Somethings in the world our are subjective. Other things are not. For instance, I can unequivocally that Dudognon is the most open, transparent, and honest producer in Cognac. They have some of the best terroir and use only the highest quality wood (100% of their cognac sees at least 1 year in new oak). They are the only producer who I can honestly tell you have not utilized additives in their cognac in any way. All of these things come together to make me say highly subjective things like, "Dudognon is the best producer in Cognac!" One might quibble with the details, but what is clear is that Dudognon makes their brandy like no one else in the region. Absolutely the purest expression of terroir with nothing in the way. The real complexity starts to show when their brandies at the Vieille Reserve level (20 years). Always drier than most people are used to with cognac, Dudognon's house style is this wonderful tension between freshness and age. Always keeping you guessing, this is the superlative product for the price point, a base from which I believe all others should be judged.

The Dudognon Vieille Reserve puts me in mind of golden, late afternoon sunshine. It isn’t the spirit’s color, but rather the gentle, relaxed warmth this spirit seems to contain. If only we all had such refinement and grace in our twenties! The Vieille Reserve is a slight notch up in amplitude from its younger sibling, the Reserve, taking on a weightier texture and greater length while retaining an obvious stylistic kinship in its purity and delicacy. Powdery, dusty vanilla and warm spice joins light caramel, citron and dried apple notes, which then fades longer than the diminuendo on a seventies rock track outro. You'd have to be something of a curmudgeon not to feel this.