Historic Cognac launched in Poland

A Cognac was launched in Poland yesterday using a range of extremely rare distillates, the oldest of which dates back to 1805.

Richard Braastad serves L’Esprit de Tiffon

Called l’Esprit de Tiffon, the product has been blended using Cognacs from the private cellar of Sverre Braastad (1879-1979), who took over the management of the Tiffon Cognac house when he married the daughter of Tiffon producer Edith Rousseau in 1913.

Only 150 crystal decanters of the Cognac have been made, created especially for the clients of Poland’s Wealth Solutions, a company which provides people with collectibles from the drinks and art world.

The launch took place in the Jablonna palace near Warsaw yesterday, and was hosted by Richard Braastad, cellar master at Tiffon, and Edward Bates from the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), as well as representatives from Wealth Solutions.

The ballroom at Poland’s Jablonna Palace

The choice of the setting was not accidental: Napoleon Bonaparte had met his Polish mistress Maria Walewska at the palace two years after the production of L’Esprit de Tiffon had begun in Cognac.

“We could not offer this exceptional liquor to cognac lovers if it had not been for my grandfather, who bought very old eaux-de-vie in the 19th century and kept them in his private collection – the cognac is part of my family’s heritage,” said Richard Braastad at the launch event.

“It’s a window into another time, something that just wasn’t available. Untill now.”  added Edward Bates.

Each of the limited-edition decanters is engraved and accompanied by a wooden box containing a book prepared by Cognac expert Nicholas Faith for the launch of L’Esprit de Tiffon.

The book contains information about the Braastad family, the Tiffon Cognac house, as well as the Cognac.

All of L’esprit de Tiffon decanters were sold ahead of the official launch event.

For more information on the Cognac click here.