Cognac Park

Master Blenders

Tessendier brothers Jérôme and Lilian have an uncanny ability to translate Cognac to the clear and precise flavor profiles, creating clear, expressive, unadulterated Cognacs that speak to all people at an affordable price, while still using only the finest and most complex qualities of the spirit in the process.

Together they became the pioneers of the "made-to-measure" Cognac that today is known, quite simply, as craft cognac.

The style of the house is pure and elegant with an intense focus on terroir.

Jérôme and Lilian have a total of 14 aging cellars containing around 20,000 barrels.

Products

Lunar New Year

XO Grand Champagne

Cognac Park offers this limited edition cognac to celebrate the time-honored traditions of Lunar New Year. Park XO Grande Champagne is carefully crafted to magnify the exquisite characteristics of the Grande Champagne terroir, a famed growing region known for producing cognacs with tremendous length and complexity. This luxurious cognac is the tribute to the famous region, where the eaux-de-vie are well-suited to long periods of cask aging.

Happy Lunar New Year

Fins Bois Single Cru Organic

Cognac Park has emphasized its commitment to a responsible environmental approach by crafting a cognac made with organic wines grown in the clay-limestone soils on the Plateau de Saint-Simeux standing above the Charente Valley, in the Fins Bois growing region of Cognac. No caramel coloring, additives, or sugar are added to this bottling. Young and lively, this single cru cognac shows a subtle balance between fruit, flower, and spice aromas, with a round richness on the palate.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	40%
Age	Minimum 3 year
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Fins Bois
Blend	100% Fins Bois
Barrels	Light Toast
Aging	Six months in new oak then transferred to used casks.

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Vine flowers, orange, apricot, pear, and ginger

Awards

Borderies Mizunara

Cognac Park

Mizunara is a rare variety of oak from Japan used to create barrels mostly used for aging Japanese whiskies. To create Park Borderies Mizunara, we employ a unique barrel finish to a beautiful blend Single cru cognac from the Tessendier family estate in the esteemed Borderies growing region. These blends spend at least four years in lightly toasted oak, followed by six months in Mizunara oak casks. The Mizunara cask finish brings intensity and depth, conferring notes of vanilla, cocoa, and spice. These rich notes meld seamlessly with the lighter, floral character of the Borderies cognacs. Produced in limited editions due to the difficulty of obtaining Mizunara casks, this cognac will definitely appeal to the whiskey palate, but it will be collectors who want to add to their collection.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	43.5%
Age	Minimum 4 years
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Borderies
Blend	100% Borderies
Barrels	Light toast and light char
Aging	Four years in used French oak, then transferred to new Japanese casks made from Mizunara wood for six months.

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Fresh apricot, fig and plum. Soft and round with fruit and spice notes of cinnamon and clove.

Awards

Borderies Mizunara Single Cask 2004

Cognac Park

This single cask, limited edition bottling of Cognac Park Borderies Mizunara is a ‘single cru’ cognac, produced from vineyard to bottle by the Tessendier family, on its estate at Domaine du Buisson in the Borderies growing region of Cognac. The eau-de-vie was distilled in 2004 and aged 15 years in French oak barrels, mainly from Limousin. After 10 months resting in new barrels, the cognac was transferred to used casks. At the end of its aging period in 2019, the blend was finished for 6 months in new Japanese oak barrels, made from Mizunara wood.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	44%
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Borderies
Bottles Produced	660
Appearance	Bright gold with flashes of copper.

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Gourmet notes of tarte tatin, candied cherries, and walnuts. Delicate, spiced aromas of clove and cigar box with a hint of eucalyptus.
Flavor	Powerful, but structured. Red fruits, toffee, and spices. Long finish with walnut and white pepper.

