The fourth cognac in my 2024 Cognac Expert Advent Calendar is Bache Gabrielsen Hors d’Âge. The story begins in 1903 when 20-year-old Norwegian Thomas Bache-Gabrielsen left the military and moved to Cognac to grow the family business. There, he met Odette, a local winegrower’s daughter. Captivated by both Cognac and Odette, he stayed. In 1905, with his friend Peter Rustad, he purchased Maison A. Edmond Dupuy, founded in 1852, marking the start of Bache Gabrielsen Cognac. Thomas and Odette married in 1906, laying the foundation for their ambitious family Maison.
In 1916, during Prohibition, he rebranded his “Three Stars” cognac as “Tre Kors” (Three Crosses), marketing it as medicine through Norwegian pharmacies, with customers lining up at doctors and veterinarians to buy it. The Maison passed through generations, and in 2009, Hervé Bache-Gabrielsen took over from his father Christian. A notable chapter in their history occurred in 2000 when a truck carrying 19,000 bottles was stolen. The stolen bottles sold cheaply under the table, boosting their fame and making Bache Gabrielsen the most sold spirit in Norway by 2002.
Today, Bache Gabrielsen operates as a négociant, sourcing eaux-de-vie from various producers. While their oldest cognac dates back to 1842, today’s tasting, the Hors d’Âge, is considerably younger!
Bache Gabrielsen Hors D’Âge Grande Champagne Cognac Review
Bache Gabrielsen Hors d’Âge is made primarily from Ugni Blanc grapes, with eaux-de-vie sourced from various bouilleurs de cru in Grande Champagne. Distilled with lees in traditional copper alambics (20–30 hl), the blend ages 50–70 years in humid cellars. As cellar master Jean-Philippe Bergier notes, “The oldest eaux-de-vie in this Grande Champagne blend were distilled during WWI, while the youngest date to the 1970s.”
Aged in barrels from various Cognac cooperages with medium-plus toast and coarse grain, the colour is natural, without artificial additives. However, 12g/L of liquid sugar has been added for flavour balance. Bottled at 40% ABV, it’s available for around €250.
Colour:
Tawny.
Nose:
Neat: Notes of orange peel, honey, brown sugar, and custard cream, complemented by a subtle woody aroma. Hints of flowers, pancakes drizzled with maple syrup, and raisins add complexity. Quite on the sweeter side.
Palate:
Neat: Initially some sweetness on the palate, followed by a hint of citrus, with spices emerging after a few seconds to partially balance the sweetness. Notes of oriental woods, chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, and grape and apple-flavoured lollipops. However, the mouthfeel is disappointingly thin and, in the end, the palate is even sweeter than the nose suggested.
Finish:
The finish is woody with subtle bitter and sour notes, accompanied by hints of brown sugar and honey.
Comments:
It’s a pity that sugar was added, and this old cognac was likely chill-filtered. The sweetness feels unbalanced, overshadowing the spices and other flavours both on the nose and palate. The mouthfeel is disappointingly thin, likely due to the chill filtration. Left in its natural state, without reduction or added sugar, it would almost certainly have been significantly better.
