Advent Calendar Archives - More Drams, Less Drama

Henry Toursier Extra Cognac

21st December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

We’ve reached the 20th pouch in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, and this time it reveals a Henry Toursier Extra Cognac. The story of Henry Toursier dates back to 1888 when the Bordeaux entrepreneur established his trading house, gaining a strong reputation for exporting Sauternes, Cognac, and Bordeaux Clairet. Despite its early success, the brand faded into obscurity due to the absence of a successor.

In 2013, Alain Palissière, a Cognac merchant passionate about local history, breathed new life into the brand. While restoring a old house in the Charente countryside, he uncovered stencils and posters bearing the Henry Toursier name. Inspired by this discovery, Palissière revived the Maison Henry Toursier, combining traditional methods with modern techniques to craft new Cognac blends and honour the house’s history.

Godet 43 Years Old Single Cask Cognac

20th December 202419th December 2024Coldorak

We’re unfortunately approaching the end of our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar as we’re already on the 19th cognac today: a Godet Single Cask Fall Edition. Cognac Godet, based in La Rochelle, France, has a history dating back to 1588 when it was founded by Dutch merchant Bonaventure Godet. The company has remained in the hands of the Godet family for 15 generations, making it one of the oldest family-run Cognac houses still in operation.

In 1699, under the reign of Louis XIV, Jean Godet was ennobled and granted a coat of arms featuring three goblets and a star, reflecting the family’s longstanding involvement in Cognac production. The Godet family successfully navigated challenges like the phylloxera crisis of the late 19th century, replanting their vineyards around La Rochelle and maintaining their focus on producing high-quality Cognac.

Now led by the 15th generation, with brothers Jean-Édouard, Maxime, and Cyril Godet, the company continues to blend tradition with innovation. Their work includes preserving rare grape varieties and emphasising craftsmanship in their cognacs, such as in the “Roots of Cognac” collection.

The house’s location near the Atlantic Ocean has played a significant role in its history, with cellars positioned along the La Rochelle coastline for centuries. This proximity to the sea is said to influence the character of their cognacs, which reflect the family’s long experience and dedication to their craft.

Marancheville GC30 Cognac

19th December 202418th December 2024Coldorak

On the 18th day of our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we found a Marancheville GC30 Cognac. In the early 2000s, brothers-in-law Grégoire Lucas and Laurent Nedelec moved their families to Cognac to work in the family distillery. It didn’t take long for them to become deeply passionate about the industry. While the distillery’s primary focus remains producing eaux-de-vie for some of the biggest names in Cognac, in 2012, they decided to launch their own small range of cognacs under their own label — thus, Marancheville Cognac was born.

Drawing on decades of family experience and a strong network of Cognac professionals, Laurent and Grégoire sought advice and expertise to help create the brand and its cognacs. Though distillation for major houses remains their core business, these cognac merchants and winegrowers dedicate significant time, effort, and skill to developing their own range.

Normandin Mercier XO Grande Champagne Cognac

18th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

The 17th cognac in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar is a 30-year-old Normandin Mercier XO Grande Champagne Cognac. In the village of Dompierre-sur-Mer, near La Rochelle, lies the Normandin-Mercier estate, a family-run Cognac house founded in 1872 by Jules Normandin. Now led by his great-great-grandson, Edouard Normandin, the estate has remained in the family for five generations. The property itself is steeped in history, with the 17th-century Château La Péraudière originally serving as one of François I^st’s hunting lodges. The cellars, added later, became central to the Cognac house’s operations, where eaux-de-vie are still aged and blended today. Distillation was carried out on-site until the interwar period, and the cellars continue to hold the family’s centuries-old expertise.

The Normandin-Mercier name reflects the partnership of Jules Normandin and his wife, Justine Mercier, whose family name was added to the brand, as it was created with its financial help. The house focuses on ageing carefully selected eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, with every stage of production taking place on the estate. The location, in the Bois Ordinaire region near the Atlantic coast, lends a unique character to their cognacs, influenced by the mild coastal climate.

Normandin-Mercier maintains a commitment to simplicity and authenticity, reflected in their elegant, understated bottles and decanters that highlight the spirit within. The Château’s grounds are home to ancient oak forests, and casks made from this wood are used to age their signature Cognac, La Péraudière. The estate welcomes visitors to experience its history, explore the cellars, and discover the sensory richness of a Cognac house that has preserved tradition for over 150 years.

Richard Delisle Lot 53 Cognac

17th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

With two thirds of our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar complete (including this one), today’s pick feels like it could easily have been reserved for the grand finale: the Richard Delisle Lot 53 Grande Champagne Cognac.

The story of the Cabanne family dates back to 1810 when François Cabanne moved from La Vienne to Charente with his wife and two children. In 1839, his eldest son, also named François, married a woman from Bourg-Charente and settled in Chez Genin. Their family home became the heart of their legacy, passed down through generations and eventually serving as the company headquarters.

Upon arriving in Charente, the Cabannes began cultivating the land. By 1844, Jean-Célestin had started a wine business, which his son Philémon expanded into distillation. The distillery began with three copper alembics—a significant operation at the time—and over five generations, it has grown into one of the region’s largest, now boasting 15 copper alembics. Each generation has left its mark, contributing to the expansion of both the vineyard and the distillery.

