JLP Across the Decades – #5
Background
This single cask of Grande Champagne cognac was distilled by Claude Duluc. I’d give a summary of Claude’s story, but the Pasquet website does such a great job of telling it that I’ll just point you there. I will say that, though I had erroneously assumed this was the same Claude as the one who made the L.84, they’re just two different Claudes. It was bottled at a cask strength of 47.4%.
Tasting
On the nose: coffee, dried flower petals, canned peach, dark sweet cherry, strawberry, and s’more, complete with milk chocolate, toasted marshmallow, and graham cracker. It’s intensely oaky but beautifully integrated.
The palate is delightfully rich and soaked with grungy rancio. There’s coffee ice cream, dark chocolate, hibiscus tea, all those syrupy fruits from the nose, Black Forest cake, and a thick layer of dank oak.
Verdict
Astonishingly good. I had to taste multiple other cognacs just to make sure my score wasn’t bloated, but it’s not. I was really hoping the younger L.79 would take the crown, but this is better. The price might make you think twice, but if you’re in the market for a fantastic old cognac, this can still be found at retail. (9/10)
Click here to view all posts in my “JLP Across the Decades” series.