Grosperrin Bons Bois N°38 hors d'age tasting notes

Grosperrin Bons Bois N°38 42,8%

Well, it’s always emotional to drink this kind of cognac. Here is the Grosperrin Bons Bois N°38
Grosperrin Bons Bois 25 ans hors d'age tasting notes
4.6/5

Grosperrin Bons Bois N°38 42,8% (lot652, 51 liters)

And here is the oldest Bons Bois I’ve ever tasted. 1938. Just a year before the beginning of the Second World War. A true gem preserved at 42,8% in a demi-john since 2000. Anything else to add? Nope. 

Colour: Amber, gold lights. Medium irregular tears.

Nose: Great freshness and spiciness at first. Wet herbal notes of parsley and basil. A tad of rosemary and cardamom too. Marvelous patine but something undoubtedly young in this Grosperrin Bons Bois N°38. Syrupy notes on red berries, mainly strawberry and blackberry underlined by delicate acacia honey tones. Tobacco and licorice then. Shades of fermented notes, especially on fresh bread dough. It remains very fruity but with infinite shades on various spectrums. Wonderful, that’s the word.

Mouth: Oily, syrupy texture. An acidulous aftertaste on various herbs and plums liquor. Bay leaf and Sichuan pepper in the mouth length. Bang. Licorice syrup. Ample noble wood notes. Heavy cigar notes. Eucalyptus and mint leave for a terrific wave of freshness. Red and blackberries again, this time on blackcurrant juice. Reminds me a bit of some old P.C, but with a surplus of freshness that I never tasted before.

Last Notes: Majestic cigar notes with more air. Rancioted notes are now fully expressed in the nose part. Herbal notes again, but drier now, with hints of basil powder and cooked rosemary scents for example. Obvious old leather scents. Dusty hay notes, like when you enter an old barn and you remove a dusty cover from a rusty venerable car (let’s say a Peugeot 504). Rancioted notes on rancid butter and fine goat cheese seasoned with a great dash of herbs. 

Back on the palate, you find this very specific oily texture carrying acidulous notes of fresh licorice and well-cooked tarragon juice. Still some red berries tones. Magnificent herbal notes surrounded by subtle notes of creamy cheese (Camembert or something similar). Great mouth length on eucalyptus and white pepper. It ends on walnut oil and light grenadine syrup aromas.

I was stunned by the Bons Bois 50 ans, but here is another level of craziness (even if they’re not playing in the same league and they own quite a different style). Outrageous cognac, world-class quality. Finally, it feels old (well, 1938…) and young at the same time. 

My very subjective note93/100

Disclaimer: This sample was made less than two years ago (in August 2020) but it was stored in perfect conditions so I’m convinced that it didn’t change (or very slightly) during this time, but I prefer to mention it and I will hopefully taste this Grosperrin Bons Bois N°38 again later.  

Grosperrin’s website

Grosperrin Bons Bois N°38 hors d'age tasting notes

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