The Sazerac company is launching a trio of small batch Cognacs for its Sazerac de Forge & Fils Cognac brand, including an XO, Grande Champagne Vintage 2000, and a 50 Year Old expression.

According to the brand, the new releases are crafted from selected aged stocks that are said to embody Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac’s mission of being ‘true to the vine’, utilizing classic methods to revive the essence of Cognac’s golden age while keeping modern palates in mind.

The flagship XO has been aged for more than 20 years in French oak barrels. The expression is said to contain notes of dried fruits, warm spice, and a gentle, natural sweetness.

It is presented in a bottle that features a satin blue ribbon, paying homage to the historic ‘Sazerac Blue’ hue,  a colour once stamped on chinaware exported globally by the original Sazerac de Forge pottery house. Bottled at 43% ABV, it has a MSRP of US$149.99.

The Grande Champagne Vintage 2000 reflects more than two decades of maturation in the chalk-rich soils of Cognac’s ‘most celebrated’ cru. A single harvest and the brand's first vintage, it is said to have notes of ripe stone fruits, exotic florals, and delicate spice on the palate.

Bottled at 44.8% ABV, the expression has an MSRP of US$449.99.

The Sazerac de Forge 50-year-old combines three distinct vintage eaux-de-vie from 1970, 1971, and 1974. Notably, each vintage spent more than half a century maturing in small French oak barrels, having been individually hand-sealed in wax and left completely undisturbed until blending.

The rare Cognac is touted to have notes of dried fruits, stewed figs, and dates, complemented by warm spices, subtle tobacco, leather, macadamia nuts, and hints of dark chocolate on the palate.

Bottled in a 700ml decanter crafted from curved crystal glass and featuring a matching lid, the front boasts the Sazerac de Forge family crest etched in gold, paying tribute to the original Cognac domaine. 

At 43% ABV, the 50-year-old spirit has a MSRP of US$3,999.

For the uninitiated, the Cognac brand was a reconceptualization by Sazerac in 2019, reviving the legacy of the original 1782 domaine founded by one Bernard Sazerac de Forge. The brand helped to popularize the export of Cognac across Europe and America, and even lent its name to the Sazerac cocktail in New Orleans. Later, the brand briefly faded in the late 19th-century, a result of the phylloxera epidemic having ravaged France's vineyards.

In present day, the Sazerac estate in Segonzac embraces organic practices and the cultivation of diverse grape varieties, and has been curating rare, aged stocks inspired by the character and methods of pre-phylloxera Cognacs.

All three of the new expressions are now available nationwide in the U.S. in select markets through the company’s US distributor networks. 

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team