How To Drink Cognac According To A French Bartender
America loves Hennessy we imported 6.4 million cases of it in 2017 but we tend to have trouble understanding Cognac as a category. Should we pair Cognac with meals, like wine? Is it a dessert drink? A cocktail ingredient?
Do we need fancy glassware to properly enjoy Cognac? And a smoking jacket?
Cognac is not a secret society, Germain Canto, a bartender at Bar Louise in Cognac, France, says. He is passionate about the versatility of his local spirit. I want people to be less scared of Cognac and what it represents.
The Singularity Of Cognac
Cognac is a protected place of origin, meaning it has a very specific way of making its brandy, wholly unique to its location. Distilled at least twice in copper stills, Cognac is then aged for a minimum of two years in French oak. Again, like wine, theres a perennial nature to it and the spirit-making closely follows the winemaking calendar. It begins just as the wines wrap up primary fermentation, roughly in early October in the northern hemisphere.
Many argue that its in the blending where Cognac takes on its nuanced nature and complexity of flavor. Experienced blenders will settle on an ideal harmony of flavors and let the batch integrate together for a spell prior to bottling. Per the Cognac guide above, there are several classes of the stuff, differentiated by aging times and more. There are also subregions within Cognac , six to be exact.
Three grape varieties are allowed in the production of genuine Cognac. Ugni Blanc is the most common, followed by Colombard and Folle Blanche. Theyre all white wine grapes and can offer distinctive flavors, textures, and more depending on how theyre farmed, what soils they reside in, the climate, etc. Again, its best to equate brandy, and Cognac especially, with fine wine.
Editors’ Recommendations
What Does Cognac Smell Like
Cognac tends to have complex aromas, as well as complex flavors. According to several scientific studies on Cognac, precisely 230 different aromas can be detected when smelling the different types of Cognac.
In simpler terms, the smell is often described as a blend of fruity and floral, although some say it even has a coffee-like smell.
Recommended Reading: Where Can You Buy Tito’s Vodka
Cognac Cocktails: A Definitive Guide
No-one can deny that how we enjoy Cognac has changed almost beyond recognition over the past couple of decades. In contrast to the old-school habit of a neat, hand-warmed, digestif, the use of Cognac in mixed drinks and cocktails is now commonplace in virtually every country.
If more proof is needed, then the Cognac houses themselves have proven the longevity behind the trend. Many have introduced lines specifically for cocktails and mixed drinks. Cognac Planat only being one of them to have a dedicated bartender range. Our beloved drink has truly embraced the 21st century.
What Is A Cocktail
We probably all have a pretty good idea as to what a cocktail is. However, the lines of strict definitions are constantly blurring. Youve likely heard of mocktails, which are designed for the teetotaler, designated driver, or for days when you just dont want alcohol.
However, as this article is dedicated to Cognac cocktails, were going to concentrate on the true dictionary definition of what a cocktail is. And that is,
A mixed alcoholic drinkusually icedthats a combination of 2 or more ingredients.
Of course, there are often way more than 2 ingredients in a cocktail. Theres usually a fruity element, sometimes more than one alcoholic shot, and usually the addition of other ingredients to enhance the taste.
Cognac has been used in mixed cocktail drinks for centuries. While the professional term today for creating cocktails is mixology, back in the 1800s when the fashion for mixed drinks really became popular, the word cocktail itself was considered truly avant-garde.
Also Check: Where Can I Buy Jameson Whiskey
Food & Aromas To Pair Cognac With
Cognac can enrich the flavor of red meat, poultry, fish, or seafood recipes when used as an ingredient. Its aroma is perfect for dessert and sweet dishes too.
Cognac as a drink pairs well with fruits and desserts. It can go well with French cheese, such as Camembert. Its aroma combines well with nuts, caramel, honey, mint, vanilla, or bitter chocolate. You can pair Cognac with peach, , pear, or berries.
Don’t Add Water Or Ice
Water tends to make cognac too bland, unless you deal with a cask-strength bottling, which is rare, Desoblin says, and ice just kills it. In general, serve the spirit neat, at room temperature or slightly cooler. The traditional snifter, with its wide, balloon-shaped bottom and narrow top, is the ideal vessel, Desoblin says: It allows for swirling and therefore the liberation of aromatic compounds.
Read Also: What Can I Mix With Gin
Brandy Cognac And Armagnac Explained
Brandy is a generic term for a grape-wine-based spirit. Cognac is a protected name for brandies made in and around the town of Cognac, in the west of France. Its known as the most refined brandy in the world. Armagnac, like cognac, is named after its place of origin, in south-west France. Its single distilled and tends to be more robust than cognac.
