Hermitage Drops 100-Year-Old Cognac, Oldest Barrel-Aged Cognac

As we’ve said before, just because a spirit is old doesn’t mean it’s better. Of course, that hasn’t stopped distilleries and brands from pushing the boundaries with long age statements and releasing spirits that have spent decades in the barrel. The latest comes from Hermitage Cognac, which has just released what it calls the world’s oldest barrel-aged cognac.

The “barrel-aged” caveat comes from the fact that there are indeed much older Cognacs that can be had for astronomical amounts of money, but they have spent many years in glass jugs or have been bottled at some point—in other words, taken out of the barrels they were originally aged in. Maison Gautier actually has Guinness Book of Records the title of the oldest cognac, a bottle dating from 1762. It’s completely different from spending a hundred years in a barrel, even in a cool cellar where the temperature and humidity are relatively stable.

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Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old is made from Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the Lignières Sonneville region of Grande Champagne, where it was distilled in traditional Charentais copper stills a century ago. This long interaction between cognac and wood can completely transform the character of a spirit, but according to Hermitage Cognac founder David Baker, Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old is a complex and delicate expression. “It is one of the very few cognacs aged in cellars at the heart of the Premier Cru cognac known as Grande Champagne,” he said in a statement. “Untouched and unblended, this vintage cognac has been matured for 100 years in Limousin oak barrels. This exceptionally long period of ageing has created a broad complexity of rich flavors and aromas common only to the finest and oldest cognacs.” According to the author, the flavor includes notes of cocoa, burnt toffee, mushrooms, ginger, candied fruit, and rancio (a nutty aroma of fortified wine).

Of course, such a refined Cognac should come in a matching bottle, and so it is here. Each one-litre decanter has been crafted by Cumbria Crystal, engraved in gold leaf, individually numbered and presented in a wooden gift box with information about the spirit. The SRP of this Cognac is £24,900 (around $31,500) and only 68 decanters are available. If you are interested in tasting this ancient spirit (or, more likely, keeping it and then selling it for double that amount), you can contact Hermitage Cognac directly. You can also find other Hermitage vintages and age expressions available for purchase at the Whisky Exchange.