Hine Journey 10 Year Old XO Cognac (1000ml)

A one litre travel retail bottling from the House of Hine, crafted with eaux-de-vie from the Grande Champagne region and aged for ten years in their cellars in Jarnac, as well as damp cellars in Britain. Following in the steps of single malt producers, it's becoming more and more common to see Cognac with an age statement as part of their branding. While traditionalists may not like it, others see it as a step towards more transparency within the Cognac market. 41.8% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... Right, Hine is a fairly large house, but some say they would rather be on the artisans’ side. I always rather liked their ‘Bonneuils’, for example. Let’s see… By the way age statements are rather a new thing with Cognac, it’s true that you just couldn’t miss this one… Colour: full gold. Nose: oh perfect! Touches of metal polish and pinewood smoke over plums stewed in some sappy honeyed sauce, plus dandelions and the usual preserved peaches. Lovely lovely nose, fresh and yet rather deep. Mouth: great work! It rather goes towards malt whisky, which is a trend indeed with some modern Cognacs, but in this case that works rather perfectly. I’m thinking of Balvenie. Mirabelles (as in ex-BB Balvenie indeed), tinned peaches, touches of orange blossom water, pastries, a discreet touch of liquorice… And frankly, 41.8% works better than 40%, even if we’re never too fond of faked C/S strengths. Finish: medium, clean, floral, fresh, very moreish. Honeyed aftertaste. Comments: this drinks too well! 85 points - whiskyfun.com

Notes from the producers... Colour: Amber. Nose: Spicy, slightly fruity, caramel. Taste: Tobacco, hints of orange peel, toffee, cardamom, caraway. Finish: Long lasting.