Coldorak's whisky blog.
Day 10 of the Cognac-Expert 2025 Advent Calendar introduces a newcomer with a sky-high backstory: WV Baker Lot 91 La Fût-sée. Founded by former pilot Benjamin Baker, this young independent bottler hunts down hidden gems across the region. Today’s dram, a 34-year-old Bons Bois single cask, promises to showcase Baker’s knack for sourcing cognacs that soar.
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Day 9 of the Cognac‑Expert 2025 Advent Calendar lines up another Borderies heavyweight: a Godet 29‑year‑old single cask. Two earlier Godet single casks already set the bar high – a very good 43‑year‑old and an excellent 17‑year‑old – so this one arrives with serious expectations, sitting almost perfectly between them on the age spectrum. Time to see whether this 29‑year‑old carves out its own place in that line‑up or even manages to steal the spotlight.
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We conclude our debut week of the Cognac-Expert 2025 Advent Calendar with a Seguinot Réserve de la Famille cognac. Though Seguinot represents a fresh addition to the More Drams portfolio, the house commands deep respect within Cognac circles – a distinction you’ll discover in our background section below. The calendar has delivered consistently very good expressions throughout this opening week, so let’s see if day 7’s pouch carries that momentum forward with one of Seguinot’s most treasured releases, the Réserve de la Famille.
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Day 5 of the Cognac-Expert advent calendar delivers a familiar name with a prestigious twist: a Vallein Tercinier Lot 96 Cognac. While we explored one of their Lot 96 single casks a few months back – a solid Fins Bois expression – this pouch elevates the game with Grande Champagne terroir, the crown jewel of cognac crus.
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Looking forward to the second dram of the 2025 Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we encounter the Egreteau Father’s Blend, continuing what has proven to be an exceptional series this year. Now, Egreteau needs little introduction – we’ve already explored the house in detail – but it’s worth recalling that we were genuinely convinced by the two Egreteau Fragments we reviewed back in May 2025. With that foundation of quality in mind, let’s discover what the Father’s Blend brings to the table.
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For our final dram – already unfortunately – in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we have a François Voyer Hors d’Âge Cognac, from the Grande Champagne cru. The Chauchet-Voyer family has cultivated their vineyard since the French Revolution in the villages of Verrières and Ambleville, in the Grande Champagne region, renowned for Cognac production. In the late 19th century, Paul André was among the few winemakers distilling their own harvest rather than selling it, leaving behind a legacy that includes numerous old eaux-de-vie and a Paradise filled with 1er cru de Cognac eaux-de-vie.
François Voyer Cognac is made exclusively from Grande Champagne grapes, with the family vineyard of 8 hectares, distilling and bottling in-house to ensure quality and preserve tradition. Their expertise has been passed down for five generations since 1870. Dedicated to sustainable farming, François Voyer was one of the first estates to earn the Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification, awarded by the BNIC after a thorough audit.
Their family estate is shared between Grande Champagne’s 1st Cru of Cognac and Fins Bois Cru, and the estate has been entrusted to its current cellar master, Pierre Vaudon, and the winemaking embodied by Anne-Marie Vaudon, to continue its legacy for years to come.
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The penultimate cognac in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar is a 30-year-old Hardy Noces de Perle Cognac. Cognac Hardy, established in 1863 by British-born Anthony Hardy, is a testament to passion and resilience in the cognac world. After relocating to France and embracing French culture – adopting the name Antoine and the rooster as his emblem – Hardy earned a stellar reputation for his dedication to Fine Champagne cognac, evidenced by awards such as the 1869 Diploma of Excellence at the Amsterdam Exhibition. Despite challenges like the devastating phylloxera outbreak in the late 19th century, Hardy preserved sufficient reserves to rebuild and expand globally. Over generations, leadership passed through family hands, with each era bringing innovation and market growth. Notable milestones include the invention of ‘Anniversary’ cognacs in 1960, marked by the creation of iconic decanters like Noces de Perle (30 years) and Noces d’Albâtre (75 years). Under Jacques Hardy’s leadership, the company extended its reach to new continents. He retired in 1999, and the company name changed from A. Hardy et Cie to Cognac Hardy.
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As a conclusion to the third week into our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we found a Grosperrin N°76 Grande Champagne Cognac. Jean Grosperrin began his career in the wine industry as a distiller in Lorraine in the early 1980s before moving to Cognac, where he became a broker in 1991 and a wholesaler in 1994. In 1999, he started bottling his own casks, leveraging strong relationships with both Cognac winemakers and traders. During his career, he discovered many rare, heirloom Cognacs stored in the region’s cellars, offering a glimpse into pre-modern winemaking traditions. This network allowed him access to some of the oldest and most sought-after eaux-de-vie. Jean retired in 2003 due to health issues.
Today, Grosperrin Cognac remains a family-run business, led by Jean’s son, Guilhem Grosperrin, since 2004. The house maintains rigorous standards, ensuring full traceability of dates and vintages. Cognacs are stored under state control in ORECO warehouses, bottled under the supervision of a bailiff, and sealed with traceable labels and certificates, preserving the integrity of each release.
Read moreWe’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.
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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.
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