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Salvatore Calabrese, the mastermind behind London cocktail institution Lanesborough Hotel, once described cognac as “pure finesse”, akin to a fine silk garment. Structured and delicate, albeit rigidly practical in its creation, the iconic French spirit is to many, the perfect harmony of craftsmanship and patience. For Australian enterprise Old Masters Spirits, that latter is especially true.
Since 2020, the Melbourne-based business has amassed a cult-like following for its stellar collection of rare bottlings and expressions. Sourced from around the globe and often found in unexpected places, the limited but highly-coveted range of cognacs and brandies are among the most revered in the country (just look at the 1972 Bas Armagnac 39 years old Baron de Sigognac for proof). However, Old Masters Spirits’ latest find may well eclipse all that has come before. The brand has just unearthed a rare Petite Champagne Cognac release that dates all the way back to 1945.

Originally harvested in 1945 in the aftermath of World War II and distilled at the beginning of 1946, the Old Master Spirits Tiffon V45 represents a remarkable find. According to Old Masters Spirits co-founder Deni Kay, the cognac lay dormant in a cellar on the banks of the River Charente for over 60 years before being moved to a demi-john and then bottled at a natural strength of 45.2% in 2023.
“Provenance and transparency are imperative to us and we can trace the history of this cognac all the way back to 1945,” Kay explained. “We’re huge fans of Tiffon’s cognac so whilst trying to find some details on a different cognac of theirs, an 80-year-old blend we struck up a discussion with the Tiffon team which developed into talks about doing a very old release for Australia and were lucky to end up with this one after tasting many very good cognacs from them.”

With the 1945 lineage, the Old Master Spirits Tiffon V45 now lays claim to the title of the oldest vintage of any spirit to be independently bottled exclusively for Australia. That esteemed honour was previously held by Old Masters Spirits’ 1957 Fins Bois cognac, which was bottled in 2021.
Remarkably, Kay revealed that the 100 per cent Ugni Blanc release comes from “one single demi-john” with the spirit maturing in old refill troncais and limousine barrels. Even more incredible, it was produced under the stewardship of Mr. Sverre Braastad, son-in-law of Tiffon founder Mederic Tiffon. Today, Cognac Tiffon is still family-owned and run by the fourth generation, who continue to harvest grapes, distil cognac and care for the maturing stock from previous generations in the heart of Cognac.

“What makes this spirit so special is the quality of the cognac, which is always most important to us, and then the storied history of this cognac,” Kay said. “It is so vibrant for its age, very complex, and is packed with tropical fruits which is our favourite flavour profile for cognac. Then we reflect on the state of the world back in the early 1940s, the fact that the vines survived WW2 and were then harvested by hand in the aftermath of WW2 is amazing.”
The Old Masters Spirits’ Tiffon V45 Petite Champagne Cognac is limited to just 24 bottles worldwide, each with an ABV of 45.2%. The bottlings will be released on 31 October 2024 and are priced at AUD$1,299 per bottle. For more information, visit the Old Masters Spirits website.

Old Masters Spirits’ Tiffon V45 Petite Champagne Cognac
- Brand: Old Masters Spirits
- Release: Tiffon V45
- Distilled: 1945
- Spirit: Petite Champagne Cognac
- Grape Varietal: 100 per cent Ugni Blanc
- ABV: 45.2%
- Availability: 24 bottles worldwide
- Release Date: 31st October 2024
- Price: AUD$1,299