SERVES 1 | PREP 5 mins | EASY | Vegetarian
25ml lemon juice, plus 1 lemon slice to serve
1 maraschino cherry, plus 15ml syrup from the jar
few drops of Angostura bitters
½ egg white
50ml brandy or cognac
1. Tip the lemon juice, cherry syrup, bitters, egg white and brandy into a cocktail shaker with a large handful of ice. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels very cold. Double strain into a tumbler filled with ice.
More like this
2. Thread the lemon slice and cherry onto a cocktail stick, rest across the rim of the tumbler and serve.
GOOD TO KNOW: gluten free
PER SERVING 170 kcals fat none saturates none carbs 13g sugars 13g fibre none protein 2g salt 0.08g
What Is Cognac Made Of
Cognac is produced from the distillation of a white wine, which means that it is made from grape juice. The specific type of grapes used to make Cognac are very dry and acidic, which does not sound very pleasant, but the unique aging process helps improve the flavor.
The exact varieties of grapes used in the white wine that Cognac is distilled from can vary from one Cognac brand to the next, but they must be from a specific list of legally recognized Cognac grapes.
You May Like: Who Makes The Best Tequila In The World
How To Serve Brandy
Serving brandy to your customers is not just about pouring liquor into a glass. This intricate spirit calls for the same showmanship in the serving process as it does in the drinking process. Use the following steps to properly serve brandy in your bar:
A Drop Of Water Makes A Difference
Drinking cognac neat is considered the traditional way of enjoying the drink. However, a little bit of water in a glass of cognac helps reveal spicy and fruity notes.
In some cognacs, it’ll make some soft notes more noticeable. In the same way, adding ice cubes to cognac makes it relatively chill and lessens the alcohol content.
Recommended Reading: What Does Whiskey Mix With
Brandy Manhattan Cocktail Tips
- We suggest serving this Brandy Manhattan cocktail in a rocks glass or martini glass.
- We suggest using high quality Luxardo Maraschino Cherry, which you can serve on a skewer or drop into the glass.
- Weve used Angostura Bitters in this classic recipe but you could also have fun by adding a hint of flavour by substituting Cranberry Bitters, Orange Bitters or Pear Bitters.
- Weve shaken and strained this Cognac Manhattan recipe but if you like ice in your glass feel free to plop a few cubes into the glass before serving.
How To Serve & Present Cognac
Serve Cognac at room temperature. The ideal temperature is about 18°C . Colder temperatures prevent the product from releasing its aroma.
Present Cognac in its bottle. On informal occasions, it is acceptable to present a bottle that has already been opened. On formal occasions, it is best to serve a new bottle and to open it at the table.
Serve Cognac in a tulip or brandy glasses.
Do not chill the glasses in the fridge before presenting them. The condensation risks watering down the Cognac. Similarly, you should not serve Cognac with ice.
You can mix Cognac in cocktails. Never serve shots of Cognac.
Recommended Reading: What To Add To Vodka
The Serious Eats Guide To Cognac
Cognac. To many, it’s the ultimate in brandy. Now, you may ask why. Does it taste better? is it the expense? The time to make it? The grapes? The history? I’d say it’s all of those things, and more.
Cognac is a spirit that rewards long agingmore so even than Scotch. Cognacs of 50 or more years are relatively common … though not cheap.
The specific grape varieties, and the soil in which they’re grown, add a unique character to cognac, not found in other brandies. As you’ll see, however, some controversy has arisen over the grape varieties used in cognac production.
And, of course, there’s simply the reputation of cognac. It’s a spirit long associated with wealth and power and luxury. Now, cognac’s cousin, armagnac, may lay claim for being the better brandy. It’s a little more rustic, and I keep hearing that the French themselves actually prefer it to cognac, leaving the latter spirit primarily for the export market and keeping the best armagnacs for themselves. Sneaky.
While you can certainly debate whether cognac is the best brandy around, you can’t deny it’s the most famous, the best known, and the luxest spirit of all. You want to show that you’ve made it in this world? Drink cognac.
But what is cognac? How’s it made, and what makes it special? Let’s start with a little geography.
Where Is Brandy Produced
In France, the most famous Brandy producers are Cognac Houses: Hennessy, Martell or Rémy Martin. But there are also small producers such as Maison Painturaud Frères that also produced Pineaux des Charentes. In the USA, Brandy is essentially made in California. Major brands of brandy are Christian Brothers, E & J Gallo, Korbel et Paul Masson. In Portugal, the most famous brandy is the CR& F also called agua ardente. In India, companies selling most brandies are McDowells No.1, Mansion House Brandy, Old Admiral, Honey Bee, Mens Club Brandy. In Brazil, there is the brand Deher.