Awards

Borderies Mizunara 12 Year

Cognac Park

This limited edition bottling of Cognac Park Borderies Mizunara is a ‘single cru’ cognac finished in rare, highly sought after Mizunara oak casks from Japan. This cognac is crafted from vineyard to bottle by the Tessendier family, on its estate at Domaine du Buisson in the Borderies growing region of Cognac. The eau-de-vie was distilled in 2007 and aged 12 years in French casks, made mainly from Limousin oak. After 10 months resting in new casks, the cognac was transferred to used casks. At the end of its aging period in 2019, the blend was finished for 9 months in new Japanese oak barrels, made from Mizunara wood. Aged exclusively in humid Chai N°8 cellar, in the small town of Cognac, where only the best eaux-de-vie from the Tessendier estate are held to age.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	44%
Age	Minimum 12 years
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Borderies
Bottles Produced	1200
Appearance	Golden

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Notes of vanilla, marzipan, and peach flesh.
Flavor	Full, yet delicate. Bright floral notes, with hints of licorice stick and white pepper. Warm, voluptuous finish.

Awards

VS Carte Blanche

Cognac Park

The light, vibrant character of Petite Champagne predominates this blend. Fresh, young, and soft in tannin, Cognac Park VS Carte Blanche is ideal for use in cocktails. To create this Cognac we blend eaux-de-vie from two regions – Fins Bois and Petite Champagne – and age a minimum of three years in lightly toasted barrels, with most of the blend spending closer to six years in barrel.

Why Carte Blanche?

“Our goal was to create an energetic Cognac that grants bartenders creative freedom or ‘carte blanche’ to use it as they wish in a cocktail, in a way that suits their personal style.” – Master Blender, Jérôme Tessendier

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	40%
Age	Minimum 3 years, but normally closer to 6
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Fins Bois and Petite Champagne
Blend	Fins Bois (50%) & Petite Champagne (50%)
Barrels	Light Toast
Aging	Six months in new oak, then transferred to used casks

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Menthol, linden blossom, apricot, banana, pear, ginger, dried fruits, pepper (pink), lychee, orange zest, and white flowers

Awards

VSOP

Cognac Park

The Park VSOP Cognac is a blend that the Tessendier brothers are truly proud of. The aim was to create a VSOP with a unique mix of expressive, crisp flavors. The eaux-de-vie in this blend are carefully selected from three growing regions: Fins Bois, Grande Champagne, and Petite Champagne. This artisan-produced cognac is an excellent representation of the category and offers great value for money. Its fruity flavors call to mind flambéed banana and freshly picked vine peaches that come together perfectly, followed by a marriage of jasmine and bergamot to celebrate an incomparable sensual journey.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	40%
Age	Minimum 5 years
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Fins Bois, Grande Champagne, and Petite Champagne
Blend	Fins Bois, Petite Champagne, and Grande Champagne
Barrels	Light Toast
Aging	Eight months in new oak, then transferred to used casks

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Apricot, banana, ginger, vanilla, lychee, orange zest, jasmine, and acacia.

Awards

XO Grande Champagne Traditional Reserve

Cognac Park

The grapes for this blend are grown exclusively in Grande Champagne, recognized as the premiere growing region of Cognac and known for producing fine and delicate eaux-de-vie that have exceptional aging potential, often requiring many years to develop full aromatic richness. After spending one year aging in new oak barrels, the eaux-de-vie are transferred to used oak with medium toast, spending a minimum of 20 years aging prior to blending.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	40%
Age	Minimum 20 years old
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Grande Champagne
Blend	100% Grand Champagne
Barrels	Medium toast
Aging	Twelve months in new oak, then transferred to used casks

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Almond, orange, banana, plum, dried apricot, caramel, truffle, cocoa, apple, saffron, cigar box, coffee, leather, hazelnut, orange blossom, lilac

Awards

XO Cigar Blend Vieille Fine Champagne

Cognac Park

Cognac and cigars have always been enjoyed together. In fact, many cognacs are described as having a cigar box or tobacco aromatic note. Thus, Maison Tessendier set out to make a Cognac that was unabashedly cigar-friendly, which means it’s a Cognac of high intensity, with a big, fruity character. Much of that comes from aging; to create Park XO Cigar Blend, Distillerie Tessendier blends Cognacs from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne that have been in the barrels with a medium toast, for a minimum of 30 years, predominantly in humid cellars.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	40%
Age	Minimum 30 years old
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Grande Champagneand Petite Champagne
Blend	70% Grande Champagne / 30% Petite Champagne
Barrels	Medium toast
Aging	One year in new oak then transferred to used casks.

