On that bottle of cognac...

[thehefner]

After a year and of a month of acquiring my late father's unopened bottle of Martell V.S.O.P Médaillon cognac--which was already aged over ten years when my father acquired it over twenty years ago--I finally busted open the motherfucker.

I kept putting it off and putting it off, waiting for a proper occasion that never came, never feeling special enough, or maybe having someone along with a palate that could appreciate it better than I and give me an educated, refined opinion that I lack. But after getting through the past few months, not to mention the past year, and heck, with everything revolving around THE DARK KNIGHT and finally returning to the joyous (no irony) task of the Harvey Dent novel, it seemed like as good a time as any.

But it wasn't easy, especially as the cork was all gunky and crumbling. Once I dug out the cork and decanted the bottle, using a tea strainer to get out all the bits I could, I rebottled the cognac and poured a spit's worth into a shot glass.* Just for a taste.

Much like the 20-year-old half-consumed bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey that I found at the same time, the initial taste was so smooth to almost be flavorless, little more than heavy water. That said, I gave it to Mom and she reported a pained gasp of, "GAH, ROCKET FUEL!" but while that certainly points toward her being an even more sensitive soul than I, it's yet another reminder that I'm starting to lose my own sensitivity towards tastes.

But when I inhaled and exhaled... ohhhh, then I could taste it. Yes I could. My goodness gracious. I may not know cognacs, but that... is fine stuff.

I'm not gonna plow through the rest, don't worry. I've recorked the bottle and will definitely save the rest for special occasions, whenever they happen to pop up.

I read somewhere that it goes well with a fine cigar. I've never smoked one aside from taking the odd puff, but who knows? Perhaps it might be worth considering taking that for a special treat one of these days. Maybe once I finally get surgery on my deviated septum and therefore will hopefully be able to smell and taste things better.

Not to mention breathe; I haven't been able to breathe through both nostrils at the same time for about four years. Let's rectify that, shall we?



*Not just any shot glass, but my father's. The one he used repeatedly daily to apply Seagram's gin to his Canada Dry tonic water. The really nutty part? It was an official Frank Miller's SIN CITY Kadie's Club Pecos shot glass that I bought at my comic shop when I was thirteen, but gave to him because I knew he'd get more use out of it.

Now that it's mine again and I actually drink, the glass is permanently stained and worn, and no amount of scrubbing will make it look new and not... well-used.

Comments

[lonebear.livejournal.com]

"But when I inhaled and exhaled... ohhhh, then I could taste it. Yes I could. My goodness gracious. I may not know cognacs, but that... is fine stuff."

Now you may understand why you need a brandy snifter for Cognac?

cue icon

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Myep. It's on the shopping list now.

Re: cue icon

[lonebear.livejournal.com]

If you want a _good_ snifter it should be very thin and fit comfortably in your hand. The opening should allow you to have your shnoz fully in the rim when you sip.

The warmth of your hand helps the esters escape.

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

Very old cognacs like this can be toxic. You should bring it to me for proper disposal.

Strictly speaking, cognacs don't really age in the bottle. This one is ten years old, and has been ten years old since it went into the bottle 20 years ago. But it was a fine, fine cognac then and I'm sure it's a fine, fine cognac now.

Here's hoping you have the perfect occasion for it soon.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Oh I know, I still like saying it's old-as-fuck (and also, it seems to have evaporated enough or something to go down an inch in level from the bottleneck, unless they filled 'em less back in those days). Even still, why must you be the screen door on my submarine?

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hadn't intended to be a wet blanket. This is an excellent spirit, and the age of the bottle speaks of the respect in which it's held. (Do treat it nicely.)

Unlike, say, some of the junk we cleared out of my grandmother's house. I actually find uses for the very big plastic bottle of crummy whiskey. I mix it with hot peppers and oil to make a sauce that will knock you on your ass.

The home-canned peaches from (literally) the Eisenhower administration, on the other hand...

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Hehehe, no, I'm teasin'! And don't worry, I shall do the best I can as someone with virtually zero experience in such matters of preservation and appreciation.

That's actually rather inspired: old-ass crummy whiskey hot sauce. Love it. I mean, I wouldn't want to *try* it, but I love it.

So... the peaches were used for another round of Iron Chef, weren't they? I can't tell if those'd be worse or better than the pork brains...

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

Those peaches were treated as if they were toxic, because they quite possibly were. If the original processing was even slightly faulty, dropping one on the floor could literally have resulted in nearly instant paralysis of the lungs of anybody within 10 feet.

I disposed of them as if they were bombs.