Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak Cognac Review

Bache-Gabrielsen is cognac house that was established in 1905 by Norwegian immigrant Thomas Bache-Gabrielsen when he purchased the A. Edmond Dupuy & Co distillery that was founded in 1852.

Today Bache-Gabrielsen is run by Thomas Bache-Gabrielsen’s great-grandson Hervé Bache-Gabrielsen, who took over the day-to-day management from his father, Christian Bache-Gabrielsen in 2009.

Bache-Gabrielsen makes a wide range of quality cognacs. Bache-Gabrielsen’s American Oak cognac is touted as the “first ever cognac stored in American oak barrels.” This innovative cognac retains the designation of cognac because it meets all the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) requirements. The aging of Bache-Gabrielsen’s American Oak cognac in Tennessee, U.S. Oak barrels occurs after the cognac is aged in French Limousin barrels. The additional aging in American Oaks is considered additional “finishing” that does not detract from the fact that the cognac was crafted in accordance with the BNIC requirements.

Bache-Gabrielsen launched American Oak in June 2016.

Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak

We tasted Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak neat in a cognac snifter. Here are our notes.

Price

Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak cognac is priced similar to the V.S.O.P. offerings of the four largest cognac houses, Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Courvoisier and Martell. It is priced closest to the second most expensive of the big four V.S.O.P. cognacs – Rémy Martin V.S.O.P.

Alcohol: 40% (80 proof)

Age:

Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak is a blend of eaux-de-vie made from Ugni Blanc grapes from the Fins Bois appellation that were aged at least two years in French Limousin oak barrels. After spending time in French Limousin oak, Bache-Gabrielsen ages the eaux-de-vie in American Oak from Tennessee for another six months. Bache-Gabrielsen cellar master Jean-Philippe Bergier selected the oak in in conjunction with the company’s cooperage partner. The imported Tennessee oak was crafted into barrels in France by French coopers.

The Bottle/Label

Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak is packaged in an attractive clear reverse bell-shaped bottle with the Bache-Gabrielsen name painted on the bottle and a paper wrapper that reads “Cognac” “American Oak” “Aged in Tennessee Oak Barrels” “For a minimum of six months”. A silver medallion of the Bache-Gabrielsen coat-of-arms that reads “Since 1905” adorns the top part of the bottle (see above).

The Color

Golden whiskey brown.

The Nose (Nez)

Apricot, pear, pineapple and sawdust.

Mouth (En Bouche)

Soft caramel, vanilla

Finish

Long finish of black, then cayenne pepper.

Overall

Despite its extra time in American Oak barrels, Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak is a young cognac, aged just two and a half years. Because of the “double oaking” however, American Oak has less of a V.S. character and more resembles a V.S.O.P. cognac. American Oak makes for interesting sipping as the old and new world oak flavors compete.

Bache-Gabrielsen does not list its American Oak cognac as a potential mixing partner for any of the cocktails it features on its website. We did not try American Oak in any cognac cocktail as none came to mind, other than perhaps a ginger ale mix.

Bache-Gabrielsen
32 rue de Boston, 16102 Cognac
+33 5 45 32 07 45

website: http://www.bache-gabrielsen.com/uk/

Visiting Bache-Gabrielsen