Jean Fillioux Tres Vieux Cognac

XO Extra Grande Champagne. House founded in 1880, now run by fifth generation. Grande Champagne in golden triangle. 25+ years all ugni blanc. Soft and elegant with stone fruits, honey, prune, caramel, barrel spice, cigar box on the finish. D&M Tasting Notes

A rich, opulent older XO from Jean Fillioux, 25 to 30 years old, that begins its life with three to five years in new casks. Copper with an orange tinge. The nose has aromas of nougat, butterscotch, warm pastry and marmalade. On the palate, more complex than the younger XO, and spicier, with a hint of rancio. Roasted walnuts and exotic wood at midpalate, and a note of espresso on the finish. A classic after-dinner Cognac.  93 PointsJason Wilson, Vinous 2019

 Jean Fillioux Tres Vieux Tres Vieille Grande Champagne Cognac is made exclusively from Ugni Blanc grapes harvested on the Fillioux estate (the estate only grows this single varietal grape). Once the grapes are harvested in late September or early October, they are immediately pressed into a grape must. The must enjoys a high acidity and is lacking in tannins, making it ideal for fermentation and distillation. After Fillioux has fermented the must into a wine, he distills the wine twice through a traditional, antique charentais-pot still.

Following distillation, the cognac is aged for a minimum of 25 years in a combination of new and used oak casks. The secret to producing exquisite cognac, Fillioux says, is the having the requisite patience to watch and taste the cognac as it matures. During the maturation process, Pascal tastes each barrel, noting its aroma and flavor profile. As the cognac continues to age, he transfers it as necessary to different barrels and stores the barrels in different areas of his vault in order to ensure that after a quarter-century, the cognac is blessed with a consistent, rounded flavor profile. Importer Notes