Wat drink je vandaag of wat heb je gisteren gedronken...

[Fuzhou]

And buy old bottle on auction instead of new one?

Yes Ton. Although the new bottle is very good, I do prefer the older bottle to the new.

[Bob]

Denis-Mounie VSOP Cognac, oud 35 cl flesje.

Echt lekker spul met een enorme frisheid en smaak!

[Fuzhou]

Two bottles with similar profiles, but different quality. One is of finesse, the other drinks like whisky.

30 years old Dudognon, cask strength 49.5% abv.
30 years old Gregarious Grump, cask strength 52.9% abv.

[Fuzhou]

Jean Fillioux XO Premium
Single Cask #212. 47.5% abv.
450 bottles in the world.

[Fuzhou]

Jean Fillioux XO Premium
Single Cask #212. 47.5% abv.
450 bottles in the world.

Nose: faint vanilla and honey. Butterscotch.
On the palate: for this bottle, the taste is its strong suit. Complex and layered. Tropical fruits. There is no age statement, but it is on par or exceed in complexity with the previous 26 year old single cask Fillioux bottle.

[Ton]

Fillioux never disappoints.

[Fuzhou]

Fillioux never disappoints.

They are certainly a fan’s cognac, and good value too.

[Fuzhou]

I feel that I have to do a side by side comparison. The Cask 212 has a darker hue. Could that be an indication of older age? It also has a sharper nose, likely impart by the higher abv. Cask 504 has a fruitier taste, and is softer than 212, but cask 212 is more pronounced on the palate. It’s hard to decide which one is better. They are both excellent in their own right.

[Ton]

Do both have the same ABV?
A darker colour may indicate a longer ageing period, provided both have been aged in similar casks. However, a difference in colour may, of course, also be the result of ageing in a younger cask.

[Fuzhou]

Do both have the same ABV?
A darker colour may indicate a longer ageing period, provided both have been aged in similar casks. However, a difference in colour may, of course, also be the result of ageing in a younger cask.

The one on the left, Cask 212 is 47.5% abv. Vintage unknown. On the right, Cask 504, is 43.3% abv. Distilled in 1996, and bottled in 2022. 26 years old.