Hine (cognac): description of taste, reviews

Among the beverages regulated in the relevant legislation in France, which have the right to be called cognacs, this rightfully takes its place of honor. Hine - French cognac, but with English roots. Perhaps, therefore, the eponymous cognac house is the only one in the whole region officially awarded the rights to supply its products to the royal court. And in France, at home, this drink is one of the most elitist among the inhabitants of the country.

History. Start

The cognac house Hine was born long ago, in the Voltaire era of France, in 1763. This year, the English subject Thomas Hain goes to the neighboring sunny country - France. He comes to the town of Jarnak to perfect himself in French grammar. But then a war begins between these neighboring countries, and the young man is arrested. After leaving some (short) time for freedom, he marries Frenchwoman Franzuise Delamen, whose father was engaged in cognac business. Soon the son-in-law becomes a companion, and in 1817 Thomas already begins his management of production and gives the company the name "Heine". Since then, for almost two centuries the business of the company has been going uphill, and Hine is a brandy fervently loved by true connoisseurs of strong drinks. The famous logo - a deer, which now decorates the labels of containers - appears in 1866.

History of the house

Cognac House Hine - one of the very first that was awarded international awards. For example, in the USA, at the competition in 1859. And in the middle of the last century the company "Heine" gets the right to make deliveries to the British royal Court (officially). As a result of business reformatting, a portion of the shares moved to the holding of Louis Vuitton, the notorious Hennessy. But to the credit of the Hain House, they were able to preserve their basic production organizations and structures. Today the company is run by Bernard Hine, the direct descendant of Thomas, the founding father of the company, in the 6th generation.

Bernard and cigars

By the way, the current ruler is a big fan of cigar culture. Knowingly in the recommendations how to consume Hine (cognac), so much space is given to the compatibility of the drink with the main types of cigars, which has become already the private business card of the company and the taste qualities of this cognac.

Production

The house "Hine" has almost no own vineyards. It would seem that this fact should complicate the production of a quality drink. However, the output is simple: spirits are purchased from trusted producers from Gran and Petit Champagne (mainly young distillates). A certain amount for the manufacture of own products is also purchased in Fen-Bois.

Company Quality Code

There is also its own Code, which determines the quality of production, the rules that the local masters follow unerringly.

• Only horizontal presses are used for raw materials.
• A complete natural vinification is carried out.
• Mandatory trial distillation is carried out, and the main one - with a suspension of fine particles.
• For aging, only hand-made barrels are used from the oak of the localities of Tronce and Limousin.
• The container for aging is scalded with boiling water and moistened with ready-made cognac. And before aging, the alcohols are diluted to 60% of the strength.
• The humidity of the air in the cellars and warehouses is 80% or higher.
• Extract is made not less than 8 months in new barrels, then the raw material is poured into old ones.
• Drinks are only assembled at the end of aging of alcohols.
• Ready cognacs are kept in small barrels for a year, and before filtering into the glass are filtered additionally. The bottles are rinsed with brandy before filling.

And these are just the main enumerated principles of production, according to which high-quality cognac is produced (see the process photo below).

Non-drinkable drink

It is clear that such strict rules, which concern the owners of the firm, and control the internal and external bodies, do not allow talking about the mass industry. But maybe it's for the better, since this drink, undoubtedly, has its original face. For the same reason, Hine - VSOP cognac or any other representative of the house "Hine" - does not always find a place on the shelves of stores selling the corresponding products. And now a little information about each product at home.

Hine: VSOP cognac

The original blend is used for the production of this kind. It consists of 60% of alcohols for making Gran Champagne cognac, 40% of the raw material of Petit Champagne. And, if the youngest of alcohols is 4.5 years old, then the oldest one is 15 years old. Advantages of blend are revealed by preliminary aging of alcohols in barrels separately from each other. Then, the raw material that has already been properly mixed is mixed, and the resulting noble drink is additionally aged in small containers - French oak barrels. The result: soft and rounded cognac (see photo below), which is perfectly balanced. It is distinguished by the tones of flowers and fruits, jasmine and honey. It has an excellent lasting aftertaste and ripeness of taste. This VSOP - truly, the pride of both the owner of the brand, and the Master of the Cellar - received a well-deserved silver in 2000 at the international event, the Spirits Challenge. The alcohol content in the beverage is 40%.

