About this cognac:
Some cognacs tell a story. Others carry a secret within.
This Lot 19.26 Grande Champagne belongs to that rare category in which both come together. Three years ago, we had the opportunity to purchase this exceptional cognac from Guilhem Grosperrin in Saintes, France, a name that immediately commands respect among connoisseurs. His family is known for tracking down, preserving and sharing cognacs with an unusually deep origin and a soul you cannot construct. This cognac had already been in Grosperrin’s inventory for more than 20 years but was kept as a well‑guarded secret and not offered. It was bought by Guilhem’s father, Jean Grosperrin, from the same owner as the renowned Grosperrin Grande Champagne 1924. It is incredible that this cognac was passed down through generations. It was preserved with extreme care to finally be bottled exactly 100 years after its distillation; we at Malternative Belgium are therefore super proud to finally be able to present it! For us, waiting 3 years was a trial, let alone what the previous owners must have gone through, nothing but respect!
The origin of this cognac reads almost like a chapter from a forgotten novel.
It comes from the estate of a former négociant, a man known in his village and the surrounding area as tenacious, discreet, and obsessed with old cognacs. Throughout his life he collected casks of cognac that he carefully selected. Many of them he sold on to trading houses, but he kept the most beautiful and intriguing lots for himself. His chai (cellar) was not an ordinary storage space. It was a sealed sanctuary. A former barn, reinforced with heavy metal doors, of which he guarded the key jealously. Even his wife and children were not allowed access. What lay behind those doors remained hidden for years. Only when his health declined and his son had to take charge of the situation did it become clear what he had preserved all that time: a series of old casks of Grande Champagne cognacs, each precisely marked with origin, volume, alcohol content and vintage. No archives, no extensive documents — only chalk, wood, scent, silence and time.
Tasting-notes:
Nose: Nose: A deep, ripe and particularly refined nose that opens up in an extremely layered way. First, notes of old beeswax, polished wood, dried apricot and peach, orange peel and soft tobacco from Honduras appear. Then more complex aromas show up: walnut, almond paste, old cellar, leather, cedarwood and subtle rancio. After some time in the glass it becomes even more elegant, with hints of dried flowers, chamomile, candied citrus, gentle spices and a light touch of antique furniture wax. No brute force, but aristocratic complexity.
Taste: A cognac that does not shout, but whispers. That needs no excess to make an impression. Its strength lies in its patina, in the gentle interplay of old‑world elegance, natural concentration, and an almost tangible history. Soft and precise on the attack, with a surprising energy for its age and profile, absolutely no faded glory. The first impression is of candied orange, apricot jam, honey, old nuts and soft spices. Then follow notes of tobacco, leather, cocoa, fine oak and dried fig. The Grande Champagne signature is clearly present: elegant, long, vertical and refined. The cask strength feels completely integrated. No alcoholic sharpness, but a natural tension that keeps the cognac lively. Towards the mid‑palate it becomes deeper, with touches of walnut oil, black tea, clove, old balsamic vinegar and peppermint.
Finish: Long, serene and particularly noble. The finish lingers on dried fruit, gentle spices, old oak, orange peel, leather and a fine mineral touch. A finish that not only continues, but above all keeps telling its story. Oh how I love these old cognacs!
Label explanation:
The name “La Clé du Paradis” refers to that sealed sanctuary: the place where this cognac lay hidden for years behind heavy doors, protected by one man and one key. The label of “La Clé du Paradis” is designed in a distinctly art deco style, as a reference to the distillation period and the timeless grandeur of this old cognac. At the top in the center stands the key. That key is more than a decorative element: it refers to the story behind this cognac. For years this eau‑de‑vie lay hidden in a locked chai, guarded by an owner who regarded his stock as a personal treasure. The key symbolizes access to something that remained unreachable for a long time.
