Through The Grapevine Camus Lot 92 Cask Strength Cognac (700ml)

For various reasons, usually to do with appellation rules and regulations, Cognac bottlers are employing ‘funny numbers’ to tell you about the vintage of the liquid. In this case, ‘Lot 92’ indicates that this was distilled in 1992 (the bottling date isn't stated but you can assume it's XO and beyond). It's part of a relatively new venture for French retailer, La Maison du Whisky, that takes a leaf out of the independent Scotch whisky playbook. "Through the Grapevine" is the name of the merchant, while the spirit is identified as being from Camus. The house is known for its originality and has no qualms about leaving the beaten path to champion the minerality of its native Fins Bois terroir. The varietal here is Ugni Blanc, distilled in one of the region's eight traditional stills, driving a style somewhere between saltiness and exotic fruits with hints of tobacco. It is one of just a handful of all-natural cognacs imported to date. Bottled uncut with zero additives, these limited editions are aimed at purists and the adventurous, as well as anyone seeking serious 'malternatives'. 52.2% Alc./Vol.

Notes from the bottlers... The complex first nose is particularly fruity (apple, pear). Allowed to breathe, it becomes saline and vanilla. Spices (ginger, clove) and white grape flavours then bring us to cognac country. The lively attack is both roasted (tobacco) and mentholated. New fruits have appeared (Mirabelle plum). The mineral (chalk) mid-palate reveals lots of freshness (spearmint). The very end of the palate offers a pear yoghurt. The well-balanced start of the finish is in perfect symbiosis with the nose and palate. It is fruity, lemony, herbaceous, spicy and also oily (olive). On the retro-nasal olfaction, cocoa bean and beeswax bring lots of creaminess.