Pierre Ferrand Original Formula 1840 Cognac

Wow, this looks orange and smells bitter and meaty with some strong tequila notes. The palate is bitter and very orange with some hits of orange peel but also just generically off-putting. The fruit and floral (orange blossom) elements are absolutely there and help the flavor, but it tastes disgustingly sweet. The rich meat tastes a little rotten. It's gross and out of place at the very least. The flavors are discordant. Some alcohol does come through. That gross meat gives way to some medicinal bitterness and a hint of mint at points. It's gross, bit more explainable in that way. This finally becomes a kind of interesting drink with a hello flavor and texture to it somehow. It grows on me as it goes on, but I never love it. It's hard to figure out what it's good for. It has a bit of a scotch seaside element to it, bit mostly in a confusing way, kind of like how some brandies taste like rum. It's just not good. It's far to discordant and it has too much of an alcohol flavor to it. I find this difficult to sip at the best of times. There is a lot wrong here.

Nose - pear, grape, chocolate, sawdust, cinnamon, mint, orange, dry vanilla, old wood, yeast, floral notes, perfume, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - ripe pear, grape, orange zest, caramel, cherry, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, allspice, spearmint, slightly tannic oak, chocolate, herbal undertones, moderate alcohol bite, finishing reasonably fast with mint, pepper, and bitter oak flavors. I think this is a decent cognac, but there’s nothing particularly special about it. I like it better than the VS offerings from the big houses, but slightly less than the A De Fussigny Sélection (and much less than their XO). I use this primarily as a mixer, as I find the extra proof holds up better in cocktails, but it’s not a terrible sipper on its own. As an entry level cognac, it’s alright. I plan to continue stocking it for sidecars and other brandy-forward drinks, unless I come across something better in the price range.

Pierre Ferrand 1840 is the other entry level cognac in Pierre Ferrands portfolio (the other being Ambre). I go back and forth as to which one I like better, but this one, while young, is one of the better cheap cognacs out there. The nose is fruity, with a bit of must and apples. On the palate I get pear, oak, honey and vanilla. You can tell its young but it's also pretty balanced. The finish is a touch hot and spicy but not too bad. Its probably the weakest part. The 1840 is pretty on par with the Ambre neat, but I think it works better in cocktails thanks to its higher proof. Since you can get both for roughly the same price, if you can only buy one, I would probably lean towards this, but both are great values.

Nose- boozy white grapes, yellow raisin, and a bit of musty leather book. Palate- palate stays true to the nose with the introduction of pear. This is not intricate but pleasant to sip. Finish- a bit waxy on the finish, but very fruity. A sweet cornucopia basket of flavors. Overall- I enjoyed it. A bit one note- white grapes, adult version of Welch's grape juice, but for the money this has merit. It is definitely sweet and ment as your dessert plate. A fun entry level cognac

On the nose, floral notes frame waxy green grapes and oak, with subtle hints of chocolate and malt coming in towards the end. Baking spices present throughout. The palette is bright, with floral green grapes being the primary note, with subtle oak The finish has a chocolatey essence to it, but is again dominated my the fruit present throughout the rest of the experience.

Currently Reading: The Real Watergate Scandal by Geoff Shepard Smells of honey, tobacco, and vanilla; allspice, apricot, and honey on the tongue; finishes with spice. It's an alright cognac for drinking on its own, but it shines as a cocktail brandy (hence why it's marketed for such). Wonderful for a sidecar or replace it for the whiskey in an Old Fashioned.