Also Check: Where To Buy Old Parr Whiskey
Great Cocktails To Try At Home
If youre ready to try your hand at home mixology, we first suggest investing in a few key pieces of equipment:
- A lemon press is essential
- A cocktail shaker
Serving glasses: While drinking Cognac in its unadulterated form is best done from a tulip glass or balloon snifter, you also need to choose the most appropriate one for a cocktail. This means youll need a rangea highball, a tumbler, a long drink glass, a Champagne coupe, and a Champagne flute.
The following details the names of our Top 30 Cognac cocktails.
How To Drink Brandy With Ice
Although some may consider it offensive to add ice to a brandy, others find it to be the perfect touch depending on the brandys age and flavor. A brandy that has been aged 2 to 6 years may benefit the most from this drinking method. Use the following tips if you plan to sip your brandy on the rocks or serve it chilled to your customer.
You May Like: The Best Frozen Margarita Recipe
What Does Cognac Taste Like
The exact taste and aroma of a glass of Cognac will depend on the age of the specific Cognac that is being enjoyed. Most people agree that the older a bottle is, the better it will taste.
With that being said, most people describe the flavor of Cognac as a combination of the following: vanilla, prunes, caramel, orange peels, apricots, and, of course, grapes. With that said, the unique barrel-aging process even gives off hints of oak.
The oldest varieties of Cognac tend to have a spicier flavor profile, with many believing they taste cinnamon and chocolate.
The truth is, the taste is incredibly complex, which explains why the exact recipes and manufacturing processes are so carefully protected.
The Proper Way To Serve Cognac
The two main ways that cognac is served are on the rocks or straight. Basically, these terms just mean with ice or without.
Some people might judge you for sipping a glass of cognac served on the rocks because some cognac enthusiasts are adamant about sipping their drink straight. But you should enjoy your cognac however you prefer. The ice may water down the spirit a bit, but if you sip it promptly, you shouldnt have too much of an issue.
Certain styles of the drink work better for certain scenarios as well. For example, a cognac on ice is perfect for dinner. But if youre snacking on a dessert, it might be best to just drink it straight.
In terms of glassware, there is no specific vessel that cognac is served in. However, you do want to avoid balloon glasses. Theyre just too big. Balloon glasses will trap in the aromas of your cognac, which you dont want.
A tulip or white wine glass will work well for your cognac. Since cognac is made from wine, you want to be able to swirl it and sniff it.
Also Check: Where To Buy Volcan Tequila
The Geography Of Cognac
Cognacthe town, not the brandyis located in the Charente department in the southwest of France, 465 kilometers southwest of Paris.
Cognacthe brandycomes from the town of Cognac, naturally, and the regions surrounding the town, mainly the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
The Cognac Delimited Region is the area in which cognac can be legally made. The Delimited Region includes all of the Charente-Maritime, most of the Charente, and a few districts of the departments of Dordogne and Deux-Sèvres.
Charente and Charante-Maritime take their name from the Charente River, which flows through the region. The climate is ideal for winemaking, with an average annual temperature of about 13o C and a good amount of rainfall.
What Is Cognac Our Easy Guide To Cognac
Cognac is associated with class and sophistication, but many people are unsure what it actually is. It is sipped like whiskey and has a similar appearance, but it is a completely different alcoholic beverage.
To help you understand this mysterious type of liquor, we have written this comprehensive guide to Cognac. Not only will we explain what Cognac is and how it differs from other types of liquor, but we will also explain what it is supposed to taste like, where it originates from, how it should be served, and much more!
You May Like: What’s In An Old Fashioned Whiskey
Other Types Of Brandy
Brandy is a very diverse family of spirits that goes beyond cognac. “There are a number of styles and ways to make brandy,” Erickson says. “Every producing region has their own traditions.”
There are as many different styles of brandy as there are places it’s made. Brandy de Jerez from Spain, Raki or Rakia in the Balkans and Mediterranean, and the grape-based Italian grappa are all standouts. There are also many brandies produced in California’s wine country by large and craft distillers alike. Here is a quick rundown of some of the most well known styles of brandy.
Eau de vie: French for “water of life,” eau de vie is a term that describes unaged brandy. Eau de vie is a clear spirit made to showcase the ripeness and freshness of the fruits used to produce it. This term is sometimes used to describe the fruit-based distillate before it is barrel aged.
Armagnac: Armagnac is a popular style of French brandy distilled in the Armagnac region Gascony, Southwestern France. It’s similar to cognac, but since it is produced in a different region with different traditions, has a different protected name. Compared to cognac production, armagnac brandies are produced by much smaller distilleries in smaller amounts more for local consumption.
Calvados: Made in the Calvados region of Normandy, Calvados is a French apple brandy distilled from hard apple cider. Along with Cognac and Armagnac, Calvados is a legally protected style of brandy.