Sublime spirit

Early last week, there was an item on Canada AM about a very precious and rare Louis XIII cognac, the finest made by Rémy Martin. Each three-ounce pour was served in a hand-blown crystal glass—nearly double the standard drink unit. Everything about cognac seems larger than life.

When Rémy Martin celebrated their 250th anniversary in 1974, they created the Anniversary Cuvée: a blend of cognacs that were no less than 50 years old, with some over 100 years old. A production of 38,000 bottles was sold for $275 each ($1,400 in today’s dollars–if it were available). With every bottle you also received a certificate of authentication, giving the bottle number and some detailed background on the cognac itself.

Its history is fascinating. When the united kingdoms and city-states of Europe finally drove out the Moors of the Ottoman Empire at the sea battle of Lepanto in 1571, the northern states once again had access to the finer wines produced along the Mediterranean. The market for wines from the Cognac region collapsed. To make lemonade from lemons, local winemakers decided to distill this wine into brandy (a Dutch phrase for burnt wine). The results are legendary.

By law, only brandy produced within the six Cognac regions can be named Cognac. Most are a blend of these regions, from the finest Grande Champagne to the lowest Bois Ordinaires. With a required two separate distillations from a pot still, the end result is a clear spirit that attains its amber nuances from barrels made of oak harvested from Limousin forests. Ten gallons of wine are required to produce one gallon of cognac. The spirit is aged for a minimum of two years— with most aged for three, and the finest for five or more.

It still remains a sublime way to end a special dinner, while also assisting digestion.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
Although a range of unique clean spirits has been on offer in the County, we haven’t had the possibility of completing a sumptuous dining experience by savouring a neat whisky.

Now we have a real treasure: Sixty-Six Gilead Distillery produces a small-batch, crimson rye whisky that totally fits the bill. The colour is the result of aging in red wine barrels. I find by adding couple of drops of room temperature water, this whisky opens up, allowing an alchemy of subtle flavours — figs, honeycomb and licorice—to manifest itself.

You can purchase this whisky, and other carefully crafted spirits, at Gilead Distillery located on Gilead Rd, just north of Bloomfield.