Hine Rare French Cognac, Smooth & Elegant Fine Champagne Cognac, Best Enjoyed Neat, Rare Hine Cognac, Grande & Fine Region Grapes, Fruity & Floral Cognac, 70cl, 40% ABV

Product Information

Once you’ve finished reading our review, feel free to peruse our wide range of related content such as the following resources: Cognac is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious and delightful spirits. In this review, you will discover Hine Rare VSOP as I cover the following topics:

Hine Rare VSOP Cognac Hine - Waitrose Cellar

Blended with eaux-de-vie exclusively from the premier cru, Grande Champagne, this Hine XO Antique Grande Champagne Cognac is innovation, a relic from the times of Georges Hine brought to life for the modern Cognac connoisseur. The recipe was developed in 1920 by Hine himself, and was relaunched in 2010 by the Cognac house as a single cru XO. The 40 different Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie have been aged for a minimum of 10 years in traditional French Limousin oak casks, a homage to Hine’s heritage and the Cognac house’s history of fine craftsmanship.Matching the nose, the Homage is fuller on the palate with lovely fresh orange oils, pepper spice, hints of nutmeg and a rich prune ending. Suggested Serve This special edition Cognac has been produced by cellar master, Eric Forget, using a blend of 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987 “Early Landed” Grande Champagne Cognacs that were matured in the UK, as well as some XO Cognac from Hine’s cellars in Jarnac. Nose

Hine Rare The Original Cognac : The Whisky Exchange

The interesting philosophy of Hine is that a great Cognac first and foremost needs to be a great white wine. As such, the house puts a lot of emphasis and lots of effort into producing exceptional base wines, keeping their essence and translating that into exceptional eaux-de-vies. Since that dramatic arrival to the Château de Jarnac estate, Thomas Hine & Co has seen six generations of the Hine family succeed one another as head of the company. Yet, its greatest honour was surely bestowed in 1962, when the House of Hine was awarded a Royal Warrant by Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II. To this day Hine remains the only official supplier of Cognac to the British monarchy. Great balance and length carry different sensations to an impressive, very pleasant finish. There are some orchards thrown into the overall picture, sweet leather, and a final glimpse of the exceptional base wine character that is so typical for the house of Hine. Whilst the Bonneuil Single Estate bottlings were about terroir and vintage, these next two speak to ageing. Aged 25 years, these are still young by Cognac standards, meaning that there isn’t too much oak interaction from the barrels. This “Early Landed” edition has been aged in the UK where humidity is higher and constant, and temperature lower and constant compared to Jarnac, meaning less oxidation, less Angel Share loss and slower maturation. Nose Being such a versatile style of Cognac, Hine Rare could play so many different roles as a pairing option. I would highly recommend a little experiment, putting your bottle of Hine Rare VSOP into the freezer overnight, and then enjoy it neat to accompany certain meals. Seafood, for example, goes particularly well with this ice-cold serve: salmon tartare or a super fresh ceviche would make for a sensational experience that will enlighten your taste buds.

Overall Experience & Value For Money

For over 260 years, generations of dedicated craftsmen and women have kept a keen eye on ensuring the longevity of our independent and family-owned heritage and recognized know-how that make our Maison’s cognacs one of a kind. This is surprisingly different from everything we’ve tried so far. Rhubarb custard sweetness pairs with a saline quality on the palate to create an unusual and dynamic expression that it is worth travelling to France to try! Suggested Serve

