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

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. The maturation of Hine Cognac also benefits from the insistence to preserve this local, familiar approach. By housing its cellar two metres below the level of the close River Charente, Hine allows high humidity to naturally engineer the conditions that lend the aging process of this Cognac to develop greater complexity and structure. With rich aromas, pronounced oak and the highly sought ‘rancio’ characteristic, Hine makes Cognac reminiscent of the early incarnations so romantically cherished in France.

Best Cognac Brands in the World Right Now - Elite Traveler The Best Cognac Brands in the World Right Now - Elite Traveler

The taste is refined and elegant with dry cedar notes and a very light, white blossom honey. Suggested Serve To have created and sustained such a legacy is ultimately the result of Hine committing themselves to the seemingly simple idea that a great Cognac is above all a great white wine. The emphasis on focusing on smaller quantity for a higher standard of quality is a Hine trademark that has served them, and their enthusiasts, very well. I defy you not to try one. 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. Fortune favours the bold, however, and not only did Hine find himself imprisoned in the middle of Cognac country, in an established Cognac house, he also found himself in the good company of Françoise-Elisabeth, the daughter of his hosts. He went on to marry her (downright cheeky, if you ask me), but he assumed the family business from her father and gave it his own name in 1817.

This collectible bottle of Hine VSOP Fine Champagne Coganc is from the 1980s, and comes with two very round brandy glasses. You can still find the brand today, and though the label is different, the bottle shape is still very much recognisable, and the iconic stag still remains. 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. As a singular distiller of Cognac, Hine doesn’t simply rely on one method, however, and is known to employ an additional trademark strategy; aging vintage casks in cellars in Bristol, England. This alternative maturation process produces what is known as ‘early-landed’ Cognacs. A relatively constant, low temperature is pitted against the high humidity to induce early landed editions that will posses more delicate and light oak and fruit notes. The character is rounded by an aroma that speaks more to fresh flowers and orange peel - evocative of the traditional Cognac.

Hine Cognac - At Hine And Nowhere Else

This is Hine’s most entry level Cognac that is blended from more than 15 Cognacs, all more than four years old. NoseThe family believes cognac should be strong and aromatic, which is reflected in the brand’s powerful blends. If you’re looking for something truly special, however, the spectacular Hennessy XO x Kim Jones edition will certainly make your drinks cabinet pop. The maison partnered with the Dior artistic director in early 2023 to create a capsule collection featuring two decanters, as well as a pair of sneakers. 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