Review: 1848 Cognac Croizet
1848 Cognac Croizet - Grand Champagne - 1986 bottling - 38.5%
From oldliquors.com: Already in the seventeenth century, the [Croizet] family in St-Même-Les-Carrières was known for their excellent vineyards in the grande champagne and fins bois districts where they produced their wines and eau-de-vie. The official date of establishment is 1805 when Léon Croizet, former sommelier in Napoléon I’s court, decided to create his own brand to compete with the other houses. His grandson Benjamin-Léon played an important role in the fight against the phylloxera louse which earned him the Légion d’Honneur. He also participated in the creation of the 1909 Law that regulated the appellation cognac.
Some of the appeal of Pre-Phylloxera cognac comes from production that often featured a wider variety of grapes and bottlings have survived from producers who've long since closed up shop. Contemporary Croizet, however, still receives fairly wide distribution.
Note: Nose is restrained but with time does open up and provide some depth - mostly orchard fruits with floral and mineral driven accents. Palate is borderline thin but still well structured. More active here. Dried fruits. Tons of wet cave minerality. Finish is longer than expected given the body and nose. Mostly a continuation of the palate.
Score: 6 (Solid) The overall profile was a touch muddled and light. But there is an x-factor. This stuff tastes old - of a different time - in intangible ways. I wanted more weight, more to chew on, and a bigger sample, but I was definitely intrigued by what was there. This Croizet offered more to explore and a significantly improved structure versus the 1898 Cognac Bisquit that I previously reviewed. For a contemporary palate, I wonder if cognac bottled in this style - hyper aged/rested, low proof - is fighting too steep of an uphill battle compared to single estate, 40-50 year old, cask strength options that have been more readily available as of late.
Rating System
10 - Reevaluate The Budget
9 - Stash Two (If Able)
8 - Stash One (At The Right Price)
7 - Highly Recommend It To Strangers
6 - Solid - Above Average
5 - Acceptable For The Situation
4 - Not Vocally Complaining
3 - Anything Else To Drink?
2 - Nothing Nice To Say
1 - Drain Pour