This cognac, produced by Paul Giraud (9th generation), is remarkably intense, both in terms of its spicy power and its complexity, while remaining very smooth on the finish. At the very beginning of the tasting, the strength of the spices such as pepper and cloves is surprising and immediately mingles with the leather and cigar box aromas.

Then come fruity notes such as prune. This exceptional diversity of aromas, each so different from the next, has led sommeliers to say that when you taste it, it is as if a peacock’s tail was deploying in your mouth. It’s a poetic way of saying that all your taste buds are involved and that you have the impression of having an even bigger mouth.

The empty glass reveals the famous rancio, so characteristic of very, very old eaux de vie: an aroma akin to the smell of polish on old furniture. Cigar aficionados love it. For connoisseurs only.