The fourteenth dram in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar is a Guilloin Painturaud Renaissance Cognac. The Guillon-Painturaud family has lived on their estate since the early 17th century, originally working as weavers before gradually developing their vineyard. The phylloxera crisis devastated their vines in the late 19th century, and replanting was slow. Even amidst the challenges of two world wars, production carried on, thanks to the dedication of women and elderly members. The family’s Charentais alembic, built in 1914, remains a unique tool for crafting refined and aromatic cognacs.
In 1964, Jean-Pierre breathed new life into the familial enterprise, and by the 1970s, their vineyard was yielding remarkable cognac spirits. In 1975, they introduced Pineau des Charentes, sparking a passion for this speciality. Direct sales began in 1978, and by 1994, Jean-Pierre’s daughter, Line, entered the scene, eventually handing the reins to her and her spouse, Olivier, in 2014.
In 2021, sisters Elise and Mathilde Thorin (daughters of Claude Thorin and active in the family business) embarked on a new chapter with the goal of upholding the family’s values and craftsmanship while continuing to create exceptional Cognacs and Pineaux des Charentes. Under the name ‘Two Sisters Distillers’, they aim to carry the legacy forward.
Guillon Painturaud Renaissance Cognac Review
All the eaux-de-vie used in this Guillon Painturaud Renaissance Cognac are aged for around 40 years and sourced exclusively from the Grande Champagne terroir. Made from Ugni Blanc and distilled in their 600-litre century-old alembic, the eaux-de-vie are matured in barrels from Tonnellerie Taranseaud, featuring wide-grain oak and a medium-strong toast. A small amount of sugar is added before bottling, along with a reduction to 40% ABV. Priced at approximately €230.
Colour:
Auburn.
Nose:
Neat: An inviting nose with notes of old rancio, dried flowers, and zesty lemon juice, followed by apricots, peaches, and toffees. Hints of aged leather, marzipan, pancake batter, raisins, and custard. Intense and well balanced, with no cloying sweetness from added sugar – simply delightful.
Palate:
Neat: The palate leans sweeter but remains well balanced, with a pleasant sourness from candied orange peel and a touch of lemon juice. Notes of allspice, wood spices, and pepper complement juicy oranges, chocolate-covered raisins, and plenty of leather. Hints of brown sugar and grapefruit. Despite the reduction to 40% ABV, the mouthfeel stays creamy and satisfying.
Finish:
Finish: A blend of oak bitterness, orange peel, raisins, leather, and concentrated vanilla. The fruity notes linger for a medium length, gradually giving way to the longer-lasting oak bitterness.
Comments:
Given the specifications – added sugar and a reduction to 40% ABV – I’ll admit I had my doubts and wasn’t expecting much. To my surprise, they pulled it off. The sweetness is well controlled, and the mouthfeel remains satisfying despite the reduction. That said, I can’t help but wonder if it could have been even better with a higher ABV and no added sugar – unless, of course, the sugar was necessary to balance an underlying oak bitterness that might have been too dominant otherwise. Either way, hats off to Elise and Mathilde Thorin – this Guillon Painturaud Renaissance Cognac is very good.
