Distilled from grapes, this subtle, somewhat magical elixir is produced under very strict regulation in the French region of Cognac. All cognacs are brandy, but not all brandy is cognac. Very special brandy indeed, though, with Victor Hugo once referring to cognac as ‘the liquor of the gods.’
During maturation, often longer than the prescribed minimum of two years, the brandy absorbs tannin and vanilla from the oak and, as it matures, some of the alcohol slowly evaporates. This is often referred to as the angels’ share.
Much of the control of production and dominance of sales rests in the hands of a small number of very large brands. The ‘Big Four’ of Hennessey, Rémy Martin, Martell and Courvoisier have a production that dwarfs the combined efforts of the region's hundreds of other distillers by a significant margin. Their size and scale have helped to propel cognac onto the global stage.
Similarly to champagne, smaller houses exist and thrive. Lhéraud and Tesseron are fantastic examples of family-owned producers offering interesting and unique cognacs.
The drink itself is versatile and lends equally well to classic cocktails, mixers and straight. Younger examples, such as those labelled VS and VSOP, may have a sharper, brown sugary taste that pairs deliciously with soda, ginger ale or lemonade, while the XOs and rare vintage bottles often have the distinctive rancio aspect (think tropical fruits, cigar box and earth) that is best enjoyed neat.
VS: minimum age of two years.
VSOP: minimum age of four years.
Napoleon: minimum age of six years.
XO: minimum age of ten years.
Petite Champagne cognac or Grande Champagne cognac: This means the grapes that have been fermented and then distilled into this brandy have come from one of these two sub-regions within Cognac. There are six such sub-regions in total, but Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne are the most prestigious and thought to produce the finest, longest-lived eau-de-vie.
Fine Champagne cognac: A blend of eau-de-vie from both Petite and Grande Champagne, with at least 50% of the blend coming from Grande Champagne.