Hine: XO brandy

Cognac Hine Antique XO - a very delicate and reasoned drink. It is almost perfectly balanced from more than 50 kinds of cognac spirits, the origin of Petit and Gran Champagne. It is issued since 1920. It has a sweet, subtle aroma that combines the power and soft tenderness in the best possible way. The taste will gradually reveal before you all the richness of the shades: vanilla, red and white pepper, baden and mint, cinnamon. Also there are oak notes, which indicates a long exposure of raw materials. Has a very long aftertaste and ripeness of harmony. To fans of a cigar rest: Bernard Hine strongly recommends this option to cigars "Montecristo" number 1 or 3.

Set

Cognac set "Hine" - an ideal gift for a lover of a noble and elite drink. Hine Vintage Set No. 1 includes three bottles of cognac with 0.2 liters and a strength of 40%. This is a real man's drink. And quite a rarity in the alcoholic community of true connoisseurs of cognac art. According to tradition, like good wine, in vintage cognacs taste and character largely depend on the natural conditions of one or another year of harvest, conditions for aging. Evaluation of the potential of the drink, developed over the long years of existence of the house, allows to talk about the ideal taste qualities. Vine Cognac Hine, whose price starts from thousands of dollars per set, actually includes three different aged distillates from a blend of alcohols, each of which is unique. Such sets are issued in limited quantities and are always highly appreciated by fans. Three millshima for tasting - the perfect gift to a friend on the birthday, business partner or male boss.

• Hine Vintage 1957 has a soft and luxurious taste: fruits, flowers, jasmine and apricots. The aftertaste is rich and lasting. Aroma with the predominant notes of dried fruits and fine leather.
• Hine Vintage 1975 - tones of spices and oak, pronounced tannin. Feel the distant notes of carnations and a long aftertaste.
• Hine Vintage 1981 - shades of various fruits, notes of vanilla and peach.

Cognac Hine. Reviews

The collection of these drinks is clearly not designed for ordinary and mass consumption and production. Hine - cognac, requiring attention and respect. Take, for example, that it is officially supplied to the Queen's English Quarter. And still interesting is the fact that, for example, the Hine Family Reserve brandy, one of the "Hine" houses, is produced in strictly limited quantity, poured into numbered bottles. The blend of the drink is made from various spirits produced by Gran Champagne. And the peculiarity is that the final stage of aging takes place in the small kegs of their French oak (after mixing the raw materials). Such super elite cognac is the embodiment of elegance and traditions of the house "Hine". It is recommended to save it for big holidays: family celebrations, weddings, anniversaries. Comments on the use of such cognacs - above the middle bar and, as a rule, only laudatory content. Drink always pleases dear to the heart of guests, has a rounded taste, a very long and noble aftertaste, the aroma of good old cognacs: flowers and woods, oak notes. According to many connoisseurs (and also on the recommendations of the owner of the company), this cognac is best harmonized with Dominican cigars, which have subtle flavors. And also, according to the reviews of the noble drink of dreams, the cognac "Hine" is very well combined with bitter chocolate, not too sweet desserts, fruit and chocolate-biscuit. This drink is certainly not served to the table under the first and second dishes. According to the fans, he has a friendly conversation after a meal that is rich enough, can be emphasized with a cup of coffee with cinnamon and good cigars or cigarettes.

The latest story of the old cognac house

From the beginning of 2000 the newest history of "Hine" began. The thirty-five-year-old M. Cornell is appointed to the position of manager, who shifts the emphasis of producing cognac products at home. So now the company is practically limited to making Cognac Hine Antique XO and cognac VSOP. The emphasis also goes towards producing vintage bottles in small elite bottles of 0.2 liters in terms of gift sets that are quite expensive. On the back of each of the containers with cognac of different years of issue is an inscription that can be translated from French in this way: we do not do much, we do only the best! Embodying this motto, the company itself has turned into a kind of smart "cognac" Aston Martin, the elite in the automotive industry. And as part of the development of these new strategies, the firm is also a sponsor for the competition of automotive rarities in English Goodwood.