The new Expressions

World Premiere

Cognac Pitaud has been described and reviewed in another article on ‚www.slowdrink.de‘ (check it out as well!). Their products have fully convinced me. Now they launch two new Cru Cognacs in a limited edition: Pitaud Cognac Borderies and Pitaud Cognac Petite Champagne. For connoisseurs, it will be very interesting to find out how the different terroir influences the final product. Others might say that blending is essential to have all you are looking for in one glass.

The Cognac Crus and their Taste

There are six Crus in Cognac in general: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fine Bois, Bon Bois and Bois Ordinaires.

Cognacs from Petite Champagne, which is an area of 16.171 hectares, are said to be floral and delicate, but not very strong on the mid-palate. Finesse is what they are about. Sometimes they also show good sweetness. These distillates are often mixed with Grande Champagne Cognacs, the most prestigious and quite powerful Cru with similar aromas but a bigger body, and are then often marketed as ‚Fine Champagne‘.

The Borderies Cognacs (the smallest Cru of only 4.160 hectares) have the most character and distinction because of a great microclimate. Here maturity is reached faster than in the other areas. Borderies Cognacs also vary more than the Cognacs of other areas and tend to be really round and a bit sweeter. Nutty aromas, big texture, a long finish and hints of iris and violet make them very popular for high-end products.

Let’s see how the new Pitaud Cognacs reflect this general description:

Pitaud Cognac ‚Petite Champagne‘ Edition Limitee, 40%

This is a bit darker in color than the Borderies. The delicate Cognac shows flowers, herbs, grapes, dark oaky tones and a touch of smoke. Furthermore, vanilla, peaches, lime, lemon zest, almonds, dried fruits, Autan gnat spray, Cuban cigar, caramel, pine and white pepper add to the mix. In conclusion, it is more on the delicate side – which is in line with the Cru’s typicality.

Score: 88+

Pitaud Cognac ‚Borderies‘ Edition Limitee, 40%

Grapes used for Cognac

This is slightly lighter in color. In general it is earthier in style, also spicier (black pepper, Asian spices). However, both versions have flowers (violets, but less than at PC), herbs, grapes, dried fruits, smoke and dark oaky tones in common. The Borderies‘ exclusive aromas are hazelnuts, apricots, raisins, cookie-like notes, orange zest, hints of a humidor (less than in the Petite Champagne version), must and fleshy jerky. Altogether it is a bit richer and heavier, which again fits the expected typical taste of the Cru.

Score: 89

In a nutshell, both Crus, which have an average age of 15 years, have their advantages and are high quality. There is not a full point between them, I just slightly prefer the more heavy Borderies version.

Vat of both Crus (50/50)

For fun’s sake, I vatted both expressions. I got more depth and roundness, both Crus added to the mix instead of cancelling each other out. However, what the mix gained in complexity it lost in originality.

Score: 89

Pitaud's Cellar

This was a great learning experience. I recommend to get both versions not only to savour but to get to the heart of the Cognac Crus and the blending possibilities.

As I love to sip a fine cognac from time to time, I would like to tell you about this discovery: the Pitaud Cognac range. These bottles (basic range: V.S., V.S.O.P., X.O., Extra, but there are three others: Borderies, Petite Champagne and the oldest one, the Albert Pitaud) mostly outrank their famous rivals within the same price category, and from younger makes I only remember the cask-strength BACHE Gabrielsen Pure & Rustic (~ 30 y.o.)  that can compete. Many connoisseurs claim, the EXTRA would rule the price category below 1000 Euro at a price of about 300 Euro. I wanted to check this out.

The founder Albert Pitaud (1882 – 1968) was called to serve in WWI. in 1914. Before he went he made made sure that his dear Cognacs were safe and sound: he filled them into oak casks and dug them in the ground. And until today, some Cognac still matures in these casks that were put into the family vaults after the war. Actually, even today every Pitaud Cognac contains parts of the 1914 Eaux-de-Vies! So 1914 wasn’t only bad after all… . The producers explain that their success stems from a rigorous selection of grape types and grapes and the use of smaller stills, which helps the character of the „bonne chauffée“ at the second distillation.

