Pierre Ferrand vintage cognac heralds 1972

Pierre Ferrand's cellar master, Frederic Gilbert, can recall the year as being particularly suited to making a venerable liquer, one that would last for decades: "We had a unique combination of a very mild spring, two decisive frosts, one in May and one in September, which resulted in an early blossoming. However, a very dry August with strong sunshine gave the grapes the acidity needed for a cognac of long maturation."

The mellifluous cognac was bottled last January at cask strength, which means it was bottled straight from the cask without any addition of water to reduce the alcohol content down to 40 percent. Resting at an intoxicating 43.8 percent alcohol by volume, this is an exceptionally smooth spirit with lively flavours of tropical fruit, red berries, vanilla, spice and wood on the back palate.