Courvoisier's Bold Cognac Statement

Jack Bettridge
Posted: February 10, 2012

Most of us are not in the habit of describing Cognac as bold, but if C by Courvoisier is any indication, we may want to get used to it. The company’s new brandy is a blast of intense flavors perfect for cigar pairing.

Jim Beam’s Cognac house is introducing its latest in a spate of innovative brandy products, and it comes as an intense blend of Fin Bois eaux-de-vie that go through a double-barreled aging process aimed at a full-bodied style.

Patrice Pinet, the Courvoisier master blender, reports that “C” is first aged in young barrels for intensity of flavor and then transferred to mature barrels “to round out the taste profile and deliver a silky finish.”

The grapes for the small-batch Cognac were selected from 50 winegrowers from the Fin Bois subregion of the Cognac appellation. Cognac is brandy that is made from grapes that are grown, fermented, distilled and aged in the region of the same name in France. The area is further divided into such subregions as Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne and Borderies. The eaux-de-vie of Fin Bois are known for their bold, but soft fruity and floral flavors.

“C” follows Courvoisier’s release last year of Courvoisier Rosé, a combination of its Cognac with red wine from France. The drink is underproof and not listed as Cognac. The company also recently created its Connoisseur Collection—the first Cognacs with declared age statements (12 and 21 years) from any of the four major Cognac houses (Hennessy, Remy Martin, Martel, e.g.).

This latest release certainly delivers on its promised boldness. While it doesn’t approach the complexity of say an XO, it displays plenty of flavor with interesting contrasts. It’s an easy match for full-bodied cigars and the company also touts it for some big-flavor cocktails, such as the C All-Star.

C All-Star Cocktail

1 part C by Courvoisier
2 parts fresh lemon juice
1/2 part fresh orange juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

See Also: