Jean Fillioux Reserve Familiale 40%

From La Pouyade with Love

Still in the heart of Grande Champagne but with something a bit older now. Here is another one from La Pouyade after the N°1 and Malternative Belgium’s “La Flèche de Feu” and “Avec Allure”. This Jean Fillioux Reserve Familiale is a full G.C too, more precisely a venerable 45yo+ assemblage bottled at 40%  

Colour: Amber, hay lights. Regular heavy tears.

Nose: Full of candied citruses at first. Great heady notes of tangerine marmalade and citruses infusion underlined by various spices (mainly cinnamon). Candied cedar scents. Fig marmalade smells in the background. What a fruit spectrum in this nose. A tad of freshness on menthol and leather cream.

Mouth: Very sweet texture. Still very fruity. More on sultamine that what I previously perceived. Raisins, dried figs. A bit more exotic too : mango/passion fruit juice, Nice acidulous aftertaste on licorice sweets and pear liquor. Smooth freshness on cardamom and freshly cut basil. Great mouth length regarding the ABV.

Last Notes: Nice rancio on overripe apricots. Melted nutty and fruity tones, something like amandine pears scents. Caramelized shades on toffee and nougat sweets. A little of oaky notes on varnished wood. Ample spicy notes of ginger bread. Back on the palate, you find smooth roasted notes on tiramisu, but it remains very fruity with tinned plums and peach syrup. It ends on a strong sultamine note, something between raisins and dried prunes.

Great balance, not too oaky ( even if it was my first impression in cellars conditions). A very pleasant G.C, full of aromas. Maybe a little lack of originality to reach 90.

My very subjective note: 89/100

Presentation of Jean Fillioux by Cognac-Ton