Sign of Time

In 2008 they launched this very beautiful decanter in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of AE Dor. It contains a blend of only grande champagne cognacs that have a minimum of eighty years, the oldest being from 1893 and 1910. The decanter is made of cristal glass made by La Cristallerie Royale de Champagne in Bayel and holds one liter. The box is shaped like a blooming flower, made of a very rare species of wood and designed by a Cognac based artist.
The bottle costs about €6.500 (but prices tend to vary between €5.000 and €10.000).

Soleil de Austerlitz

The Soleil d’Austerlitz is from the year 1805. These cognacs are kept in a demijohn of 3.5 liter grande champagne cognac from the year 1805. Three bottles were filled with it. Only one of them was auctioned for the price of a little less than €20.000. AE Dor kept one for it self and the other went to the Président of France. In 1805 the battle of Austerlitz took place, hence the name.

The percentage of alcohol is strikingly low: 30%.

 

 

 

 

Roi de Rome

From the famous year of the comet dates the Roi de Rome, so from 8011. Roi de Rome is the titel of the only real son of Napoléon. His name was Franz Karel Jozef and he became Napoléon II. To become an owner of a bottle Roi de Rome cognac of AE Dor you must be prepared to pay €20.000 or more. This bottle also has a very low percentage of alcohol: 31%.

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Prince Albert

It is almost impossible to get your hands on a Prince Albert from the year 1834. You should be cautioned by the way, because there also exists a 1834 Vieille Fine Champagne of AE Dor, so not a grande champagne like the Prince Albert. Last seen prices were just a little higher than €10.000.
This cognac is also very low in alcohol percentage: 30%.

Remarkable: this bottle is supposed to be from 1834, but on the label it says 1846!

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The numbers 1 till 11

Next Dor has produced a series of bottles numbered from 1 till 11. The first five are all grande champagne vintages. These are all very rare en prices are getting up The numbers 6 till 11 are not vintages, they are less old and therefore less costly.

nr.nameyearCru%Alcapproximate price
1Age d'Or1893grande champagne36€6.000
2Excellence1889grande champagne35€7.000
3Prince Imperial1875grande champagne36€6.000
4Napoléon III Empereur1858grande champagne37€7.000
5Louis Philippe1840grande champagne34€11.000
6Vieille Réserve30-50 yearsgrande champagne40€200
7Vieille Réserve30-50 yearsgrande champagne42€220
8Vieille Réserve30-50 yearsgrande champagne47€300
9Vieille Réserveminimum of 50 years (oldest 1914?)80% grande champagne en 20% fins bois40€1.100
10Vieille Réserveminimum of 50 years (oldest 1922?)grande champagne41€1.200
11Vieille Réserveoldest 1893, minimum of 70 yearsgrande champagne43€1.300

Noticeable is that number one is the youngest of the first five and number 5 is the oldest. The same goes for the numbers 6 till 11. Number 11 is the oldest.

Numbers 1 till 5 (click to enlarge):

Numbers 6 till 11 (click to enlarge):

Some variations in bottles exists, like:

  • Réserve Grande Champagne “Hors d’Age” no. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10
  • Limited editions, like no.1, no. 2 and no. 9 limited edition.
  • variants of the no. 1 and 2
  • a double magnum of the Vieille Réserve no. 6
  • diferent miniatures of 20cl.
  • Miniatures of the limited editions

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Other old and costly vintages (grande champagne or fine champagne):

  • 1800 Vintage Premier Consul (Philippe) Tres Vieille Grande Champagne (well above €20.000)
  • 1818 AE Dor
  • 1834 Prince Albert Très Vieille Grande Champagne
  • 1834 Vieille Fine Champagne
  • 1840 Vieille Fine Champagne
  • 1848 Grande Fine Champagne Napoléon III
  • 1858 Carafe Très Vieille Grande Champagne, Daum decanter (well above €20.000)
  • 1893 Age D’Or Très Vieille Grande Champagne (without no. 1 written on it)
  • 1893 Vieille Fine Champagne
  • 1895 AE Dor Propriétaire des Domaines Labarde & St. Léger
  • 1905 AE Dor
  • 1923 Grande Champagne Réserve Maine Chaudin