Tasting the Range

I am going to taste the V.S. (at least 4  y.o., Limousin Oak), the V.S.O.P. (at least 6 y.o.), the XO (average age of 22 years recently, now raised to 35 y., much longer than other X.O. Cognacs) and the sought-after Extra (50 y.o. Cognacs as an average, many parts were distilled by Albert Pitaud himself prior to 1968, multi-award-winner), which is actually said to be better than the oldest Pitaud Cognac called ‚Albert Pitaud‘ (1914, Petite Champagne, unblended). To have a reference, I also reviewed a renowned benchmark Cognac, the Remy Martin XO Excellence. This was still done in German, but soon, all reviews will be in English only.

Pitaud Cognac V.S. 40%

Angenehm rund, viel Kraft, Zigarrenkiste, Orangenzesten, Petrolnoten (altes Autan Mückenspray), Datteln, Kirschen,Rosinen, rote Trauben, Vanille, Mentholrauch, Piniennadeln, Edelholz, grüne Bananenschale, Blüten und Rumanklänge.

Score: 87

Pitaud Cognac V.S.O.P. 40%

Tiefer und dunkler, ja geheimnisvoller als sein jüngerer Bruder, insgesamt auch balancierter: Maraschinokirschen, Edelholz, Waldboden, Vanille, Zigarrenschachtel, Orangenzesten, Rosinen, grüne Bananenschale, Honig, Petrolnote, Demerara-Zucker, Zimthauch und Lebkuchen.

Score: 89

Pitaud XO 40%

Das Konzentrat des VSOP, Aromen hier wesentlich dichter verschmolzen, schöne Reife; auch hier die Petrolnote, jedoch dezenter, Waldbeeren und Waldhonig, Kirschen, Datteln, dunkles Edelholz, Piniennadeln, Orangenzesten, dunkle trockene Erde, Mentholrauch, Vanille, Demerara-Zucker; Persipanspur; Im Geschmack mit dichter Viskosität kommt noch eine feine Nuance Trüffelpraline mit dunkler Schokolade hinzu.

Score: 90+

Pitaud Extra 40% (limited to 300 bottles per year, mostly 1955, 1956 and 1957 distillation), version before 2011

Ein wenig  anders als die jüngeren Pitauds, wie ein feiner alter Speyside-Whisky, keine Offnotes, kristallin-dextroseartige Fruchtpalette mit viel Honig, Capuccino-Keksen, Passionsfrucht, Pfirsich, Cassis, Orangenzeste, Trauben, Rosinen, Vanille, Nüssen, Rancio, dezentes Holz und Süßholz, Toffeekaramell, Marzipan, edle Gewürze; Komplexer geht es kaum! Alte Bowmore und Lochside Whiskys lassen im Geschmack grüßen bei kristalliner Dextrosefrucht, natürlichem Karamell, Beeren, Trauben und Cassis ohne Ende, dazu eine edle zurückhaltende Balance. Wow! Und außerdem auch noch endlos im Abgang. Der kann es mit den besten Whiskys und R(h)ums aufnehmen!

Score: 94 (!!!) for the version before 2011, after: 92+;

Remy Martin XO Excellence

Heller in Farbe und Charakter als die Pitauds, eher Zitronenzesten, weniger Holzeinfluss, was ihn weniger reif wirken lässt; Pfirsich, Petrolnoten, Piniennadeln, Rhum Agricole-Hauch, Zimt, Asche, Toffee, Vanille, eher gefällig denn komplex, aber doch gut; Grapefruitsaft leitet den Geschmack über in den traubenbetonten Abgang.

Score: 87-

In my tasting session the Pitauds really convinced me. Especially the XO and the Extra proved that Cognac isn’t dead. If you want to know more about this brand and their products, please click the following picture of Cognac vinyards – it might change your perspective on the ‚unsexy‘ French spirit.