LAST week, I mentioned the differences between two wonderful spirits, Cognac and Armagnac. Today, I’d like to look specifically at one producer based in the Cognac region, Godet.
Fifteen generations of the Godet family have been producing decent brandy since 1782. Fifteen generations. Their range incorporates the Antarctica Icy White (a blend of 30% wine spirit and 70% Cognac, filtered to remove the colour), a VS, a VSOP, a few XO’s and some very rare vintage releases including the sublime 1970 bottling (Inverarity One to One, £325).
Jean-Jacques Godet (15th generation distiller from house Godet) embarked on a journey from Chile to Antarctica in 2008 in a tiny boat. To commemorate the voyage, he released the Godet Antarctica Icy White (Inverarity One to One, £23.99 for a 50cl bottle, or £12.99 for a 20cl bottle), which challenges our perceptions of traditional Cognac. It’s aged for seven years and made using the excellent Folle Blanche grape. It’s remarkably smooth and should be served chilled, and straight up. If you don’t have it already chilled, you can pour over ice. It also comes in a wee square bottle, which looks a little bit like an ice cube. It’s very cool.
Where the majority of Cognac producers focus on the Ugni Blanc grape, a few also explore the more exciting possibilities of Colombard and Folle Blanche. These grapes are more aromatic and floral, and impart a more delicate note in your glass. They make for a finer, more distinguished spirit.
My favourite of the Godet range is the Epicure Folle Blanche (Inverarity One to One, £55) which has been aged for fifteen years before release. When you consider that the minimum ageing guidelines for an XO is six years, you’ll realise just how special a bottling you have with the Folle Blanche. If you only buy one bottle of Cognac this year, it has to be this one. Cheers.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street www.inveraritymorton.com
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