Hine Rare V.S.O.P.

The House of Hine was founded in 1763 in Jarnac, France. Hine was family-owned for six generations, until the late 20th Century when the company was owned by a series of conglomerates including Guinness P.L.C, HMLV (current owner of the House of Hennessy) and CL World Brands. Currently, Hine is owned by EDV SAS. The House of Hine holds the distinction since 1962 of being the only official supplier of Cognac to the British Crown.

Hine is predominately a producer of a wide variety Champagne Cognacs, including Fine (blends of eaux-de-vie from the Petite and Grande Champagne cognac growing crus) and Grande Champagne (blends of eaux-de-vie solely from the Grande Champagne growing cru) Cognacs.

The Hine Rare VSOP Review

We tasted Hine Rare VSOP neat in a cognac snifter. Here is our review.

Price

Hine Rare VSOP is priced higher than any of the big four cognac houses VSOP offerings. Hine Rare VSOP is priced about 70% higher than Courvoisier and Martell’s VSOP offerings, about 50% higher than Rémy Martin’s and about 20% more expensive than Hennessy’s VSOP Privilege.

Alcohol: 40% (80 proof)

Age:

Hine Rare VSOP is a blend of about 20-25+ different eaux-de-vie (the Hine website says twenty, but the bottle packaging says over twenty five) made from Ugni Blanc grapes from the Grande Champagne (60%) and Petite Champagne (40%) appellations that are aged six to twelve years in French Limousin oak barrels.

The Bottle/Label

Hine Rare VSOP is packaged in a clear tear dropped shaped decanter. At the neck is a gold band that reads “By Appointment To Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II Suppliers Of Cognac Thomas Hine & Co Jarnac” on the front and “Hine” in red capital letters on the left and right side of the band.

The front of the bottle has a paper label that reads “HINE Vintage Cognacs, Rare VSOP Coganc, Fine Champagne, Appellation Cognac, Fine Champagne Contrôlée” A heraldic deer is seated above the lettering “Fondee en 1763”. The bottle is corked by a wooden cap with a the image of a deer carved on the top. The name “Hine” has roots going back to the English middle ages meaning one who “tends to deer”.

The Color

Light golden copper.

The Nose (Nez)

Orange resin, oak and vanilla.

Mouth (En Bouche)

Ginger, chocolate, orange and oak.

Finish

Very long caramel raisin spice bite.

Overall

Hine Rare VSOP is delicate, elegant, fresh and light. There are no brooding complex notes in Hine Rare VSOP and is thus approachable and a great introduction to VSOP cognacs. The complexities of an aged cognac are clearly evident but not overpowering. We also tasted Hine Rare VSOP with a dash of chilled ginger ale. The result was a refreshing cognac quaff.

Awards:

Wine Enthusiast 2010 93 points

Hine

Thomas HINE & Co
16 Quai de l’Orangerie 16200 Jarnac
+33 (0)5 45 35 59 59

website: Hine Cognac