Lheraud Louis XVI 43%

Lheraud Louis XVI 43%

Hints of vintage P.C 

So here is an old bottling of Lheraud. I didn’t find that much information about this cognac, just that’s an old Petite Champagne bottled at 43%. Now you know this one as good as me, let’s taste this Lheraud Louis XVI. 

Colour: Dark amber, old gold lights. Irregular medium tears.

Nose: Very heady at first, a strange mix of leathery and orange blossom notes. Breakfast tea and herbal scents in the background. Strong oakiness on brand-new wood smells. Lingering leathery notes followed by indistinct musky and dusty shades. A tad of spiciness, especially on cumin.  

Palate: Light oily texture. Unprecise citrus notes fighting with spiced aromas on nutmeg and black pepper. Strong oakiness again on sawdust. Shy nutty notes on dry walnuts. A bit of astringence in the aftertaste on linseed oil. You find a tad acidulous P.C on tinned apricots but most of the finesse is hidden by the oak structure.

Last Notes: Breathing was a good idea for this Louis XVI. You find some really nice honeyed fruity tones now. Tinned peach and roasted apricot notes surrounded by heavy acacia honey scents. Hints of freshness on cardamom. Still some nice leathery notes too. Back on the palate, you get a nice mix of apricot marmalade notes and licorice stick aromas. If only the oakiness could have been lower. 43% seems to be a good height for this venerable cognac by the way. It ends with vanilla and Sichuan pepper notes.

It could have been a really nice old P.C, it feels like a 25/35yo cognac, but the oak structure is way too strong here. This Lheraud Louis XVI could have made me lose my head, but according to some history books, I’m not the one who is supposed to lose his head here.

My very subjective note: 84/100

Lheraud website