Sazerac de Forge & Fils was founded in Cognac in 1782 by Bernard Sazerac de Forge and its cognacs travelled widely in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; the house was later dormant for many years and was reconceptualized in 2019 by the Sazerac Company. Its domaine at Segonzac sits in the heart of Grande Champagne, the first of the six crus, where chalk-rich soils and a cool climate produce eaux-de-vie that develop slowly and reward very long ageing. Alongside the estate the house curates aged stocks bought from across the region. The spirit was distilled from the 2000 harvest and matured for more than twenty years in French oak with no blending at any stage. Cellar master Denis Lahouratate selected the barrels and this one was set aside as a single cask rather than absorbed into a blend. It is bottled at 44.8% ABV, the highest strength of the three expressions released in this range.

Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see our editorial and authentication standards.

What is Grande Champagne cognac?

Grande Champagne is the first and most prized of the six crus of the Cognac region, a zone of chalk-rich soil around Segonzac. Its eaux-de-vie are slow to develop and unusually long-lived, which is why Grande Champagne is the cru most often used for cognacs intended to age for decades. A bottle labelled Appellation Cognac Grande Champagne Contrôlée contains only spirit from that zone.

Is Sazerac de Forge related to Sazerac the American company?

Yes, and the direction is the reverse of what most people assume. The cognac house was founded in Cognac in 1782 by Bernard Sazerac de Forge, and the American company's name descends from that lineage. The house itself was dormant for many years and was reconceptualized in 2019 by the Sazerac Company, which now produces these releases alongside its estate at Segonzac.

What does single cask mean on a cognac?

It means the bottling comes from one barrel rather than being blended from several, which is uncommon in cognac — the category is built around blending across casks, crus and years to achieve a house style. A single cask from a single vintage removes both variables, so what is in the bottle is one harvest as one barrel shaped it, and the release cannot be repeated once the cask is empty.