Sipping Some Exquisite Cognacs from Camus

I’m focusing on something a little different this week: Cognac.

I received some samples from the Camus Wine & Spirits Group, a range of different Cognacs. This house dates back more than 150 years, and is the largest family-owned Cognac House. They also hold about 450 acres in the renowned Borderies cru, the smallest of the Cognac appellations, and they produce their Borderies eaux-de-vie from all estate-grown grapes.

I don’t have a lot of experience in reviewing spirits, I’ll admit, but I have tasted a lot of Cognac in my days, enough to at least give this a shot.

These Cognacs were received as trade samples and tasted sighted. 

N.V. Camus Cognac Ile de Ré Cliffside Cellar - France, Cognac
Smells of apricots, sweet pine, orange marmalade and caramel. Pretty and plush on the palate with orange marmalade, spicy vanilla, apricot, clove, honey, sea salt. A rich but balanced Cognac. Made from grapes grown on the Île de Ré, off the west coast of France in the Bois à Terroirs cru of the Charente-Maritime department. (90 points)

N.V. Camus Cognac Ile de Ré Double Matured - France, Cognac
Rich, deep aromatics of apricot jam, butterscotch, orange marmalade, spicy oak and pine notes. Plush and smooth on the palate, warm spices and cedar tossed with apricot, salted caramel, and honey. A spicy, oak, cedar-laden finish, a toasty wine but very pretty as well. Aged in the cellars of Île de Ré and then again in barrels in Cognac. (90 points)

N.V. Camus Elegance VSOP - France, Cognac
Lush flowers on the nose, apricots, figs, creamy oak, lots of enticing baking spice notes. Rich, gorgeous texture, loaded with apricot, fig, almond, honeyed tea, with a finish of spicy oak and clove notes. Long, honeyed, delicious. (90 points)

N.V. Camus Borderies Cognac VSOP - France, Cognac, Borderies Cognac
Aromas of almond, apricot, clove, raisin, lovely stuff. Round and rich on the palate with a warm, combination of baked apple, raisin, honey, roasted nuts and spicy oak. Lots of pretty floral, tea leaves, cinnamon notes. Quite complex, very smooth, totally delicious. (91 points) 

N.V. Camus Borderies Cognac XO - France, Cognac, Borderies Cognac
Lush, intense, inviting aromatics: caramel, butterscotch, apricot jam, spicy cedar. Bold and powerful but a real sense of warmth, with butterscotch, graham cracker, cedar, spiced apple tea, apricot jam. Notes of roasted cedar and chestnut wood with a warm, honeyed finish. Absolutely beautiful stuff. (92 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.