I tasted Perfection. Literally.
Hardy Cognac Tasting
We had the rare opportunity to taste through Hardy Cognac's top bottles with Benedicte Hardy, great great granddaughter of founder Anthony Hardy (five generations). The tasting included more-than-just-a-taste of Perfection, the world's oldest, and quite possibly most expensive, Cognac.
I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be expected to rescue the planet from alien destruction for getting to go to this. Or something.
Hardy Cognac glass
We used teeny tiny pinky-up Barbie doll glasses, preferable to brandy snifters, according to Benedicte.
Hardy Cognac
Tasted: XO aged 25 years, Noces de Perle "Pearl" aged 30 years, Noces d'Or aged 50 years, Noces de Diamant "Diamond" aged 60 years, Noces d'Albâtre "Rosebud" aged 75 years, Perfection aged 100+ years. I'm including detailed information about each one at the end. Scroll down!
Hardy Cognac "Perfection" and "Rosebud"
"Perfection" Cognac in one of five in a series of gorgeous, specially designed-for-Hardy Daum decanters. You don't have to ask "how much?" because I can already tell you that you can't afford it. Unless you're a billionaire. In which case, call me. We should hang out.
"Rosebud" nickname for the "Noces d'Albatre" Cognac, aged 75 years. The Lumiere decanter is pretty, but I love love love the Rosebud decanter.
Hardy Cognac Diamond and Noces d'Or
Noces de Diamant "Diamond" Cognac, aged 60 years and my favorite of the night. I might have been influenced by the name "diamond," but whatever. I'm a girl.
Noces d'Or Cognac, aged 50 years.
Cognac served in wine glasses
Dinner by Scarpetta
Cauliflower Panna Cotta
Cauliflower panna cotta with crab, sea urchin, and white truffle.
Slow Roasted Lobster
with roasted sunchokes, lobster mushrooms, and Prosecco-coral emulsion
Scarpetta: Tagliatelle
Tagliatelle with Burgundy truffle and Parmigiano. I suppose I've finally acquired a taste for truffles. This is actually a bad thing.
Scarpetta: Big Eye Tuna
Autumn spiced Big Eye tuna with farro, currant, mushrooms, almonds, and foie gras emulsion.
Scarpetta: Roasted Duck Breast
with organic Medjool date puree, smoked shelling beans, Tuscan kale and Fuji apple mostarda. As a side note, even with uni, truffles and mascarpone butter throughout the dinner, it was the shelling bean that was most remarkable bite. A bean. Who knew?
Scarpetta: Vanilla Caramel Budino
Vanilla caramel budino with gianduja sable cookies. I couldn't eat this, but every woman at the table was basically having a Sally Albright moment after tasting it.
Agrapart & Fils Champagne
Agrapart & Fils Champagne with Slow Roasted Lobster.
Camus-Bruchon Savigny-lès-Beaune 2002
Bea Santa Chiara 2008
29 Songs Syrah 2006
Scarpetta: Private Dining Room, upstairs
Dinner by Scarpetta, wine pairing by Mark Hefter
Friday November 4, 2011
Hardy Cognac
A little more information on each of the Cognacs we tasted:
Hardy Cognac Perfection
Composed of Colombard grapes, aged for more than 100 years, then bottled in the '60s in Daum crystal decanters, Perfection is 150+ years old, making it the oldest Cognac in the world. "Lumiere" is the final decanter design in a series of five decanters designed to represent each of the five elements. Each bottle is individually numbered, and there are only 600 in the world. Perfection is very, very expensive.
Hardy Cognac "Rosebud"
Hardy named each of its top Cognacs for the anniversary that corresponds with the number of years it was aged. Noces de Albâtre, the "Alabaster" anniversary, is aged for 75 years, and nicknamed "Rosebud" for the rosebud topped decanter in which it is bottled. "Rosebud" is 100% Grande Champagne Cognac, blended from small lots collected right after the First World War.
Hardy Cognac "Diamond"
100% Grande Champagne Cognac aged in limousin oak for 60 years, the "diamond" anniversary. It is regarded as the best pre-Phylloxera Cognac available and is presented in hand-cut Cristalleries des Vosges crystal decanter.
Hardy Cognac Noces d'Or
Blend of 40 different Grande Champagne Cognacs aged for 50 years (gold anniversary).
Hardy Cognac "Pearl"
Aged 30 years, medium-bodied with soft finish, presented in Cristalleries des Vosges crystal art deco decanter.
Hardy Cognac XO
Blend of Grande and Petite Champagne Cognacs, aged 25 years in limousin oak. Light bodied, delicate. "XO" means "age unknown," and not "extra old." ("XO" is also an awesome Chinese sauce, but that wasn't mentioned by Hardy. It's just what I think of when I hear "xo." I'm a food blogger.)
Hardy Extase XO
Blend of distilled oranges from Curacao with 25-year-old Fine Champagne Cognac.
Cathy says
YEAH! What an amazing FEAST! And beauteous photos, too!
The Americaine says
I am bubbling with jealous right now. I hope green is a good color on me...