Malternative Belgium Cognac #54 La Confiance 70cl (Lot 26)
Distilled in 1926 in the Fins Bois cru on an Alambic Charentais (Pot Still). It spent at least 72 years in a French oak cask before being transferred into eight demijohns in the early 2000s. Malternative Belgium bottled it in September 2026 (roughly 100 years after distillation!) at cask strength, 43.2%: 245 bottles.
Pieter from Malternative Belgium on La Confiance: "An exceptional Fins Bois cognac with a story that is almost too beautiful to let disappear. Not only because of its age, its origin, or its extreme rarity, but above all because of what it symbolizes for us: trust.
La Confiance.
Because some bottles do not come into being through a classic purchase, but through a chain of people who believe in one another. People who taste, sense, take risks and still dare to leap — and above all: can look each other straight in the eye.
This cognac was discovered years ago through Guilhem Grosperrin. He told us how this lot once came to him: via the cellar master of Vallein Tercinier, named Foucauld de Menditte, who called him while he was at a winegrower/cognac producer. The cellar master had just found an exceptional lot and asked Guilhem if he was interested. Guilhem asked one simple question: “Is the quality truly remarkable?”
The answer was simple: “Yes.”
And sometimes that is enough.
Guilhem trusted him. The demijohns were brought directly from the winegrower to him. After tasting, he bought the lot that very same day, “at the back of the truck,” at a higher price than had been paid for it. As it should be. Honest. Without games. Without loopholes.
The exact origin remained secret. Not out of a desire to create mystery, but out of respect. The cellar master — loyal, discreet and serious — insisted that the origin of this lot would not be disclosed.
And we respect that.
Three years ago we had the opportunity to purchase this cognac from Guilhem Grosperrin. Not merely as a transaction, but as a continuation of that same trust.
Because trust is fragile.
You don’t build a lasting relationship in a single conversation. It grows over years, through honesty, consistency and mutual respect. One lie can break everything. One wrong intention can destroy years of work.
In a world where words are sometimes spoken too quickly and promises too easily forgotten, we still believe in people who keep their word. In quiet agreements. In proper handshakes. In the belief that honest people still exist.
That is La Confiance.
Cognac #54 “La Confiance” — Lot 19.26 is a single cask cognac from the Fins Bois cru. This cask was transferred to 8 demijohns in the early 2000s, allowing the cognac to preserve its character further without the dominant influence of wood. The result is a particularly elegant, extremely old Fins Bois (we have not yet encountered an older one) with depth, softness and an exceptional story. Bottled at natural strength, without dilution: 43.2% alcohol — cask strength. Only 245 bottles were filled.
Tasting-notes:
Nose: A deep, ripe and particularly elegant nose. Immediately, notes of dried apricot, candied orange peel, old honey and soft spices emerge. Then subtler aromas of beeswax, polished wood, tobacco leaf, leather and old books develop. After some time in the glass, a lovely floral touch appears, together with ripe peach, dried fig, almond and a light rancio that never becomes too heavy.
Taste: On the palate it starts soft and rounded, yet with a beautiful natural tension. The 43.2% cask strength feels perfectly integrated. No aggression, no excess — only balance. We taste dried stone fruit, orange zest, acacia honey, light mocha, gentle pepper, nutmeg and a hint of old oak. The Fins Bois signature reveals itself beautifully here: accessible, fruity, yet with a depth that only much time can provide. The demijohns have clearly done their work: the cognac feels wonderfully rounded, refined and clear, without the wood taking the upper hand.
Finish: Long, elegant and warming. The finish brings notes of walnut, soft spices, dried flowers and a fine hint of orange oil. Right at the very end, a delicate, almost silky rancio lingers.
Label explanation:
The label of La Confiance, the trust, is designed in a pronounced Art Deco style, as a reference to the stylistic period in which this cognac found its origin. The geometric lines, warm colours and symmetrical composition take us back to a time of elegance, craftsmanship and faith in progress. The combination of copper, gold, green and soft red tones gives the label a sense of class, depth and warmth — perfectly matching the character of the cognac. Centrally at the top is the handshake. Not as a decorative element, but as the core of the story. A handshake stands for much more than an agreement. It stands for trust. For honesty. For the belief that a word still holds value. For people who respect each other without having to put everything on paper. La Confiance is therefore not only the name of this cognac. It is also the reason why, after exactly 100 years of ageing, it was finally bottled!"
