Aged 60 years in casks, this cognac is a blend of the finest eaux-de-vie from Archiac, a town known for the quality of its soils in the Petite Champagne area.

Laurent Merlin was established in 1870 in Arthenac by Laurent’s grandfather, Laurent Merlin (born ca. 1853) and has been in the family ever since. After Laurent it was Oscar (1885-1962), followed by Laurent. After Laurents demise in the late 1990s, his daughter Carmen was in charge. For the first few years she has produced new cognacs (VSOP, Vieille Réserve), but in the 2010s she started selling the stocks and sold the vineyards too. The Hors Pair was among the last bottles still available and is sublime. And maybe a little uncommon for a bouilleur de cru, but they made several vintage cognacs too.

Laurent Merlin preferred working with restaurants and connoisseurs. He was supplier of numerous famous restaurants like Taillevent, La Tour d’Argent, Troisgros, Bocuse and Faugeron. Other clients were l’Assemblee Nationale, Le Sénat, Le Ministerie de l’Economie et des Finances, to name just a few.

Content 700ml - volume 40%

Rouyer Guillet Vieille Grande Champagne Philippe Guillet is the oldest expression this ancient house ever launched, 19th century Cognac, most likely vintage 1865, aged one hundred years, bottled for Hong Kong in the 1960's

Content 70cl - volume 40%

This presentation box contains a cognac-colored Fabergé style egg, decorated with crystal and gold detail and topped with a gold eagle. Inside the egg is a decanter containing 40-year old Cognac, distilled by Roullet in 1975.

Content 700ml - volume 40%

This is Frapin Multimillésime N° 2, a blend of Grande Champagne Cognacs from 1979, 1983 and 1985.

Content 70cl - volume 41,3%

This is Frapin Multimillésime, a blend of Grande Champagne Cognacs from 1982, 1983 and 1985. Released in 2008, limited to just 1270 bottles.

Content 70cl - volume 41%

This rare Fontenaud XO Grande Fine Champagne was bottles for the Japanese market, some 45 years ago. Produced from grapes harvested in the very best part of Cognac this exceptional Premier Cru has been bottled at 45% which is very unusual for Cognac.

Contact 70cl - volume 45%

This 70 year old Grande Champagne Cognac was bottled especially for restaurant Taillevent by Font Borne. In the second edition of his book "Cognac" from 1995 Gerd von Paczensky listed Font-Borne Taillevent among the best cognacs.

Princesse Doria, head of the house of Savoy, is the wife of the Prince of Napels, Vittorio Emanuele.

Content 70cl - volume 40%

Taillevent Bicentenaire de la Révolution Française 1789-1989 is a 50-year old Grande Champagne Cognac, released in 1988/1989 for Taillevent, a two Michelin stars Paris restaurant, founded in 1946 by André Vrinat.

Content 700ml - volume 40%

Philippe de Castaigne Très Vieux Grande Champagne Cognac, distilled in 1850, bottled between 1989 and 1994. As this is pre-phylloxera Cognac it is made from Folle Blanche, the traditional grapes which were used for both Cognac and Armagnac until 1878.

Content 70cl - volume 43%

Marcel Dubreuil Vielle Reserve Grande Champagne, aged 35-40 years on average, bottled in the 1990's.

Content 70cl - volume 43%

This Hine Napoleon, bottled in a hand gilded Royal Blue Limoges decanter, is a faithful scale reproduction of the Arc de Triomphe, commissioned in 1806 by Napoléon Bonaparte to commemorate his many victories.

Content 70cl - volume 40%

Logis de la Mothe is a discontinued brand, owned by Andre Jullien, a French producer and owner of a family business which started in 1865. Although production sort of halted in the 1980's it took until 2017 before the announcement came that they would only sell their Cognac, in bulk, to the large producers. This is really a shame as Logis de la Mothe is arguably one of the best Cognacs ever produced. Vieille Reserve was the oldest expression in their humble range and as such the best they had to offer.

Content 150cl - volume 45%

Philippe de Castaigne XO, bottled from 19th century stocks for the Japanese market between 1989 and 1994.

Content 700ml - volume 40%

Philippe de Castaigne Napoleon, bottled for Japan between 1989 and 1994.

Content 700ml - volume 40%

Larsen Tres Vieille Reserve Baccarat, bottled around 1990 for Japan. Larsen was founded in 1926 by Norwegian Jens Larsen and eventually sold in 2012 to Rémy-Cointreau.

Content 70cl - volume 40%

Delamain Extra Grande Champagne, aged over 40 years, is a discontinued expression which was positioned between Très Vénérable and Réserve de la Famille. Released in 2007 it has been awarded 96-100 point by Wine Enthusiast Magazine the following year. This appears to be the final release.

Content 700ml - volume 40%

Croizet Réserve Particulière was introduced in 1997, a beautiful decanter bottled with precious 1860 vintage Cognac, one of the favorite's of Benjamin Léon Croizet, distilled by his father, the other being a 1842 vintage distilled by his infamous grandfather Léon Croizet, Napoleon Bonaparte's sommelier.

After about two years the last remaining 1860 was bottled and after careful consideration the 1894 vintage became its successor. In total Croizet released 4 different decanters of which some carried a vintage year on their neck label while others came with a certificate stating vintage years and date of bottling. Besides the aforementioned 1860 and 1894 vintages Croizet also released some decanters containing a 1811 Fine Champagne.

This decanter is believed to contain the 1894 vintage.

Content 70cl - volume 40%

Croizet Réserve Particulière was introduced in 1997, a beautiful decanter bottled with precious 1860 vintage Cognac, one of the favorite's of Benjamin Léon Croizet, distilled by his father, the other being a 1842 vintage distilled by his infamous grandfather Léon Croizet, Napoleon Bonaparte's sommelier.

After about two years the last remaining 1860 was bottled and after careful consideration the 1894 vintage became its successor. In total Croizet released 4 different decanters of which some carried a vintage year on their neck label while others came with a certificate stating vintage years and date of bottling. Besides the aforementioned 1860 and 1894 vintages Croizet also released some decanters containing a 1811 Fine Champagne.

This decanter is believed to contain the 1894 vintage.

Content 73cl - volume 40%

Croizet Réserve Particulière was introduced in 1997, a beautiful decanter bottled with precious 1860 vintage Cognac, one of the favorite's of Benjamin Léon Croizet, distilled by his father, the other being a 1842 vintage distilled by his infamous grandfather Léon Croizet, Napoleon Bonaparte's sommelier.

After about two years the last remaining 1860 was bottled and after careful consideration the 1894 vintage became its successor. In total Croizet released 4 different decanters of which some carried a vintage year on their neck label while others came with a certificate stating vintage years and date of bottling. Besides the aforementioned 1860 and 1894 vintages Croizet also released some decanters containing a 1811 Fine Champagne.

This decanter is believed to contain the very rare 1811 vintage.

Content 70cl - volume 40%

Rouyer Guillet Fine Champagne Philippe Guillet 25 ans d'Age, bottled in the 1950's.

Content 70cl - volume 40%