This vintage Cognac comes from a family of public notaries who has been located close to the city of Cognac for many generations. This Petite Champagne was part of the inheritance of the father, who had bequeathed his stocks of Cognac to his wife and his son, who was public notary like him. The father has bought this batch on January 1974 to one of his clients, who was at the time the President of one of the most important Cognac Houses. Unfortunately, when the father passed away, his wife and his son were in disagreement and the succession was blocked until we propose a solution. This is a very “sentimental” cognac, stored under State control since the 25th of January 1974, in a very humid cellar located on the bank of the Charente river in the city center of Cognac. This cellar is today the Cognac Museum. The harvest 1973 was abundant ( 62% compared to the harvest 1972 in Petite Champagne!) and was qualified of “harvest of the century” at the time. Warm gold colour, with amber lights. The nose is rich and unctuous; ripe fruits, dark-red plums, Mirabelle plums, spices (curcuma, cardamom, pepper) and sandalwood, cedar scents. Surrounding the fruits, the lovely old rancio nose that well-matured Cognac develops. The taste increase the fruity delicacies (plums again, dark chocolate with cinnamon) and the spicy side (tobacco, nutmeg). At the end, slightly bitter as coffee beans, complexity and elegancy of a controlled rancio.

The Vieille Réserve is often the favourite cognac of our Grande Champagne lovers, especially ladies. This cognac expresses all the fullness of the fruity aromas typical of a Grande Champagne, aged for a long time in oak barrels. To fully appreciate this cognac, take time, sit in a good chair and heat the glass with the palm of your hand. The trip to a stone fruit orchard can begin. At the beginning of the tasting, the aromas of fresh fruit at the beginning of summer - like peach or apricot - appear. As the glass warms, aromas of riper fruit, more oxidized by the sun, are revealed, such as plums, prunes and Agen prunes. These are the fruits of late summer: hot, matured, and stewed. At the end of the tasting, spices appear then the vanilla side of the oak barrel. Round and mellow, this cognac is easily savoured. Another remarkable point, the length in the mouth, so characteristic of the Grande Champagne. The combination with a chocolate dessert (such as a Black Forest or a fondant) is quite appropriate.

Amongst the different grades of cognac the VS quality is the youngest which can be sold after a minimum of 30 months in oak casks. For ageing the House of Prunier uses casks of 400 litres coming exclusively from the Limousin district and which are on average 6 to 8 years old.Prunier VS expresses the freshness, the delicacy and the fruit of the different areas of the region. It is an excellent base for mixtures and is adapted to cocktail aromas.

Martell VS is a smooth and well balanced Cognac that is often in short global supply. It is best enjoyed straight or over ice for a different twist.