Well,
you would have to figure that anyone who has been doing something
since 1863 just might be doing it right. The Camus family
has been making their fine cognacs for over 150 years and
that tradition has been carefully maintained through 5 generations
ever since Jean-Baptiste Camus started the whole thing way
back then.
About
3 years ago, these good folks sent me their VSOP Elegance
and XO Elegance to taste drive. If you would like to read
what I thought of them along with a bit of cognac history
and lore, click
here.
Not
only have they kept the old traditions alive, they have expanded
their horizons to include the vineyards of the Ile de Re,
which is an island off the west coast of France in the Charente-Maritime
department. Situated in the Bois a Terroirs cru, the island
is the most westerly region of the Cognac appellation. And
to take matters further they have developed three different
expressions of this island's Cognacs: Ile de Re Fine Island
cognac, double matured cognac and Cliffside cellar cognac.
Let's see what they're all about.
The
Camus Ile de Re Fine Island cognac is harvested from grapes
grown in the island's mild climate and have a naturally higher
iodine content than those harvested on the mainland. These
grapes are distilled on the lees to enhance their flavor and
aged in an extremely damp cellar in toasted oak barrels. Let's
see how that comes out. The nose is a delicate balance of
honey, vanilla, smoke and oak with a spice note that makes
it quite interesting. The palate is spicy and oaky with just
a touch of smoke, followed by a floral flavor and then the
vanilla backed by the honey. The finish is spicy and oaky
and medium in length. It's not a bad sipper but I do believe
it has the presence to mix it up well with anything you might
throw at it and retain its flavor and depth.
The
Camus Ile de Re Double Matured is first aged on the Ile de
Re in a damp cellar and then transported to Cognac and placed
in very old toasted barrels to enhance the flavor and add
a smoky taste. This nose is subtle and sweet without any of
the spice notes of the 1st cognac. The oakiness is also very
laid back and there is the barest hint of char.
This
is a real palate pleasing cognac that is layered with honey
and botanical notes and is both sweet and pleasantly spicy.
The finish is shorter than the first cognac and smoother and
less spicy but still has intriguing depth.
The
Camus Ile de Re Cliffside Cellar cognac receives a double
aging on the island, first in barrels with light tannins,
and for the second aging, its placed within the Fort de La
Pree, a historic monument constructed in 1626 overlooking
the ocean. Well, well I do really get a salty sense of the
ocean in this nose and a bit more oakiness and smoke; however,
the other aromas are much more subtle yet more complex than
the first 2 cognacs. The spice notes are so laid back they
are barely discernible. The palate pleases with delicate flavors
of vanilla and smoke and citrus richly layered with sweet
floral flavors. The finish is delicate but layered with flavors
that seem to appear one after the other in a layered little
dance in my mouth. I like this one the best of the three because
it has lots of levels of delicate flavors that really play
nice together.
Don't
get me wrong, all three of these are wonderful in their own
right. The beauty of cognac in general is that with the diversity
of wonderful tastes, you can always find something that will
please your palate - unless you're like me and stock 20 different
cognacs because I don't or can't or refuse to make up my mind
about which I like best. The one I like best any evening is
the one that compliments my dinner, my mood, my need and the
company I am keeping and is complex enough or simple enough
to accommodate all those requirements. I'll be adding these
to my bar simply because I have not tasted anything like them
before. I have to admit that after 150 years these guys have
got it down pat.
These
delightful cognacs are appropriately priced, with the amount
varying quite a bit by seller, with 750 ml bottles coming
in at around: Ile de Re Double Matured cognac, $66.00, Ile
de Re Cliffside Cellar, $90.00, Ile de Re Fine Island cognac,
$55.00 .
By George Brozowski
For
more Rants & Raves click
here.
http://www.camus.fr/us/our-cognacs/
