17 Apr 2023
I was on a Princess Cruise that docked in La Rochelle, France about 2 and a half hours away from this establishment's Masterclass. Since starting my cruise I wanted desperately to visit the region of Cognac and learn about them, from how they are made to the difference in the soil, aging, and all sorts of other factors that could alter the alcohol. My excursion on Princess Cruise Lines did not meet the minimum number of requirements to staff a tour so we last minute booked this amazing tour which turned out to be far better than the there tour overall. After waiting a while to find a taxi we arrived late for the Masterclass and we didn't speak any French. The owner and his wife were more than accommodating helping us to communicate in French-English with the Taxi driver. We explained our situation to them and how we had to be back at the Cruiseship by a certain time. Off we went to the class and while we did that they kindly organized a taxi for us and explained everything to them beforehand to save us any confusion. The class was amazing and broke down the history, and olfactory stimulation, and we even got to try 4 different Cognacs which we were 'tested' on to try and figure out the 'notes' in the flavor of each one. After our long trek, the Masterclass professor even drove us into town to find our arranged taxi. Their above-and-beyond customer service makes me wish I could rate this place higher. Thank you for making my birthday so special!