To mark the Year of the Rabbit, which began on January 22, Ferrand has released this special edition of their well loved 10 Generations Cognac. Where the standard bottling undergoes a secondary period of aging in Sauternes dessert wine casks, this edition is instead re-casked into used Port pipes for finishing. We've seen the popularity of Port finishing exploding in the whiskey world, but it's rarely seen in the brandysphere, where old traditions still reign and cask finishes are few and far between. Of course Maison Ferrand has always been more attuned to the trends outside of the sometimes staid and insular world of French brandy, and we've seen them experiment with plenty of alternative cask regimens, from their Reserve bottling partially aged in Banyuls casks, to their renegade barrel series, in which strange casks are the raison d'etre. Even still, this is their first Cognac to be aged in port, and the result is hopefully the beginning of a trend, because the two make fine bedfellows.
The nose shows the port influence without overshadowing the cognac character, with raisins, cinnamon, orange-chocolate, incense, lavender, and fresh linens. The palate starts with spiced raisin and vanilla before making way for notes of jasmine, tangerine, dark chocolate, pastry, all presented with a lush creamy texture. Get out the over-sized snifter - this is a great candidate for classic after dinner sipping. Bottled at 44% abv, 88 proof.
