Cognac
Cognac is grape brandy named after the region in which it is made, in an around the town of Cognac in the southwest of France. Cognac is predominantly made from three types of grapes — ugni blanc, folle blanche, and colombard, with other grape varietals showing up in the mix. They are vinified into a thin wine, then distilled twice in copper pot stills to make brandy. This brandy must by law then be aged in French oak barrels for at least two years. Brandy of this minimum age can be labeled VS in quality. After four years it can be called VSOP, and after ten years (a recent extension of time), it becomes XO. Many highly prized cognacs are much older than this — and they carry some incredibly high price tags.
Top Cognac Posts:
What’s the Difference Between Cognac and Armagnac?
Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak Cognac
Courvoisier VS, VSOP, and XO Cognac
Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Cognac
Maison Ferrand’s S.D.A. — Selection des Anges, the angels’ selection — is not a new expression, but the brand has recently retooled it, creating new packaging and upping the proof slightly from 80 to 83.6. We ...
Larsen’s new Aqua Ignis has a curious claim to fame: It is the first spirit in the world aged in steam-toasted barrels, specifically “triple-steamed brasero toasted barrels.” What does that mean? Instead of only toasting ...
Hine’s Homage is an homage to Thomas Hine, the English founder of the Hine brand back in 1763. The brandy itself is a Grand Champagne Cognac blended from more than 20 eaux-de-vie, again all made ...
In 2018 the defunct Cognac brand Rome de Bellegarde made headlines when a shot of its brandy, produced in 1858, sold for more than $14,000, making it the most expensive shot of Cognac ever sold. ...
Frerot Extra is a 100% Grande Champagne Cognac made from eau-de-vies with an age ranging from 30 to 50 years old. That kind of age isn’t remotely common, so I approached this brandy with significant ...
At this point it feels safe to say that the 2020 holiday season will be unlike any other in our lifetimes. And while in-person gatherings may not be possible, it doesn’t mean that you’re going ...
Established in 1270 in France, Cognac Frapin is a single-family estate that continues to produce a range of spirits in the Grande Champagne area. The distillery turns out a wide selection of brandies, including vintage-dated ...
Grand Brulot is not your everyday coffee liqueur — far from it. In fact, it’s only 49% coffee liqueur. Crafted from 51% VSOP Cognac and 49% liqueur de cafe, this blend from the Tardy Cognac ...
The latest Cognac from Ferrand (“Pierre” has officially been dropped from the brand’s name) is a “legacy of 10 generations,” even though it comes across with an age profile of significantly fewer generations. Maybe half ...
My latest trio of tasters from Flaviar’s new quarterly subscription club takes us into the world of Cognac, featuring a trilogy from France’s most noteworthy brandy-producing region — none of which we’ve ever covered here ...
