We are already at the halfway point of our Cognac Expert Advent calendar. As we open the 12th door, we find a Maxime Trijol Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac. The Trijol family’s estate traces its roots to the mid-1800s in Saint-Martial-sur-Né, where they built their first distillery in 1859. For over 150 years, the Maxime Trijol brand has operated as a family-run business, preserving knowledge and heritage across five generations. In 1962, the house became a professional distiller. It then started growing its own vineyards for the production of Cognac. Today, with 22 25-hectolitre stills, it produces and distributes Cognac on a much larger scale.
Under the leadership of Jean-Jacques Trijol, this estate has grown into one of the largest cognac distilleries. As master distiller, Jean-Jacques supervises every stage of production. He or one of the skilled cellar masters crafts each bottle, and it undergoes strict quality control, marked with batch numbers for full traceability.
Maxime Trijol Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac Review
Maxime Trijol Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac is distilled exclusively from Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the Grande Champagne Cru. It matures for 35 years in medium grain and medium toast Limousin French oak casks in their chai before bottling at 40% ABV without any additive. Expect to pay around €135 per bottle for this premium cognac.
Colour:
Mahogany.
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with notes of leather and oak, followed by rich aromas of dates, black cherries, dark chocolate, and subtle florals. Hints of caramel, earthy humus, and orange blossom.
Palate:
Neat: The palate offers an abundance of caramel, with notes of butterscotch and toffee, complemented by hints of liquorice, pepper, and tarte tatin. Subtle dried apricots add a touch of fruitiness. The mouthfeel, however, feels too light, likely due to the reduction.
Finish:
Finish: Notes of spent tea leaves, caramel, sweetened orange nectar, liquid unsalted caramel, and a touch of menthol. Medium in length, leaving a light and lingering sweetness.
Comments:
Once again, this demonstrates that Cognac producers should avoid excessive reduction. The Maxime Trijol Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac is more than decent and has some distinctiveness compared to the previous cognacs from the advent calendar, but I can’t help but feel that it would have been much better without the reduction and with a fuller mouthfeel. As with whisky, unless the 40% ABV is the result of natural ageing, it’s always a good idea to try before you buy, as the mouthfeel might not meet your expectations.