Where's the party?

The party was at my brother-in-law's last weekend for a combination celebration of my nieces 30th birthday and Father's day and it was a perfect time to have a Cognac Party! Ever have one?
Miss Sophi sent me a very nice bottle of Camus' Cognac Borderies XO to try and review* and that's just what we did as we all enjoyed the warm, sunny day in my BIL's backyard.
If you know a bit about cognac, then you know that it is exclusively produced in the cognac region of France. Think medieval town, cobblestone streets, beautiful Renaissance facades. Five generations of the Camus family, back to 1863 have been producing in the Cognac region. They have a worldwide presence and have won several awards including the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in March 2011 with a score of 93 points and achieving the "Excellent, Highly Recommended" category


It is (in Cognac) that the fabled nectar has been created since the 17" century and that the very air one breathes is permeated by the heavy scent of spirits evaporating from oak casks held in storage: this aroma is referred to as the "angels's share'.  http://www.westernfrancetouristboard.com/cognac.html  
Cognac can be enjoyed in cocktails, on the rocks or sipped neat. Although, we had cocktail recipes to try and there are several listed below, it was a unanimous decision to try the cognac sipped neat. This was a good idea because everyone took time to savor and think about the taste in their mouth. They swirled the cognac in their glasses, watched the legs drip, looked at the color, savored the finish. Personally, the thing I thought very interesting was the difference between the genders. The men were so impressed with the physical bottle. It is lovely, large and commanding. The woman were more interested in the drink itself. I would have thought just the opposite. 
The Camus Cognac Borderies XO was elegant. The flavor refined and smooth. The men spoke about "bite." Some said there was a bite and they felt that was a good thing, most said there was no bite and they also felt that was a good thing. Ahhh! The human palate, so distinct, so individualized. I personally enjoyed the cognac. I thought it had a very buttery taste and quite nice for sipping and a cognac that I will certainly have and serve again ... and I'm interested in several of their other products.

Nice color!

The birthday girl! This little lady and her baby to be could not participate** in the cognac tasting but enjoyed the party just as well.

Good friends!


Cheers!!




I enjoyed mine and I love my new nail polish!

Try a .....
CAMUS-Rita
2 oz CAMUS VS Elegance Cognac
1 oz sweet & sour Mix
1 oz Grand Marnier
Combine all in a shaker with ice; strain into a small rocks glass with salted rim. Garnish with a lime wedge




This sounds like a delicious drink to have: 
CAMUS Cosmo
1.5 oz CAMUS VS Elegance Cognac
0.75 oz Cointreau
0.75 oz cranberry juice
0.25 oz lime juice
Combine ingredients with ice and shake..Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime twist


This is different!
CAMUS Honey
2 oz CAMUS VS Elegance Cognac
0.5 oz honey syrup*
1 oz grapefruit juice
Combine ingredients with ice and shake with ice.  Strain into a short rocks glass fresh ice.
*The honey syrup is a 3:1 ratio of honey and water



and this one ....
CAMUS Passion Fruit Mousse
1.5 oz CAMUS Cognac
0.75 oz sweetened condensed milk
0.75 oz passion fruit concentrate
Combine all ingredients with ice and shake. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with an edible flower.


 I like this ...
CAMUS Sazerac
2 oz CAMUS VSOP Elegance Cognac
1 white sugar cube
3-4 Dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
0.25 oz Lucid Absinthe
Saturate sugar cubes with bitters and gently muddle. Add the CAMUS VSOP Elegance Cognac and stir with ice. Strain into a short rocks glass that has been coated with absinthe. Spray the glass with the lemon peel zest and rest the peel on the rim as garnish.  




This was a lot of fun and a great opportunity to learn more about Cognac and the region in which it's produced. We all enjoyed a little bit of the history and a very nice drink!
Next time you are out, ask to be served  Camus' Cognac Borderies XO and try it for yourself. I think you will like it!


The host of the party ... my brother-in-law!
What are you doing this weekend?
~Maria

* I am not paid to review products marketed by Deussen and my opinions are mine and take into consideration the opinions of those who may have also tried the products.
** “GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems” Underage drinking is prohibited.
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4 comments:

  1. What a good addition to a party! I think we might have to try it soon. A nice start to summer. Hat

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mmmmm that sounds delicious, you can never have enough variety of drinks at a party. I've never tried Cognac before so I perhaps I should.

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