Any brandy experts on here ?

[pubrunner]

I know little about brandy. My missus likes a brandy and coke; she won't touch 3 Barrels, it has to be Hennessey, Martell or Courvoisier. I know that Remy Martin is regarded as good stuff and that XO is very highly regarded.

I was recently given a bottle of brandy and it's one about which I can find very little information - Courvoisier Napoleon.

I've looked on the internet, and I can't find for sale a bottle of Courvoisier Napoleon - that comes in that style of box - so how old is it ?

Additionally, it appears that the bottle is individually numbered (?) so presumably, it very decent stuff (?).

Is this brandy to be consumed (with cola) or should I hoard it away. We have a bottle of the 'standard' Courvoisier VS in the cupboard and I'm worried that Courvoisier Napoleon might be rather too good to have an addition of cola. Should I hide the bottle away for a special occasion, or should I let it be used ?

[sherman]

Auction Price of £35.
https://whisky.auction/auctions/lot/44405/courvois...

Its nice but probably not worth keeping for best.

[2 GKC]

Certainly too good to mix with coke though

[Djtemeka]

Try kwv 10yr brandy. Yum!

[cslwannabe]

Hine rare is my favourite. Tried 3 different price points of Hennessy, few Armagnacs plus Remy Martin etc but I’m certainly no expert. For £50 I’ve found nothing better than Hine. I’ve no palate for whisky but do enjoy a cognac / Armagnac.

Crack it open and give it a try!

[daqinggregg]

2 GKC said:

Certainly too good to mix with coke though

Agreed, though post line, it might go down rather well.

[dunkind]

You (or her) can mix it with whatever you like, it’s your bottle and your choice.
Napoleon Cognac, for that is what it is, not brandy, is classed with an XO classification, especially a Courvoisier Napoleon. The bottle you present is not that old at all but has been in barrel for a minimum of 10 years. Cognac like other spirits don’t improve with age once in the bottle, neither does it deteriorate, until opened. Back in the day, not sure which, it, Napoleon Brandy (Cognac) was regarded as a status symbol. Reference Peter Sarsredt, “Where Do You Go to My Lovely” a haunting song describing the jet set of Paris “ And you sip your Napoleon brandy”. Once again (the cognac) misnomered.
https://youtu.be/L8XQZYIiNgo
Ironically 95% of Cognac and brandy is exported, it really isn’t a drink for les Français, Armagnac is their thing.
Not sure why you would want to hoard it away for a special occasion, you are going to die, maybe soon. Get it supped it costs you 50 quid. I’ve never understood the “special occasion” mentality, 50£ ?? It’s three rounds of drinks in the pub. She’ll really enjoy it, I hope so.

[Arranguez]

During lockdown I gave rum a go. Tried some top end stuff but didn’t get on with it really. Then a friend became the CEO of a big whisky firm and dished out some very expensive stuff, but I didn’t really like that either.

So now it is cognac. I’ve had two bottles of Tesseron now (not NOW) and it is quite nice. My preferred tipple thus far.