A Grande Champagne in the style of a Petite Champagne: everything is very soft and elegant, with no loud dominants. A masterpiece of a cognac. It will suit both those just starting out with single cask cognacs and connoisseurs of long standing - though the connoisseurs will find far more in it: here it is not enough to see, here you have to look closely, and then the heart fills with bright love...:) It reminded me somewhat of Balvenie Tun 1401, Batch 5, 50,1 %, bottled 2012 (https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/33521/balvenie-tun-1401) - the honeyed silkiness, the old tannins, the half-tones without dominants.

The aroma is of medium body and open. There is a great deal of everything, but all of it in half-tones: orange zest, bergamot, passion fruit, mango, peach.

The taste is the same citrus and tropical fruit, figs, a pleasant sweet-and-sour wine theme and old, noble tannins. A little later come rancio, walnut and pecan, tobacco, leather and cedar. A touch of mint and a delicate liquorice. Silky.

The finish is of medium length - citrus, liquorice and the most delicate oak: there is plenty of it, and it is of the highest quality.

92/100

Ruben Luyten, www.whiskynotes.be, 27/03/2026:

Nose: big rancio notes right away. Good ‘old’ oak, along with raisins, walnuts and pecans. These are matched with lovely jammy fruits, dried fruits, stewed pear and dark honey. Then some mintiness, cedar wood and leather in the background.

Mouth: a bit of everything really. It goes from dried fruits (raisins, candied guava) over fresh fruits (mango, figs, bergamots, hints of passion fruits) to minty top notes and jasmine. Along the way it also picks up vanilla (and pastry), herbal honey, marmalade, sweetened fruit tea and tobacco. Oak is only supportive here. It is quite weighty and rich, but it also comes with the vibrant brightness I’m looking for.

Finish: long, still brightly fruity, with a bit more drying oak spice now. Still some tropical notes and herbal freshness.

A private release for some very likeable cognac aficionados from Norway. They know their stuff: this is a brilliant cognac. May I suggest a bottling for Crazy Belgians as well? Thank you.

Score: 92/100

Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com, 19/04/2026:
Straight from a demi-john, and let us say it, very often that is for the better. If the owners once decided to take a spirit out of wood, it was certainly not without reason. Colour: amber gold. Nose: stop, let us pause, this is another league, that of very great bourbons, with a magnificent varnish, mango, vineyard peach, mint, Timut pepper, broom… We shall not overdo it, on the nose this is a magnificent cognac. Mouth: top of the game. An immense fruit salad drenched in sublime honey, orange juice, a few mint leaves and a hint of olive oil. Ite Missa est. Finish: fairly long, with the arrival of a very soft and subtle liquorice, sometimes liquorice can be overwhelming, but not here. Comments: it is almost embarrassing that it should be so good, when there are, or rather were, only forty-two bottles. It must be said that 1960 is a great year, as all our friends like to say whenever you mention their birth vintage on Facebook. Yet, in wine and aside from sweet wines such as certain Sauternes, 1960 was a very small year, it must be said it was framed by the magical 1959 and 1961.
SGP:651 - 92 points.