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Plum, apple, mango, cacao, saffron, clove, cigar box, gingerbread, and cedarwood.

Awards

2017

Gold Medal San Francisco Spirits Competition

2017

Gold Medal London IWSC

Borderies Single Vineyard

Cognac Park

The Borderies is the smallest and most exclusive of the six Cognac growing regions. Cognac Park Borderies Single Vineyard is unique, as one of the only cognac expressions available that is made exclusively from grapes grown in the Borderies and, in this case, at the Tessendier family vineyards in the tiny growing region. From vineyard to bottle, every step of production of this exceptional cognac is performed by Maison Tessendier on their family estate, standing as a true benchmark of the historic distillery.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	40%
Age	Between 10-15 years
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Borderies
Blend	100% Borderies
Barrels	Light Toast
Aging	Ten months in new oak then transferred to used casks.

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Dried fig, cinnamon, clove, coffee, cedarwood, buttercup with subtle floral notes

Awards

Extra Grande Champagne

Cognac Park

Cognac Park Extra is born from a blend of the best eaux-de-vie of the Grande Champagne, each aged for a minimum of 40 years in the cellars of the Tessendier family estate in oak casks, an atmosphere that is soft, humid, and fresh, on the serene banks of the River Charentes. This blend is the pinnacle of the Cognac Park range.

Tech Details

Variety	Cognac
Volume	750 mL
ABV	40%
Age	Minimum 40 years old
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Grande Champagne
Blend	100% Grande ChampagneBarrels Light toastABV 40%
Barrels	Light toast
Aging	Park Extra is aged in oak barrels with a capacity of 350 liters. After twelve months in new barrels, the cognac is transferred to used casks, mainly from the Limousin forest.

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Quince, coconut, licorice, truffle, leather, candied orange, and nougat. Mellow and finessed on the palate, with great length.

Awards

Pineau des Charentes

Cognac Park

Cognac is distilled from grapes, and Pineau des Charentes is a blend of that region’s grape juice, and the Cognac brandy itself. The result is a light, pleasant French aperitif that is just a little boozier than wine, with a touch of natural sweetness and a strong fruit character. Park Pineau des Charentes is best served chilled or on the rocks and is often used in craft cocktails or food pairings. Delicate and floral on the nose and pleasant on the palate, Park Pineau is composed of 76% grape juice and 24% eaux-de-vie aged for a minimum of 24 months.

Tech Details

Type	Wine
Variety	Vin de Liqueur
Volume	750 mL
ABV	17%
Age	2-4 years
Country of Origin	France
Region/CRU	Cognac
Blend	Montils (50%), Colombard (30%), Ugni Blanc (20%)
Barrels	Light Toast
Aging	Rests in stainless steel vats for 6 months, then is racked to be aged a minimum of 18 months including 12 months in oak barrels. Pineau Park is aged between 2 and 4 years.

Tasting Notes

Aroma	Particularly delicate and floral, attractive to the nose and pleasant on the palate. Its fresh and juicy character is reinforced by the vigor of the young eau-de-vie.

Awards

Region

The Six Crus of the Cognac Region

The six crus of the Cognac region are: 1) Grande Champagne, 2) Petite Champagne, 3) Borderies, 4) Fins Bois, 5) Bons Bois, and 6) Bois Ordinaires.
The Cognac production area was delineated by decree on May 1, 1909 and ratified by decree in 1938.
In the Cognac region, there are six different growth regions, referred to as the six crus . However, the word terroir is also commonly used to describe these regions.
This is because terroir actually means far more than its literal translation to land or soil, taking into account the geography and climatic conditions.

