Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old review: I taste the World’s oldest barrel-aged Cognac and feel like a Time Lord

Independent premium cognac house Hermitage has released Siècle d’Or – at 100 years old, it’s the world’s oldest barrel-aged cognac. Even for a cognac specialist like Hermitage that’s earned its reputation by unearthing and preserving some of the rarest and most exquisite cognacs ever produced, this is quite a coup. 

The name, Siècle d’Or (Golden Century), seems a fitting tribute to a cognac that epitomises the golden age of French craftsmanship. Given its rarity, only 68 one-litre decanters of this extraordinary liquid exist, each priced at £24,900. 

Distilled from Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the Premier Cru vineyards of Grande Champagne, the heart of the Cognac region, this cognac has spent a full century luxuriating in Limousin oak barrels, known for their tight grain and rich tannins.

Given its rarity, only 68 one-litre decanters of this extraordinary liquid exist, each priced at £24,900…

A legacy of discovery and preservation

Hermitage Cognac was founded on a singular mission: to discover and share the world’s most exceptional cognacs. Under the visionary guidance of David Baker, a man often referred to as a ‘brandy archaeologist,’ Cognac’s answer to Indiana Jones, Hermitage has become a sanctuary for connoisseurs seeking cognacs with unparalleled provenance and authenticity. 

Baker’s passion for fine spirits began at a young age, when his music teacher introduced him to the world of wine in an effort to enhance his focus on his studies. However, the intricacies of wine tasting quickly eclipsed his interest in music, leading him down a path where cognac would become his true calling.

With an almost photographic memory for taste and style (“I don’t know why. I just remember flavours, different cognacs,”) Baker scours the private cellars of France’s Cognac region, seeking out small, forgotten holdings of spirits that have aged quietly, often forgotten for decades, or in this case, a century.

His dedication to preserving these historic treasures has resulted in an inventory that boasts bottles containing eaux-de-vie distilled as far back as the 1800s. 

“We go for pure cognacs, Single Estate,” Baker tells me. “We don’t go for blended cognacs. All our cognacs have age statements. The earliest vintage we’ve had under the Hermitage label was 1875 and we’ve still got some of those in our stock – but the 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, they all come under what we call the Paradis label.  The whole beauty of all this is to try and find cognacs which nobody else has got…”

Says Baker of the Siècle d’Or: “To find 100 year old cognac… let me tell you just how rare it is: I’ve only ever found one other bottle in my life, and we’re talking about barrel age; that is rare, believe me, it’s really rare. So we’re putting it out in numbered bottles. There’s only 68 – if anybody wants it, they are going to be buying a piece of history. This kind of rarity is unheard of in the cognac industry. You just don’t get it.”

I was invited to an exclusive tasting of the ultra-rare Siècle d’Or, alongside samples of its 50 Year Old and 75 Year Old stablemates, with Baker as my guide. Don’t swirl cognacs in the glass, he chides me, “you’ll lose the aroma – just turn.” This was truly a once in a lifetime experience and it didn’t disappoint…

Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old Cognac tasting notes

The Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old Cognac is tan of hue, slightly lighter in colour than its younger siblings.

On the nose, there’s a bouquet of cocoa, burnt sugar, and cloves, but the aromatics are subtle. It’s teasing me.

Of the 100 Year Old, Baker says “I like this because it’s got depth. It’s got life in it – and more than anything else, it’s got what I would describe as a fullness of flavour.”

On the palate, these flavours come dramatically to the fore – complex and harmonious. There’s rich toffee and sweet cocoa, but also an earthy funk, amid layers of citrus fruits and spice.

I’m struck by how preternaturally light and dry this centenarian it is.

Inevitably, the rarity of such a cognac colours the tasting process itself. I feel like I’m imbibing from a liquid time capsule. Like a Time Lord in his Tardis, I feel the decades rolling back with every sip.

Thankfully, the finish is long and exquisite.

Of course the preceding cognacs I’m offered are something special too. Of the 50 Year Old, Baker says: “I keep a bottle of this on my mantle all the time. If I want a cognac, this is what I drink. I think this is absolute magic.”

Of the sibling 75 Year Old, Baker notes: “This one’s quite rich, it’s got this Cognac rancio; it’s got depth.” Baker describes rancio, the characteristic that distinguishes aged cognacs as “a bit mouldy, with a rich pineapple, syrupy sort of taste…”

Bottled at 40.5% ABV, Hermitage Cognac Siècle d’Or 100 Year Old is priced at £24,900 ($31,693) for a one litre decanter. It’s available from hermitagecognac.com.

Of course, you don’t need to jump in at the deep end. Hermitage Grand Champagne cognacs start from just £90.