Independent Cognac house Bache-Gabrielsen is reaching out to aficionados through an unconventional Private Cognac Cask concept.
Connoisseurs and Cognac lovers can purchase a cask and participate in the creation of their own spirit, choosing their eaux-de-vie, and following the entire maturation to bottling process.
The tax-inclusive price, which depends on the selection of the cru and its maturation, ranges from €60 to €110 per bottle.
Bache-Gabrielsen said its concept marks a first in the history of Cognac. “With the launch of the Private Cognac Cask concept, the Bache-Gabrielsen house opens the doors of a world traditionally reserved to Cellar Masters,” the company commented.
Bache-Gabrielsen said that it is reaching “outside the circle of experts” to share its artisanal expertise “beyond its usual limits”.
Bache-Gabrielsen President Hervé Bache-Gabrielsen commented: “With the launch of the Private Cognac Cask the Bache-Gabrielsen house extends its expertise to any aficionado who wishes to learn about the art of maturation, once again breaking with the traditional Cognac codes that have always been based on secrecy.”
With nearly 110 years of experience in selecting eaux-de-vie, and a network of 150 partner winegrowers, the Bache-Gabrielsen house offers cask buyers guidance at each step of the production process.
Its Cellar Master Jean-Philippe Bergier will assist in the selection of eau-de-vie from one of the principal AOC Cognac crus. According to Bache-Gabrielsen, the selected cru determines the length of maturation and character: 2yo Fins Bois, 4yo Petite Champagne and 6yo Grande Champagne.
Small 30-litre barrels, which have already contained Bache-Gabrielsen XO Fine Champagne Cognac, are used for the maturation process. Their small volume accelerates the process, making it possible to obtain a Cognac with an already complex and full-bodied flavour within the first few years.
Cask owners will be invited to visit the Bache-Gabrielsen cellars for a tasting or receive a sample at home. Once mature, each Private Cognac Cask will be bottled and finished with personalised labels at the cellar, with cask owners again able to take part in the process.
