Cognac is made by distilling white wine and ageing the resulting spirit in French oak casks. Each bottle on our shelves marks a collaboration between the growers that tend the region’s vineyards, the distillers that transform their wines into eaux-de-vie, and the blenders and brokers who shape the spirit into their final form.

While it’s true to say that Cognac must legally be made in its namesake region of Southwestern France, it would be more accurate to say that it couldn’t come from anywhere else. It’s only in this area of the Charente-Maritime that the conditions are perfect to make the most famous and celebrated brandy in the world.

The history of Cognac

The Cognac region has produced grape brandies since the 17th century, when traders from Holland arrived there carrying pot stills and hoping to distil the local wine. As that part of Southwestern France is influenced by cool maritime winds and the soils there are chalky and acidic, its wines had historically been considered inferior to those from neighbouring Bordeaux. However, being light and low in alcohol they proved perfect for distilling and made for ‘burnt wine’ of superior quality.  

The nearby forests of the Limousin and Tronçais were a ready source of oak for cask to transport and age this newfound spirit. The nearby port of La Rochelle provided trade routes to ship mature brandy to the world. Everything the people of the Charente needed to become the foremost brandy producers was there from the beginning.

Today, there are more than 4,000 growers in Cognac tending 76,000 hectares of vines over six geologically distinct growing areas, or ‘crus.’ The region is also home to some 117 professional distillers and more than 200 merchants from small brokers to internationally renowned Cognac houses. Today, the region's largest producers are referred to as the 'big four' – Courvoisier, Hennessy, Martell and Rémy Martin – and tend to dominate the mainstream landscape when it comes to both volume and marketing. Nevertheless, there are plenty of other large and historic brands, as well as smaller artisanal producers, all widely available in the UK and internationally.

How is Cognac made?

The growers of Cognac mostly cultivate the Ugni Blanc grape variety – which arrived there by way of Italy where it’s better known as Trebbiano. Other varieties are permitted – including the traditional Folle Blanche and Colombard – but they account for less than 5% of plantings in the region. The viticulteurs use their grapes to make white wine that isn’t all that good for the table, but really comes into its own when distilled. It’s passed twice through a traditional copper pot still called an alambic Charentais, once to produce a hazy liquid called brouillis and again to make clear and aromatic spirit called bonne Chauffe. This spirit, which runs off the condenser at around 70% ABV, is also known as eau-de-vie – water of life.

The eau-de-vie is then filled into barrels made from French oak, after which it is stored in cellars where it undergoes evaporation, reduction, concentration and oxidation, as well as absorbing various flavour compounds from the wooden barrels themselves. After two years, the eau-de-vie is legally recognised as Cognac. However, many Cognacs are aged for much longer than this. In fact, some eau-de-vie are thought to keep improving for many decades, reaching their absolute peak after a century or more in the cellar.

The blenders of Cognac, known as ‘cellar masters’, create combinations of different eaux-de-vie in pursuit of balance, consistency, and complexity. As part of this process, they will often use distilled water or old, under-proof eau-de-vie, to bring their creations down to the legal minimum alcohol content of 40%. After this, all that remains is to bottle the finished article and send it out into the world.

Where is Cognac made?

Over a ten-year period in the mid-19th century, French geologist Henri Coquand carried out the first scientific study of a wine-producing region. Working with a local oenologist, Coquand aimed to identify the different growing conditions across Cognac and understand the way they affect the production of eau-de-vie.

Over the course of his study, he identified six distinct sub-regions – or 'crus'. The lines he drew in 1860 became part of the legal definition of Cognac in 1938 and form the basis of our map of the region to this day.

The six crus of Cognac

Grande Champagne

The top cru of Cognac is known for its rolling hills and crumbly chalk soil. Ironically, Grande Champagne is smaller in area than Petite Champagne, though it is much more densely planted. Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie shows intensity, elegance and aging potential. Some houses operate only in this region, including Frapin and Delamain.

Confusingly enough, the name ‘Champagne’ refers to both the region of northern France known for its namesake sparkling wine and the heartland of Cognac some 600 kilometres away. This can lead to confusion as to where Cognac actually comes from. In both instances, the name describes a place with low hills and chalky soils perfect for producing bright, fresh white wines.

