HINE Rare Fine Champagne Cognac

Hine Rare VSOP is a more premium offering from Hine, but I don't believe it's worth nearly double the price of the standard Hine H. I would even say the Hine H is almost its equal when sipped neat. On the nose, I detect stone fruit, which carries onto the palate, along with some vanilla, spice, and orange peel. The finish has a decent length with some oak and a slight burn. I was hoping for a more elegant sipping cognac, but it feels like only a minor improvement over the Hine H. It's not bad, and I might be being overly critical, but my expectations were much higher given the price.

A refined combination of Grande & Petite Champagnes (the former makes up 60%). This is classified as a Fine Champagne. The cognac is aged from 6 to 12 years, with most around 8 years old. It was originally blended by the founder, Thomas Hine. It begins with notes of caramel, jasmine, oak & strong hints of vanilla; the palate features notes of dried fruit, fresh cream & toffee, full-bodied & as smooth as can be; while the finish is long, smooth, dry, with notes of oak, smoky, ginger ale, barley & a touch of nutmeg. September 2017

A textbook cognac!! I liked its bottle for the price before I tasted it.. The aroma was pleasant, not overwhelming or weak, with fruity notes like apricot and dried fruits. In the mouth, it had chocolate, a slight woody note, spice, and a moderately long aftertaste. A bit dry with fruity aromas. Not amazing, but a nice, by-the-book cognac. Considering the price, along with its taste and bottle, it's a worthwhile purchase!!

Complex spiced apples and fruit After letting it rest for 10 minutes and warming Nose: Rich, complex, and intense aromas of raisin, apple, caramel, baking spices, apple, brown sugar, clove, peach, leather, black tea, cocoa The taste: Grape raisin and brown sugar at the start, followed by spice, caramel, tea, some astringency, and ending with a moderately long finish of spiced apples and raisin.

On the nose, dried fruits like apricot and raisins, orange peels, caramel, and oak are present alongside a touch of vanilla and melon. These flavors carry through to the mouthfeel, with the oaky, caramel notes leading the way with pleasing, lasting tannins and bright fruit. The finish, for me, offers slight hints of tobacco, but is predominantly bright fruit and melon.

A substantial aroma with hints of pear, cinnamon, cocoa powder, marmalade, and vanilla; it's sweet, yet graceful and sophisticated. The taste is sweet with a pleasant light acidity, very fluid and nicely composed. The palate displays rich fruit and woody influences, concluding with a medium finish that carries notes of perfumed fruit, plum, toffee, and a slight woody bitterness. A very pleasing cognac.