantities, sharing the story of each one’s origins. His son Guilhem took over the business in 2004, developing both the selection of rare reserves and their further maturation.

Since 2012, the independent family house has used historic cellars beside the Charente in Saintes. Damp storage areas that can flood when the river rises are part of its approach, as is the selection of low-tannin casks: long-used wood or fine-grained oak are intended to limit the cask’s influence and preserve the character of the Cognac’s origins. Grosperrin avoids heavy toasting of new casks so that toasted aromas and vanilla notes do not overshadow the fruit. Its work thus extends beyond trading and bottling to maturation tailored to each individual reserve.

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