The appeal of vintage spirits, or “dusties” is two-fold. They function as a time capsule, offering a tangible view into another era of distilled spirits, but there’s also the exclusivity element. Once a dusty’s gone, there’s a slim chance that you’ll find another one just like it. And on August 11, the Guinness World Records association officially recognized what is possibly the mother of all vintage spirits: a bottle of 1696 Jules Robin Cognac owned by Cognac collector Lars Janssen in the Netherlands.
The bottle now holds the title of the world’s oldest Cognac, an honor that had previously been awarded to a 1762 Cognac from Gautier. In 2020, one of only three remaining bottles of 1762 Gautier known in existence sold at Sotheby’s for $146,000, so it remains the oldest Cognac ever sold at auction.
Much like with pre-Prohibition bourbon, vintage spirits collectors have a certain fascination with pre-phylloxera Cognac. In the 1860s, trade ships inadvertently introduced the insect to Europe, where it caused catastrophic damage to the Eastern world’s wine and Cognac industries. Bottles like the 1696 Jules Robin Cognac are among a dwindling number of liquids that capture a glimpse into the landscape of French distilled spirits before phylloxera ran its course.
The recent verification of the 1696 Jules Robin Cognac makes the bottle both older than the previous record-holder by 66 years as well as the only known bottle of Cognac from the 1600s still in existence. Despite its age, the bottle has been preserved in remarkably great condition. The vessel itself is a spectacle, fashioned out of cut lead crystal and featuring an emblem listing the producer and vintage. Encased in a glass dome, the bottle sits alongside an engraved stopper and drinking glass, all positioned atop a custom stone base.
The 1696 Jules Robin Cognac was allegedly originally given as a gift to cofounder of the Cognac house Edmond Jaulin, before eventually ending up in a private collection in France during the mid-20th century. Janssen purchased the historic set for an undisclosed sum in 2018.