Petite Champagne

The largest production area with over 15,000 hectares of vineyards. The limestone-chalk soil here is denser and the landscape less hilly. Eau-de-vie deriving from Cognac’s second cru are regarded almost as highly as those from Grande Champagne, possessing similar capacity for long maturation and a bright, floral character.

Fine Champagne

The term Fine Champagne is used to describe Cognac made up of at least 50% Grande Champagne eau-de-vie, with the remainder coming from Petite Champagne. It was Paul Emile Rémy Martin who first championed the style in the mid-19th century.

Borderies

By far the smallest cru, Borderies has a mix of clay and limestone known as ‘groies.’ Its eau-de-vie is thought to mature faster than those from the Champagnes, which allows blenders to use its body and intensity to provide structure. Martell Cordon Bleu for instance has a distinctive richness owing to a high proportion of Borderies eaux-de-vie.

Fins Bois

The Fins Bois – literally ‘fine woods’ – covers many different soil types including clay, stone, and a few patches of superior chalk soils. While most of the light Fins Boise eau-de-vie is used to provide length and fruitiness to blends, much of the spirit which originates from the chalky areas shows great quality and personality of its own.

Bons Bois

The largest cru contains diverse conditions ranging from sandy to rocky, with small pockets of valuable chalk soil. It also has a variety of climatic conditions with greater influence from the ocean air in the west. Though mostly overlooked by the larger companies, some smaller houses release Cognac that shows the diversity and potential of the Bon Bois including Vallein Tercinier and Jean-Luc Pasquet.

Bois Ordinaires

The sandy reaches of the Bois Ordinaires have just over a thousand hectares of vines. Historically, the majority of eaux-de-vie produced from this region was consumed locally or used to make liqueurs. However, it has gained some attention in recent years for producing Cognac with a subtle maritime influence, notable Camus Ile de Ré.

Ageing and classifications in Cognac

Broadly speaking, younger examples of Cognac will show more fresh fruit character, often bringing to mind apricots, peaches and honey, while older Cognac will have greater oak influence, dried fruit flavours, and spicy or earthy notes. After extended ageing, Cognac can even take on intense aromas of overripe fruit, coffee, tobacco and leather – a set of characteristics known collectively as ‘rancio’.

VS

After two years of aging, eau-de-vie can legally be classified as Cognac. The designation is applied to the youngest component in a blend, so VS Cognac can contain older eaux-de-vie as well. Younger brandies will usually have a fresh, fruit-forward profile.

VSOP

Cognac in which the youngest eau-de-vie is four years old. The name is said to refer to an order placed by the future King George IV with Hennessy in which he requested a ‘very superior old pale’ Cognac. For many houses, the VSOP is their flagship blend

Napoléon

Though the term has been in use for many years, the Napoléon classification was legally defined in 2018 to refer to Cognac aged at least six years. Expect a nice balance of fruit and more mature, earthy flavours.

XO

This refers Cognac aged at least 10 years – though many contain eau-de-vie that is considerably older. The top of the range for many houses, an XO Cognac will often contain rancio notes of coffee beans, leather and dried fruit.

Vintage Cognac

Vintage Cognac denotes a Cognac originating from a single harvest. The Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac imposes strict regulations on vintage bottlings so very few houses produce the style. They make great gifts and an excellent way to mark an anniversary. Prunier and Michel Forgeron are known for producing exceptional single vintage Cognac.

How to drink Cognac

There’s no single way to enjoy Cognac, but the best way to really explore the depths of any spirit is to drink it neat from a tulip shaped tasting glass. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself with a single estate or vintage Cognac, this is probably the way to go. However, recent years have seen an increase in younger, fruitier styles being enjoyed over ice or served long in Highballs and Spritzes. A fruity VS with ginger ale, a dash of bitters and a twist of orange makes a superb aperitif.  

In fact, Cognac’s potential for mixing is currently being rediscovered by a new generation of bartenders, drawn to its particular combination of provenance and quality. This shouldn’t surprise us, as Cognac features prominently in many classic cocktail books from the golden age of bartending, notably in such timeless drinks as the Sidecar, Vieux Carré and the original Sazerac.