Hine XO Antique Grande Champagne Cognac Hine XO Antique Grande Champagne Cognac

These long sea voyages would have a huge influence on the cognac in its final months of maturation. The combination of constant movement, salty air, temperature variations and air pressure changes gave the cognac unrivaled smoothness. But when the practice stopped in the early 1900s, that characteristic was lost. After a couple of minutes, the astringency takes a more prominent role on the palate. It reveals layers upon layers of depth, just to balance off the caramelly, raisiny fruit-sweetness. The creamy mouthfeel and texture translate into rich marzipan and white nougat. All in all, this is a rather complex tasting experience, despite this being a VSOP and not a prestige XO bottling. On the palate, the warming sensation of spices only serves to enhance and lift the sweet and exotic vanilla, complemented by notes of hazelnut and quince. Accents of fig tart and blonde tobacco also present themselves on the palate in a long and lingering finish. This XO may not boast a typical flavor profile for a Grande Champagne blend, but it certainly proves why this region is considered the premier cru with its complexity and depth of character. Awards Hine Rare comes in the classic-looking, iconically shaped bottle that is typical for Thomas Hine & Co. It’s a worthy presentation for a beautiful spirit, which offers tremendous value for money. Closing ThoughtsAlthough owned by the House of Rémy Martin, Louis XIII is worthy of its own section due to its position at the pinnacle of cognac production. A single blend of Louis XIII can contain up to 1,200 of the most treasured eaux-de-vie in its vast cellar. The family believes cognac should be strong and aromatic, which is reflected in the brand’s powerful blends. Today’s master blender is not thinking about what he wants for his blend but what his successor’s successor might want. As a result, the House of Rémy Martin has been actively working to reduce its environmental impact. It is helping its winegrowers attain High Environmental Value (HEV) certification, which recognizes a holistic approach to air, water, soil and plants. Last year, it reached its goal of having 50% of land HVE-certified, two years ahead of schedule, and is aiming to have 100% certified by 2028. The house uses grapes grown in the Grande Champagne, shunning mass-market VS (two-year) and VSOP (four-year) cognacs to focus its efforts on producing prestigious XO. Its ethos is not just to protect the heritage of cognac but to resist the general pressures of a speed-obsessed world. Camus is one of the few cognac brands to have remained independent since opening in 1863, and it is fiercely proud of it. Having operated with the same philosophy through five generations, Camus offers its band of loyal consumers an unrivaled level of consistency.

Hine Cognac Range Review - Sated

Strikingly different from the UK-aged vintage! Rich toffee and salted caramel, with a fruit basket of cherry, prune and dark berries that is complex without weighing heavily on the palate. Suggested Serve Since Hine is a more mellow, wine-focused type of Cognac, I like to pair it with certain cigars, despite my usual cautiousness of spirit and cigar combinations, given the high ABV. It can be overwhelming to smoke a spicy cigar and then challenge your palate even more by pairing it with a high-alcohol, woody and tannic beverage. Not so with Hine Rare, which I would enjoy alongside a characterful Connecticut shade wrapped cigar with depth and body in the filler tobaccos. Alternatively, a Maduro that could take a layer of freshness and some extra liveliness, but is not overly spicy, leathery or beefy, would be a great match. Full and powerful without losing the nuance and complexity Hine is known for. Punchy prunes and juicy raisins are met with buttery notes, fudge, and some deep, earthy, rancio aspects. Florals are ever-present, floating above the forest floor and the increased wood intervention adds depth of flavour and gentle spice to the well-preserved fruit. Suggested Serve Courvoisier is also one of the most experimental of the great Cognac houses. The house recently revealed an experimental cognac aged in rare Japanese mizunara oak casks. These exceptionally rare casks are prized among distillers for their ability to impart a particular spice to a spirit. Due to its slow growth and tendency to twist, the oak itself is in very short supply. This is the same liquid as the previous bottle but has been aged in the cellars under The Orangerie at Maison Hine in Jarnac, France, where conditions are very different. NoseA fresh, fruity, and rather elegant opening is dominated by red apple, apricots – almost like apricot jam – and a touch of brioche. The luscious aromas of yeast and sweet dough, slightly toasted, offer another nuance with a sprinkle of caster sugar and a caramelized finish. This Cognac offers a very elegant, floral complexity, elevated by a gentle whiff of olibanum. The result is, naturally, that Delamain is not as well known as its counterparts but produces cognac on par with any of them. The Delamain Pale & Dry XO offers notes of peonies, apricots, orange and vanilla.