Grande Champagne

Petite Champagne

Borderies

Fins Bois

Bons Bois

Bois Ordinaires

Terroir has two main factors in Cognac:

Geography

The soil in each terroir is unique due to features like organic matter, mineral composition, grade, and drainage, that were impacted by geological episodes. It is the earth that nourishes the vines and gives life to the grapes. Because the soils are so different, so are the grapes that grow there and therefore the wine they produce.
Climatic Conditions

The Cognac region is commonly referred to as 'softly tempered,' with ample amounts of sunlight and sufficient rain, and an average annual temperature of 13.5°C (55°F). This microclimate, combined with the special soil, is considered ideal for high quality spirit-producing wines.

Soil Composition

The French geologist Henri Coquand first described the soil features of the six crus or terroirs in 1860. The Tessendier Distillery's vineyards are located in Borderies, but they work with grape growers in three other crus for the production of their wines.

Image credit: BNIC

Grande Champagne

Cognac Park Soil Composition - Champagne

Clay-like, chalky, thin soils on top of soft chalk formed during the Cretaceous period. The limestone content from the surface down is said to be in excess of 60% in some places. Montmorillonite clay provides fertile soil with good structure and a high water reserve. This cru produces lighter, floral cognacs that require long aging in casks to achieve full maturity, often reaching their full potential after decades.

Petite Champagne

It is generally regarded that the cognacs from Petite Champagne have equal potential as those from Grande Champagne but with a touch less finesse. With similar soil conditions to Grand Champagne, vine roots can penetrate more than 20 metres through the chalk, and the subsoil acts as a giant sponge through which water slowly rises during prolonged dry periods.

Borderies

The soil in the Borderies cru is composed of more clay and flint. These cognacs are generally nuttier and often have toffee flavors with tones of violets on the nose. They age somewhat quicker than those from the two Champagnes and can often be at their optimum quality in as little as 30 - 40 years.

Fins Bois

Fins Bois effectively surrounds the Champagnes and Borderies. Most of this area is covered by clay and chalk soils (known as groies) that are similar to the Champagnes. Lying in a lower area known as the Pays Bas, north of Cognac, the soil is heavy, 60% clay, leftover from the Jurassic period. Fins Bois soil also has a high sandy content. Vines are often dispersed, mixed with other crops and surrounded by forests of pine and chestnut. Modern, high volume cognac blends often contain substantial quantities of eaude-vie from Fins Bois.

Bons Bois

Vines are often dispersed, mixed with other crops and surrounded by forests of pine and chestnut. Like Fins Bois, the soil in Bons Bois is made up of heavy, clayey, chalky soil. The soil on the coast and in several valleys has eroded from the Massif Central and is sandy, especially in the southern vineyards. Modern cognac blends contain substantial quantities of Fins Bois and even some Bons Bois can be found in the bigger blends.

Bois Ordinaires

Regarded as the lowest cru of the Cognac region. Here, the soil is almost exclusively sandy in an area that lies along the coast or on the islands of Ré and Oléron. The wine produces fast-aging eaux-de-vie with a characteristic maritime aroma and flavor profile. Much of the eaux-de-vie from these lands is used for blending in fruit liqueurs; the cognacs are unspectacular.

The Cognac AOC

The Appellation Origine Controlée (AOC) Cognac totals about 79,000 hectares of vineyards (that's 790 million square meters).

The wine region of Cognac is the second biggest of France, right after the wine region of Bordeaux.

The AOC rules and regulations have two main objectives:

to maintain the reputation and the high quality of cognac.
to ensure that production is maintained at a sustainable level.

Key features of the AOC Cognac:

Only six white grape varieties are allowed in Cognac production:

Ugni Blanc
Colombard
Folle Blanche
Montils
Sémillon
Folignan

The grapes must be in the delineated area in one of the six crus:

Grande Champagne
Petite Champagne
Borderies
Fins Bois
Bons Bois
Bois Ordinaires

Distillation is required to take place after harvest, when all the grape juice has fermented and turned into wine. This process has until the 31st of March, by AOC law.
The distilled wine, or eau-de-vie, must be matured in oak casks for at least two years, from the year following the harvest.
The aging may only take place within the appellation boundaries (effective since 2009).
Cognac has to be bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV.

