Cognac Hein: history, features and types
By definition, a premium French drink served at the English royal table must be outstanding.
However, the general consumer knows little about the products of the Hine Cognac House, and the people of Russia, with rare exceptions, are not familiar with them at all.
Vzboltai decided to correct the annoying omission and tell you more about the exquisite alcohol produced in the Grand Champagne region.
History of the brand Hein in brief
It is interesting that the right to be called the founder of one of the oldest Cognac Houses in France belongs to an Englishman.
Young Thomas Hein, who was barely 16 at the time, arrived on the banks of the Charente from his native Dorset in 1791.
Setting out on a journey to master the cognac business, a young man from a large family hardly imagined that he would stay in foreign lands for a long time.
However, marriage to a Frenchwoman and a passion for the art of creating spirits were Thomas's first steps towards fame and the emergence of the Hine brand, named in his honor.
Over the years, the company has repeatedly had to go through hard times.
World wars, economic crises, and civil conflicts were interspersed with natural disasters in the form of phylloxera invasions and Charente River floods.
However, the great House managed not only to resist, but also to preserve the unique recipe and unique taste of drinks worthy of royal tasting.
Features of production
The unique bouquet of Hein drinks is not only the result of preserving 250 years of traditions and painstaking work of specialists, but also the influence of the region's characteristic microclimate.
The noble taste of cognacs is born as a result of a combination of factors:
The cultivation of vines on fertile limestone soils, which give the fruits, and then the finished products, a lively and delicate character.
The use of special raw materials - white grapes of Uni Blanc, which are carefully harvested in two regions of the Charente department: Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne.
The fruits are harvested in the fall, when they reach the maximum degree of maturity.
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Adherence to the classical cognac technology brought to perfection.
The process includes: natural vinification, distillation in a still without sediment filtration, and long-term aging of aromatic spirits in barrels made of selected French oak wood.
One of the eccentric traditions of the company, introduced in the XVIII-XIX centuries, was the export of a part of the cognacs bottled in France to the other side of the English Channel - to England - for storage in British cellars.
The manufacturer claims that the taste of such drinks is strikingly different from the products remaining in Zharnak, where the company's main storage facilities are located.
Also, the Cognac House "Hain" is one of the few farms that have preserved the tradition of creating millesimal drinks.
Such cognacs are produced from spirits of a certain year, without the inclusion of distillates from other years' harvests.
Whether this technology enriches or impoverishes the taste of the product is a controversial issue that still causes heated discussions among cognac masters.
But there is no doubt that the result is an exclusive collectible drink.
Types of Hine cognac
Some variants from the assortment of the legendary brand are real works of art and require a truly royal attitude.
Some of the cognac spirits that make up the exclusive copies have managed to celebrate the centennial anniversary.
H by Hine VSOP ("Unstoppable")
An expressive, energetic drink dominated by notes of apricot, iris, quince, white pepper, acacia.
The manufacturer recommends experimenting with serving options.
Young sunny cognac can be drunk chilled - with ice and tonic, included in cocktails, supplemented with ginger ale, a slice of cucumber, lime, a sprig of rosemary, make punch from it or season a fruit salad.
Hine Rare VSOP
A classic version created from 20 cognac spirits.
The taste starts with a delicate aroma of baked peaches, ripe apricots, fresh melon and ends with exquisite confectionery sweetness of butter buns and juicy fruits.
Hine Antique XO
Traditional assemblage of 40 cognac spirits. The ripeness of white grapes is complemented by soft woody notes in a lively and complex bouquet.
Hints of hazelnut, sweet spices and quince jam are combined with tones of figs, white tobacco and fresh pastries.
The producer recommends to eat the drink with exquisite French cheeses, orange chocolate and baked fruits.
Hine Triomphe
A cognac that includes 50 mature spirits of the highest quality.
The bouquet excites with delicate accents of white cedar and fresh vanilla, which give way to bright tones of liquorice, chocolate and spicy sweetness.
The aftertaste is characterized by flavors of prunes and baked apples.
Hine Homage
An exquisite blend of 20 cognac spirits plays with notes of spicy spices, pear and orange peel.
The aftertaste is characterized by the sweetness of candied fruits, honey and hazelnuts.
Hine Cigar RESERVE XO
The rich and full-bodied bouquet of this cognac is determined by a blend of 20 excellent spirits.
Exotic fruits and spices, exquisite pepper spiciness, tobacco bitterness and an exciting smoky trail are felt in the aroma.
Cinnamon, nuts, honey dominate the taste. Color: bright amber.
Hine 250
A special vintage of 1953, released in a limited edition of 250 units, a real "water of life".
The drink is characterized by an elegant shade of topaz, a lively character, the aroma of peaches and hazelnuts with notes of acacia honey.
The taste is dominated by tones of citrus, cardamom with a slight nuance of fresh leather.
Hine Mariage
An assemblage of 12 valuable cognac spirits, the youngest of which is almost a hundred years old.
The noble drink is available in a crystal decanter and requires a special occasion for tasting.
The flavor is characterized by hints of hazelnuts, roasted almonds, candied fruits, complemented by delicate woody tones.
Hine Talent
Another precious assemblage, this time including 50 mature cognac spirits of exceptional quality.
The elegantly decorated crystal bottle, placed together with 4 glasses in a precious wood packaging, speaks of the special character of the drink.
Luxurious, spicy cognac with oriental notes captivates with the aroma of candied dates, cloves, dried figs.
The sweet aftertaste is characterized by gingerbread and raisin hints.
It is worth mentioning the famous "vintage collection" of the House of Hine, which contains millesimals of different years of production: from 1975 to 1992.
Each option, except for the last few years, is presented in duplicate:
Jarnac - aged in Jarnac (in France).
Early landed - "aged" in England.
It is better to taste the most valuable aged Heine drinks in its pure form, after a meal, if desired, complementing the tasting with a cup of coffee and an expensive cigar.
Update: 26.12.2018
Category: Brandy and Cognac