Mike Filigenzi wrote:How did the aroma wheel fit into this? Were different cognacs "placed" on the aroma wheel based on flavor and aromatic characteristics or was the idea to take several ingredients that covered different areas of the aroma wheel to put together a cocktail? (Or was it something else entirely?)
Day 1: Cognac Aroma Wheel (built into the "seasons" of cognac...fruit, flowers/floral, dried fruit, herbs, spices, savory, rancio/full maturity, tobacco, chocolate, etc.) Arranged an assortment of food bites to echo the aroma wheel and selected four specific cognacs to reflect the progression of the "seasons" with the food bites. Tasted/compared and looked for resonances between the cognac, the maturity levels, and the foods. Example: Fresh fruit (peach) with the young, fruit-fresh cognacs; but with the more mature cognacs, dried apricot. Another example: the spice doesn't really start kicking in to cognac until after some moderate oak aging; until then, it's fruit and floral primarily; so we taste the spice (cinnamon, let's say) with a young, a medium, and a fully matured cognac...and they taste for themselves.
Day 2: Cognac Immersion---with the Aroma Wheel around, as well as the basic map of crus. First three: VS from GC, PC and Borderies; Second Three: VSOP from GC, FC, Borderies; Third Three: Fully mature individual house expressions up to 15 years old. Again, work around the aroma wheel as you taste. Explicate the similarities of the cru as they age, but emphasize the effect of maturity at the same time. Then let them free taste. Finally, turn them over to a bartender to make four cocktails (with cognacs I've chosen to fit the aroma wheel.)
Day 3: Put the people in teams at bar tables. Place cognacs all around, along with Aroma Wheels, and selected mixers and liqueurs (Chartreuse, Violette, Averna Amaro, lime juice, lemon juice, etc.) and challenge them to pick a cognac and build a drink around it....using the Aroma Wheel as a guide.
And it all worked even better than I had hoped it would. And I had high hopes.