HINE, SINGLE CASK, LIGNIÈRES-SONNEVILLE, GRANDE CHAMPAGNE
 

CASK TJ09016 | LOT 2712

COGNAC, FRANCE 2009

For those who missed out on our last Single Cask Concierge Private Selection offer (or if you snagged a bottle but regret not getting more)—today’s offer is just for you. In a region where blending is paramount, Hine Cognac has stepped off the beaten path to showcase their top and most distinctive Grande Champagne vineyard plots in single cask, single vintage Cognac expressions. We have hand-selected a single barrel of Hine Cognac from Lignières-Sonneville, located in the heart of Grande Champagne, to be bottled as a Concierge Sales Private Selection; with only 360 individual bottles produced, this is a true collector’s item that will never be recreated.

According to Hine, “the philosophy of micro-provenance is fundamental. Eric Forget, the House’s Cellar Master, carefully identifies certain casks that exhibit a pronounced individuality in their early years. Born in the villages of Ambleville, Touzac, Bourg-Charente, Lignières-Sonneville or Segonzac, these eaux-de-vie represent the diversity of soils in the Grande Champagne.” Hine continually champions the utmost transparency with regard to provenance and production: our single lot, single cask bottling’s grapes were harvested and distilled in 2009, and the eaux-de-vie aged for nine years in lightly toasted French oak. Distinctive terroir drives this finessed spirit, and the defining chalky soils that run through the hilly Lignières-Sonneville vineyards certainly contribute to the endlessly elegant palate. The flavors weave between white chocolate, lilies, honey, and hazelnut, and the finish lingers for what feels like minutes. 

Before Prohibition, brandy—and Cognac specifically—was nearly as popular as its brown spirit cousin, whisky, thanks in part to its prominent role in many brown spirit-based cocktails. After the country’s dry spell, American whiskies experienced a surge in popularity that hasn’t stagnated. But Cognac too has been experiencing a renaissance of sorts as aficionados looks for more individuality and terroir expression in their beverages; the complexities of flavor a wine-based spirit can achieve are unsurpassable. Cognac remains the pinnacle expression of luxury and prestige, and singular, terroir-driven expressions keep producers like Hine at the forefront of our minds. In a market flush with thousands of spirit brands recreating their top bottles year in and year out, single cask spirits are hotter now than ever before and we are thrilled to have had the opportunity to select a single cask for our Concierge customers. Spirit connoisseurs, please act quickly! With only 360 bottles available and a 14% discount, we will sell out of this remarkable Concierge Sales Private Selection Cognac.