She’s excited by the creativity coming out of the Cognac region nowadays, and there’s nothing she likes more than a snifter of cognac late at night after she’s filed another story.From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Related topics: Performing, Magic conjure con‧jure / ˈkʌndʒə $ ˈkɑːndʒər, ˈkʌn- / Older cognacs, the ones labeled X.O., have been long-aged for mellow, slow sipping on their own.īetsy Andrews has been writing about wine and spirits for two decades. The next oldest category, V.S.O.P., is a bit more robust and thus great for stirred cocktails. cognacs are made for blending with other ingredients in a cocktail, including shaken drinks. It is made from grapes-usually ugni blanc, colombard, or folle blanche-within the Cognac region of France. Aging in Limousin casks in the humid atmosphere of the Cognac region’s cellars brings a characteristic mellowness to this category.įAQs What's the difference between cognac and other brandies?īrandy is a very broad category comprised of all distillates made from fermented fruit juice, be it from grapes or another fruit, including apples, pears, berries, and more. No matter their age, even cognacs made for blending into cocktails should be sippable on their own, with no harshness or ethanol flavors or aromas. Age brings mellowness and depth of flavor, and older cognacs are quite a bit more expensive than younger ones.
cognacs are right down the middle, aged for at least four years. cognacs are aged just two years, whereas X.O.s are at least ten years old.
You may find that you love the rounder expression of the Borderies appellation or the brininess of Bois Ordinaires, so the labels help you can concentrate your cognac exploration in the sub-region of your choice.Īre you looking for something young and racy for your cocktail shaker before dinner, or do you want a rich, luscious sip to enjoy during or after dessert? Depending on your answer, you should look for the age expression on the bottle. Read on for our complete list to find your next favorite cognac.Ī bottle of cognac should declare that it is “Made in France,” and the specific cru or crus from which the grapes in the bottle are sourced. Thanks to its balanced flavors and intense aromatics, Frapin's Château Fontpinot XO is our top pick. We consulted with our experts and have curated the best cognacs to get right now. Most of all, be assured, she says, “there is a cognac for every palate." " Try storing it in your freezer, where “it gets more viscosity, and the perception of the alcohol is lowered,” suggests Marshall-a great technique for summer. Maybe use a VS for longer drinks like Highballs, and VSOP in a Sidecar. That’s why we taste through different ages and expressions. Realize it works in so many different ways. “Think of the versatility,” says Marshall. “There are fruit and flowers, great esters, oak notes, and developed flavors that are rich, round, and earthy, all in the bottle for you,” says Kellie Thorn, a certified cognac educator and the cocktail director for chef Hugh Acheson’s restaurants. The VSOP, or “very superior old pale” cognacs, blended from four-year and older brandies, are right in the middle, with characteristics of both youth and age.īut even in a single cognac, you’ll find a spectrum of flavors that come from the many steps in producing it. Younger VS, or “very special,” cognac is blended from brandies at least two years old, while an XO cognac, or "extra-old" cognac, gets its rich depth because it must be aged at least six years. Much of the difference between bottles has to do with how long they are aged. In fact, it’s one of the widest-ranging spirits categories out there. Made from grapes-primarily high-acid, low-alcohol ugni blanc variety-that are fermented, twice-distilled, and then matured in oak barrels before blending and bottling, this brandy from France’s Cognac region is not just for sipping after dinner by the fire.
That’s, in part, because of its diversity. “Cognac is the spirit you should be reaching for and drinking now,” says certified cognac educator Ms.
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