Bowen (Chabasse) cognac: a guide to alcohol
About the Bowen brand
It is believed that the Bowen brand was named in honor of Elizabeth Bowen, who became the muse for its creator, Louis Oliver Chabassa. And the brand itself belongs to the Chabasse trading house.
Grapes grown in the provinces of Fin Bois, Borderie and Petit Champagne in the vicinity of Cognac are used as raw materials, which gives the cognac an exquisite taste and enriches it with fruity notes.
To obtain top-class alcohol, the company's specialists carry out its rectification within a very short period of time. In addition, the technological process before distillation specifically includes mandatory aging of wine on the lees. This feature allows you to enrich the flavor bouquet of the final product with a refined flavor range.
The color shades of Bowen cognac can vary from pale gold to light burgundy. The color of the drink directly depends on its age: the older it is, the more dark halftones it contains.
Only Limousin oak barrels are always used to store aged spirits.
The history of Bowen cognac in brief
1787: In the small town of Saint Jean d'Angeli, in the south of France, the future founder of the Chabassa trading house, Jean-Baptiste Chabass, was born. From a young age, he was fascinated by the search for the formula for obtaining the best cognac.
1818: Conducting numerous experiments on the distillation of various wines, Jean was able to obtain unique cognac spirits, which allowed him to establish his own cognac business.
He was able to pass on his talent and his unbridled passion for making great cognacs to his descendants. However, despite this, until the late 90s of the XIX century, the Chabasse brand remained in the shadow of its eminent competitors.
Jean-Baptiste's descendant, Louis Oliver Chabasse, decided to promote the business by popularizing the products of the family enterprise. To do this, he traveled to various places around the world to conclude supply agreements. Traveling in India, he met the charismatic Elizabeth Bowen, who impressed him with her courage and freedom of spirit. It was in her honor that the magnificent cognac, distinguished by a unique range of flavors, was named after her, which Louis created when he returned to France.
Today: The Bowen brand is one of the most famous and popular cognac brands in the world. Its quality and harmonious taste attracts a huge number of connoisseurs and admirers of real cognac. The total number of products produced is about 3 million bottles per year.
Types of Bowen cognac
Bowen VS
Blend of spirits up to 3 years of aging.
Cognac with a rich amber hue. It has a mild taste, in which the tones of fruits and flowers are pronounced, revealing more and more new shades in a long warming aftertaste. Aroma soft aroma envelops with fruity and spicy tones. Suitable as a digestif. It can be drunk neat in tulip-shaped glasses, enjoying not only a rich palette of flavors, but also wonderful aromas.
Bowen VSOP
Exposure: 4 years
The mahogany-colored cognac has a perfectly balanced, harmonious taste, which is especially charming due to the tones of warm spices and a long aftertaste with pronounced vanilla tones. It has a complex aroma with notes of wild violet and jasmine, and tones of hazelnut and tobacco give it a special charm.
Bowen Elizabeth
Minimum age of spirits: 6 years.
Cognac of deep amber color. It has a rounded, complex taste with shades that repeat the aroma and a long, warming aftertaste. The aroma is represented by dominant shades of jasmine, violet and ripe fruit.
The manufacturer recommends drinking cognac as a digestif, in combination with a good cigar and coffee.
Bowen XO
Aging: 18 years.
The oldest spirit: 20 years.
Mahogany cognac with a fiery tint. It has a noble taste with hints of tangerines, dried fruits, walnuts and hazelnuts. The aroma is dominated by floral notes of violet, iris and wisteria.
Bowen Gold'n Black
Aging: 30 years
Premium brandy with a fiery amber color. Alcohol is interesting for its complex, enveloping taste, in which light mineral shades are added to the noble tones of walnut and oak. An infinitely long aftertaste over time reveals more and more new facets and gives real pleasure. It has a delicate aroma that enchants with fresh notes of oranges, as well as warm tones of leather, almonds and expensive tobacco.
This wonderful cognac should be drunk with the warmth of your palm from a snifter or tulip-shaped glass. A cup of natural coffee and a cigar can be a perfect pair of cognac, and according to the French rule of the three "C's" (Cafe, Cognac, Cigare), you first need to take a sip of coffee, then taste the cognac and only then smoke a cigar.
Bowen Extra
Aging: 40 years.
The oldest spirit: 50 years.
The legendary drink of fiery amber color. The taste of the cognac is noble, thick, with hints of walnut and a long aftertaste. The aroma of the brandy is delicate, refined, with notes of orange, leather, expensive tobacco and almonds. Cognac is recommended as a digestif, with cigar, coffee.
Interesting facts about Bowen cognac
Historical data shows that Louis Oliver Chabas created his legendary drink for a whole year. His feelings for Elisabeth Bowen were so strong that he could not stop until he had fully conveyed them to the flavor of Bowen cognac.
After the death of Louis Oliver Chabasse, Bowen cognac was not produced, but many years later his grandson René Luc Chabasse decided to revive the family legend. He managed to completely restore the recipe for the production of the legendary drink and develop a special bottle design specifically for it.
Bowen VSOP cognac accounts for 30% of the company's total sales.
Update: 04.11.2021
Category: Brandy and Cognac