Re: Looking for a Cognac
By the price point. If you look at Hine, they only have one bottle with a VSOP designation (their starter cuvee) and I know they didn't do that before, I guess market pressure made them do that. In mid '90s they did not have a designation on the label. In their case I just ignore it since the product is well made, although I would rather drink their higher end stuff.
Also pay attention to color, redish color indicates artificial coloring, I see any, I walk away. Not that it alters the flavor, it DOES NOT, but that indicates to me the manufacturer is taking the easy way out. Oak barrels actually sap color while aging whats inside (whether wine or spirits) and in no way can/should impart red color to anything.
See if you can track down a bottle of Deret or Gourmel, they give Ferrand a very stiff competition and for my money actually deliver more. Not that I will turn down Ferrand :-) I have a 375ml bottle of Ferrand I paid $100 for in 2001, one of these days I need to open it to go along with a nice cigar or two.
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