A collaboration between Ansley Coale of Craft Distillers and Richard Braastad, cellar-master of Cognac Tiffon. Tiffon is the largest remaining family-owned cognac house, comprising four distilleries and eight aging cellars. They possess an extraordinary stock of old cognacs.
In Maison Surrenne’s remarkable cellars, notable for high quality, we looked for superb cognacs which were also genuinely distinctive. Great cognac reflects the land and climate from which its grapes were taken. These bottlings come from specific regions, and we further emphasize their individuality by using cognacs from a particular vintage, or a single distillery, or even an individual cask. Many of these bottlings are unblended, and the rarities are unfiltered.
Maison Surrenne
MAISON SURRENNE Tonneau No. 1:
Inconceivably rich. A blend of then century-old petite champagne assembled in 1922, topped off annually for now 98 years. Astonishing complexity: contains dozens of very old cognacs. There’s hardly any finish, which happens to old petite champagne. One of a kind: an amazing taste experience, liquid fruit-cake. The average age is probably well over 120 years.
MAISON SURRENNE COGNAC:
Very appealing blend including Fin Bois cognacs from Tiffon’s own old-vine vineyards. Truly excellent price for the quality.
MAISON SURRENNE Distillerie Galtaud 100% Borderies:
Single vintage 100% from the borderies district. The Galtauld distillery, in the commune of Mainxe, was founded in 1800. Rich volume (a borderies characteristic), lovely deep fruit, with the typical hint of violet in the nose. A true bargain.
MAISON SURRENNE 100% Petite Champagne:
Single vintage 100% from the petite champagne district, blended at the home distillery on the Charente River, in Jarnac. Aged in the Figon cellar. Unusual quality: it won a double gold medal in the XO category at the SF Spirits Competition. Rated a “Best Buy” by Wine Enthusiast. Subtle and fruity.
MAISON SURRENNE Single Vintage XO 100 % Grande Champagne:
100% from the grande champagne district, blended from the Madame, Figon, Brunetiere, and Moreau cellars. Cognacs in the blend are over 25 years old. Delicacy married to the district’s notably subtle deep flavor and long finish. Look for the classic hint of orange in the nose. Great price.
MAISON SURRENNE Unblended 1946 grande champagne:
Grande champagne distilled on a wood-fired still by Hubert Portier from grapes grown in his family vineyard. 1946 was one of Cognac’s all-time best vintages, and this man knew his grapes very well. It has the depth and rich finesse of old cognac, yet is still amazingly fresh. Maintained in a separate tun until bottling, this remains one of the finest cognacs ever distilled. Selected “Cognac of the Year” by Wine and spirits in 1998
MAISON SURRENNE Heritage 2:
Taken from a glass carboy, now in the Surrenne cellars, that was purchased from the cellar of a distiller near Cherves-Richemont in the tiny Borderies region. The cognac appears in cellar records: over 100 years old. It is very rich, with a deep presence in the mouth that comes only from long aging.
MAISON SURRENNE Cask 356:
We believe this to be the finest cognac in bottle. A genuine rarity, it was assembled in 1961 by Tiffon’s former cellar–master, Hilaire Guilbaud: chosen from the house’s finest very old grande champagne cognacs. The blend aged for another 53 years in one cask. Every component is well over 100 years old. When Richard took out the bung, Ansley could smell the cognac 50 feet away.. 12 bottles imported each year