The Charente River

The Charente river has been the most important means of transport for cognac for centuries. Throughout the past five centuries, barrels were loaded on wharfs of Jarnac and Cognac directly on board gabares towards Rochefort harbor, and then aboard much larger vessels to cross oceans.

Production Process

The Grapes

Why Ugni Blanc?

The only grape varietal used for wine production at the Tessendier family vineyards is Ugni Blanc, which is used in about 95% of all Cognac production

Ugni Blanc's characteristics such as high acidity, low alcohol and neutral flavor profile, makes it well-suited to the production of Cognac rather than wine.

The harvest takes place once the summer heat has faded, between the end of September and early October.

The Wine

Once the grapes have been pressed, they ferment for five to seven days, with controlled yeast strains added to the batch to create alcohol.

Before distillation begins, a weak white wine with 9%-11% ABV is produced.

Each year, the Tessendier family produces 3,000 hl of wine from its own vineyards and buys 40,000 hl from winemakers, oftentimes working with the same growers for several generations.

The Stills

Cognac Park uses the 'Charentais' distillation method, meaning that our Cognac is double-distilled in copper stills.

Distillation takes place after harvest, when all the grape juice has fermented and turned into wine. This process has until March 31, by AOC law.

The Charentais pot still ("alambic") has three main components:

Boiler or pot: Vessel holding the wine or brouillis;
Still head and swan's neck: Collect the vapors and rectify (filter) them, depending on the shape and volume of the piece (e.g. onion or olive shaped still heads);
Cooling tank and coil: Condense the vapors and regulate the temperature of the distillate.

The final product is separated into four parts: the head, the heart, the seconds, and the tails. Only the clear and pure liquid from the heart is used. This distilled spirit or "eau-de-vie" is ready for aging.

This full distillation process takes 24 hours to obtain a bright, clear, liquid heart of 70% ABV: ready to be aged into cognac.

Distillerie Tessendier & Fils owns six Charentais alembic copper stills located in the Jarnac area of the Cognac region. (1x100hl 5x25 hl)

The Distillery

The family's distillery is located in the small town of Jarnac, about 15 minutes from Cognac. It is the only distillery still active in the town of Jarnac.

First distillation = La première chauffe

One pot still with a capacity of 100 hectoliters is used to create the first distillation, which results in a distillate of about 30% known as the Brouillis. This first step is dedicated to the concentration of the alcohol.

Second distillation = La bonne chauffe

The Tessendier brothers own five Charentais copper alambic stills, all dedicated to the second distillation, and each with a capacity of 25 hl.

The eaux-de-vie can not exceed 72% at 20°C.
This step is dedicated to the "triage" and the concentration of the alcohol.

Distillerie Tessendier has been distilling eaux-de-vie for over 130 years.

Managing distillation is a technical process that is directed by the experience and personal sense of the distiller. They must always be mindful of the following elements:

Intensity of the fire
T° of the distillate cooling
Speed of the different parts of the process, which will refine the aromatic and elegance of the eau-de-vie
At Distillerie Tessendier, we always taste during the cut, because we cannot only rely on the alcometer.

Our Cellars

Distillerie Tessendier owns 14 cellars, located in Jarnac and Cognac near the banks of the Charente River.

Seven of the cellars are humid and the other half are dry cellars.

Distillerie Tessendier boasts 20,000 French oak barrels in stock.

The oldest, most precious Cognacs date back before WWI, and are kept in glass demijohns, deep in the family's Paradis Cellar.

Cognac Park Our Cellars Book: Guide Pratique D'Alcoometrie

Cognac Park Our Cellars Barrel with markings

Aging

Historically, many English merchants helped commercialize the cognac trade and the ports on the west side of France that led into the Charente River and further into the Cognac Region. For that reason, the initials used for Cognac age classifications represent English words, rather than French. All of the Cognac Park blends are appreciably older than the minimum legal requirements.

Guide to Age Classifications

To be called cognac, an eau-de-vie must be aged a minimum of two years starting from the end of the distillation period, which ends March 31 each year.
The BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac) monitors and certifies the age of cognacs using the 'Comptes' system, where a cognac's age is counted beginning on its second birthday, which is April 1.