The Richard Delisle brand itself, founded in 1834 and originally tied to the Mitterrand family, was acquired by the Cabannes after World War II. The family adopted the name for their Cognacs, further cementing their reputation. Today, Alexis Cabanne, the fourth-generation owner and cellar master, continues the family’s legacy. He has expanded into spirit trading on traditional markets and launched Hawkins Distribution in 1999 to export their Cognacs worldwide.

Vallein Tercinier Liaison Intime Cognac

16th December 202415th December 2024Coldorak

We’ve reached the fifteenth pouch in the Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, and today it’s the Vallein Tercinier Liaison Intime. I’ve been especially excited for this one, and for a rather whisky-related reason. A few years ago, whilst working with Dingle Distillery and assisting Graham and Fay Coull at Whisky Live Paris, I had the chance to introduce Graham to some cognacs during a break. Naturally, I brought him to the Vallein Tercinier booth.

We tasted their full lineup, and Graham was so impressed that I introduced him to the Vallein Tercinier family. This led to the acquisition of several cognac casks to mature or finish some Dingle whiskey. Over the next two editions of Whisky Live Paris, the Vallein Tercinier team stopped by to sample the Dingle whiskey finished in their casks – and they loved it! But enough about my story – let’s dive into Vallein Tercinier and take a closer look at their Liaison Intime Cognac.

Guillon Painturaud Renaissance Cognac

15th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

The fourteenth dram in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar is a Guilloin Painturaud Renaissance Cognac. The Guillon-Painturaud family has lived on their estate since the early 17th century, originally working as weavers before gradually developing their vineyard. The phylloxera crisis devastated their vines in the late 19th century, and replanting was slow. Even amidst the challenges of two world wars, production carried on, thanks to the dedication of women and elderly members. The family’s Charentais alembic, built in 1914, remains a unique tool for crafting refined and aromatic cognacs.

In 1964, Jean-Pierre breathed new life into the familial enterprise, and by the 1970s, their vineyard was yielding remarkable cognac spirits. In 1975, they introduced Pineau des Charentes, sparking a passion for this speciality. Direct sales began in 1978, and by 1994, Jean-Pierre’s daughter, Line, entered the scene, eventually handing the reins to her and her spouse, Olivier, in 2014.

In 2021, sisters Elise and Mathilde Thorin (daughters of Claude Thorin and active in the family business) embarked on a new chapter with the goal of upholding the family’s values and craftsmanship while continuing to create exceptional Cognacs and Pineaux des Charentes. Under the name ‘Two Sisters Distillers’, they aim to carry the legacy forward.

Mauxion Borderies Lot 45 Cognac

14th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

We begin the second half of our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar with a Mauxion Borderies Lot 45 Cognac. The Mauxion family traces its origins back to 1575, when Pierre Mauxion was born in the village of Houlette. Over thirteen generations, the family has remained rooted in the same estate. In 1743, Antoine Mauxion became the first family member to produce eaux-de-vie, beginning a tradition that has been carried forward by ten successive generations. Today, Mauxion Selection continues this legacy, maintaining traditional methods in vineyard care and the crafting of high-quality eaux-de-vie.

Mauxion Selection stands out by offering a range of single-cru expressions in various sizes. All their cognacs are sourced exclusively from the renowned terroirs of Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, and Fins Bois. To preserve the integrity and character of their eaux-de-vie, Mauxion Selection bottles its cognacs at cask strength, without blending or reduction. This approach allows the spirits to retain their natural complexity and depth, showcasing the unique qualities of each vintage and terroir.

Maxime Trijol Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac

13th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

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.

Raymond Bossis XO Limited Edition N°1 Cognac

12th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

Behind ‘door #11’ of our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar (in fact, it‘’’s not doors but pouches), we found a Raymond Bossis XO Limited Edition N°1 Cognac. The Domaine des Groies, established in 1919 with its purchase by Philippe Bétard, has been managed by successive generations of the Bossis family. Auguste Bossis planted the first vines in 1924, assisted by his wife Marie, but it wasn’t until 1957, under the leadership of their son Raymond, that the vineyard began to grow. In 1960, the estate distilled its first Cognac, with the last bottles from that initial production sold nearly 50 years later, in 2008. Over the years, Raymond and his wife Michelle expanded the estate, focusing on direct sales and introducing Pineau des Charentes in the 1970s.

In 1993, Raymond’s son Jean-Luc took over, diversifying the estate’s offerings to include Cognac, Pineau des Charentes, traditional-method sparkling wines, and natural grape juice. His brother Jean-Marie joined in 2009, managing bottling and sales for domestic and international markets. Despite his advanced age, Raymond continues to play an active role, celebrating the estate‘’’s centenary in 2019 surrounded by family and friends.

Committed to sustainability, the Domaine des Groies practices integrated farming under the Optimus protocol and is working toward High Environmental Value (HVE) certification. As members of the Federation of Independent Winegrowers, they ensure direct involvement in all aspects of production, reflecting the family’s dedication to quality and tradition. Let’s shortly explain what the Optimus Protocol is below, then we’ll try this Raymond Bossis XO Limited Edition N°1 Cognac.