1971 Grosperrin - Grande Champagne - 55.5%
In Part One, I mentioned Jean Grosperrin began La Gabare's Cognac de Collection with the goal of preserving some of the small house styles that were more frequently being lost to large/commercial cognac blends. This bottling from 1971 shares the same history as the 1970 and 1980 Grand Champagne in the collection. A Parisian magistrate invested in barrels of cognac that ended up sitting in government controlled warehouses for over thirty years before they were discovered. The 1971 received dry cellar storage, losing nearly half its volume over 30 years and only yielding a few proof points from barrel entry proof. The notes from Grosperrin indicate this aging produced a very concentrated profile.
Nose: Closed off. Takes a while for the woody profile to open up. Apples. Grapes. Light baking spice and burnt sugars. Wood plays green for something this old.
Flavor: More open on the palate. Vanilla. Tobacco. Oak. Lemon and licorice into a finish full of coffee and chocolates. Bright fruits stay in play.
Structure: Chewy, long, deliberately paced. Then a big, explosive finish.
Alcohol Integration: Punchy but never loses its grip.
Score: 7 (Highly Recommend) The concentration noted is in play, big time, from the slowly opening nose to the simultaneously dense and explosive palate. I'd want a full bottle of this. There's room for this to evolve over multiple tastings due to the noted concentration. The '71 delivered the most wood forward, rustic vibe of the four I tried, making it a good armagnac/cognac crossover pour.
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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
Source: Grosperrin