Compte 00 = cognacs distilled before March 31
Compte 0 = occurs on April 1st, after distillation
Compte 1 = cognacs which have passed their second April 1
Compte 2 = cognacs which have passed their third April 1
Compte 10 = cognacs which have passed their eleventh April 1

Very rarely do you see either age statements or vintage-dated cognacs (date of harvest), but they do exist.

Cognac Age Classifications

VS

Minimum two years. Also known as Very Special.

V.S.O.P.

Minimum age of four years.
Also known as Very Special Old Pale or Reserve.

X.O.

Minimum age of ten years. Also known as Extra Old or Hors d'Age, which often unofficially indicates particularly old or premium releases.

Extra

Extra is recognized as a minimum of 10 years.

Additional Aging Classifications

3 Etoiles: 2 years
Reserve, Vieux, Royal: 4 years
Napoléon, Très Vieille Réserve, Très Vieux, Heritage: 6 years
Ancestral, Gold: 10 years

If used the mention of "XXO" means that the younger eau-de-vie is equal or older than 14 years old. (AOC December 2018)

Our Barrels

Cognac Park expressions are primarily aged in Limousin French Oak barrels.

These barrels possess a very coarse grain; which is not great for winemaking but ideal when aging Cognac.

Our skilled team of coopers hand make our barrels.

Once the oak staves are cut, the wood is dried naturally for three years by the master coopers.

Once the barrels are completed, they are filled with the eaux-de-vie and the aging process begins.

All casks are 350-400 liters each (100 gallons) with a light or medium toast, also known as 'Bousinage' resulting in complex, light and elegant flavors across the portfolio.

The Blending

The creation of Cognac most often involves a complex blending of eau-de-vie of different ages and from different 'crus' to create a harmony of flavors and aromas.

Distillerie Tessendier boasts two Master Blenders: Jérôme and Lilian Tessendier.

Each day at around 11am, they taste over fifty different eaux-de-vie.

They subtly blend, step-by-step, three hundred different eaux-de-vie each year to create the Cognac Park collection.

About

U.S. Operations Manager

Anaïs Mathilde Brisson is the U.S. Operations Manager for Cognac Park. Born and raised in Cognac, she grew up in a distilling family on an estate steeped in tradition. Anaïs spends her time traveling the United States, building and promoting the Cognac Park brand, as well as educating our U.S. customers on the Cognac category.

Image credit: BNIC

Cognac Aroma Wheel

Pineau des Charentes

Particularly delicate and floral, attractive to the nose and pleasant on the palate. Its fresh and juicy character is reinforced by the vigor of the young eau-de-vie.

VS Carte Blanche

Menthol, linden blossom, apricot, banana, pear, ginger, dried fruits, pepper (pink), lychee, orange zest, and white flowers

VSOP

Apricot, ginger, vanilla bean, lychee, orange zest, acacia, jasmine

Fins Bois Organic

Vine flowers, orange, apricot, pear, and ginger

Borderies Mizunara

Fresh apricot, fig and plum. Soft and round with fruit and spice notes of cinnamon and clove.

Borderies Mizunara 12yr Limited Edition

Full, yet delicate. Bright floral notes, with hints of licorice stick and white pepper. Warm, voluptuous finish.

Borderies Mizunara 2004 Limited Edition

Powerful, but structured. Red fruits, toffee, and spices. Long finish with walnut and white pepper.

Borderies Single Vineyard

Dried fig, cinnamon, clove, coffee, cedarwood, buttercup with subtle floral notes

XO Grande Champagne

Almond, orange, banana, plum, dried apricot, caramel, truffle, cocoa, apple, saffron, cigar box, coffee, leather, hazelnut, orange blossom, lilac

XO Cigar Blend

Mango, cacao, saffron, clove, cigar box, gingerbread, and cedarwood.

Extra Grande Champagne

Quince, coconut, licorice, truffle, leather, candied orange, and nougat. Mellow and finessed on the palate, with great length.