Ancêtres
Original Artwork by Lisa Kairos
Distillate Source Maison Dudognon
Serial Code 13SB24
About Ancêtres
Ancêtres is a multi-vintage (1990-1994) single-cask barrel of cognac bottled at a cask strength of 49.5% abv. It was bottled in France - as legally required - in November 2024 and labeled 30 years old, the age of the youngest vintage in the cask. It yielded 250 bottles. While only a few single-casks have come from Dudognon to the US, virtually none were at cask strength, and this is the oldest single-cask of Dudognon to come out of the domaine. The labels were hand-applied, and a custom Pantone color wax dipping was added after arriving in the US.
The name Ancêtres means ancestors in French. A nod to the name of the first Cognac that brought notoriety to the Dudognon family by way of their entrance into the 1898 International Spirits Show, the name is also an homage to the vines on the Dudognon property that have been under family care for generations.
This Cognac, my friends, is simply stunning. Without a doubt, it is one of the top two Subtle Spirits releases we have ever put out. And that's just cause I can’t choose a favorite. If you don’t like this, there is something wrong with you. Don’t expect an over-oaked tannin bomb like most ultra-aged bourbons. It’s not hiding behind a blast of heavily charred new oak or high-proof hazmat alcohol levels. Comparing this to an ultra-aged bourbon or rye is like comparing a Rolls Royce to a Black Label Saleen Mustang. The Saleen Mustang is an amazing car with more horsepower and quicker off the line. But it's one-third the price of a Rolls Royce for a reason. It isn’t as refined, it isn’t as luxurious, and it isn’t the preferred choice of kings and queens.
Learn more about brandy, the art, and the collaboration. Read the complete story.
TASTING NOTES
This spirit is gentle at first glance, with impressions of Manuka honey, pipe tobacco, gingerbread cookies, marzipan, roasted almonds, and sandalwood. Depending on the glass you use, I prefer a Burgundy glass; it opens up, and more bright grape aromas emerge. The palate is rich and viscous, enhanced by the higher bottling proof, and it has strong backbone and structure but remains vivacious and brimming with refreshing acidity. Flavors of dried golden raisins, ginger, cigar leaf, honey, and exotic spices. As it opens up, it constantly changes, bouncing between bright fruit and savory potpourri spices.
Aromas: Subtle impressions of Manuka honey, pipe tobacco, gingerbread cookies, marzipan, roasted almonds, and sandalwood. Depending on the glass, and as it opens up, more bright grape aromas emerge.
Palate: Rich and viscous, enhanced by the higher bottling proof. Notes of dried golden raisins, ginger, cigar leaf, honey, and exotic spices.
ABOUT THE ART
Lisa Kairos is a California-based abstract painter who explores themes of change and transformation through the subject of landscape. Layers of ink and paint mimic the geological formations revealed by satellite maps, and colors drawn from where the earth, water, and sky converge. These paintings often pivot around visual interruptions, where crisp divisions in the picture plane suggest shifts in perspective and time. Sometimes, areas of a painting are cut away entirely, marking the ephemeral nature of our environments. Atmospheric passages mingle with cartographical and technological references, resulting in a complex visual matrix, sometimes quiet and subtle, other times bursting with energy, like the landscape itself. She makes dynamic abstract landscapes to get lost in; the intersection of environment, perception, beauty, and technology inspires her work.
I pitched Lisa the idea of an abstract map of the region of Cognac, with the region of Grand Champagne in the center of it. She saw the vision immediately, and we got to work on some color studies. We selected our favorite from three different color schemes, and she began working on the lines and final elements. The piece is on watercolor paper, where Lisa uses water to bleed and run the colors into an improvisational shape and expression. The lines and hash details are painted on top with acrylic. The final piece is mounted onto a wood panel and measures 24”x 24”.