Size: 41

Expect only the most fine from Hine.

Thomas Hine has been distilling their delectable works along the banks of the La Charente River since 1763. That’s more than 250 years in the same spot, doing pretty much the same thing, which BTW makes their distillery older than the US. When the folks at Thomas Hine started digging in storage, they found ancient barrels of Cognac from the last millennium.

Sure enough, Hines is famous for having old vintages on hand… just lying around. Every once in awhile, they issue a special release that sells for the price of a car. But most of the time, they continue to produce a large line of premium, accessible, extra-aged eau-de-vie of the highest quality. Queen Elizabeth herself declared them the “Royal supplies of Cognac.”

Hine VSOP is their flagship. A pleasant step up from their entry-level product, but with all of the tip top awesomeness of their best, without breaking the piggy bank. It’s all Fine Champagne Cognac … 100%! More than half of that is the “Grand Champagne” juice that all the haughty-totty rave about. And even though the French gendarmes insist that anything labelled VSOP be aged for at least four years, Hine leaves it in the barrels a bit longer, because that’s just the way they roll.

If you are a Cognac fan, this could be your daily go-to drink. If you want to discover what Cognac is all about, this is your best bet… solid quality and sophistication, but affordable and approachable at the same time. And if you are looking for a classy gift, then boom, this is it!

Smartass Corner:
As the Highlands of Scotland have the Spey River, so the Cognac Region of France has the La Charente River. It carves a winding, gentle path from the mountain forests of Limousin oak near Limoges, through the heart of the Cognac appellation, before emptying into the sea at Roquefort.

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