Cognac isn’t just a strong spirit, but a word that carries with it connotations of luxury, affluence, sophistication, and family traditions that have shaped different expressions of the spirit since the 15th century according to Cognac.fr, a website maintained by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC). However, it is also interesting to note that the spirit from the Charente region in northwestern France started evolving into the cognac enjoyed today when distillers began using a Dutch technique that made it shelf-stable for ship transportation.
Further improvements on the original Dutch process came from more advanced double-distilling methods and aging in oak casks, leading to the spirit gaining status as a definitively French invention made in the “Cognac” production area within the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
As production falls under the French appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) designation, cognac can only be made from blended wine spirits of different ages from different production areas and aged exclusively and continuously in oak barrels. It also cannot be sold before a minimum of two years of aging, without interruption and exclusively in oak vessels. Production and aging conditions are recorded and regulated with specifications guaranteeing its authenticity. Compliance to these requirements and others is monitored by the Cognac Defense and Management Body of the BNIC.
Simply put, cognac is a specific type of brandy produced from distilled white wine and aged in French oak barrels for a minimum of two years but often longer depending on the type of cognac.
According to Lynnette Marrero, co-founder of Speed Rack, MasterClass host, and award-winning bartender, it is high time to shift away from the belief that the spirit’s complex backstory and distillation process make it intimidating to work with. As the James Beard-award-winning Bar Director of Brooklyn hotspot The Llama Inn and Greenwich Village’s Llama San, she says that rediscovering and experimenting with cognac can open many creative doors for bartenders to capture customer imagination.
As an experienced bartender, Hennessy’s National Brand Ambassador, Chicago-based Alexis Brown, observes that some of her peers may be intimidated to utilize cognac in cocktails because there needs to be better education about it for the trade. Although she says cognac shines in different formats during the winter months, she sees hope that, “based on this past summer’s bright, refreshing, and lighter cocktails” at many of her accounts, old ideas about the spirit will change.
Defining the “Golden Age” of Cognacs
Age is just a number in certain contexts, and in the cognac universe, age-related letter designations may be a starting point rather than a hard-and-fast rule.
First, let's take a look at the most common types of cognac, which are based on their age:
VS Cognac (Very Special Cognac): Aged a minimum of two years
VSOP Cognac (Very Superior Old Pale Cognac): Aged a minimum of four years
XO Cognac (Extra Old Cognac): Aged a minimum of 10 years
XXO Cognac (Extra Extra Old Cognac): Aged a minimum of 14 years (designation added in 2018)
Ray Tremblay, Corporate Beverage Director for COJE Management Group in Boston, whose restaurant lineup includes Yvonne's, Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bars, RUKA Restobar, and Mariel, says it is important to help guests understand that VS, VSOP, and XO are guidelines to age and instead of quality in many cases, as barrel maturation lends specific flavors to the distillate but not necessarily quality.
He explains that the VS category encompasses younger spirits aged for two years that have more fruity and floral notes. As VSOP cognacs are aged at least four years, meanwhile, this allows the liquid to still maintain fruity notes but incorporate more barrel notes and a smoother character. Top-end XO cognacs are aged at least six years. Although the qualities of many XOs demand it is best served neat or over ice, Tremblay says it can be ideal for stirred cocktails or “great in a high-end Sazerac.” VSOP, meanwhile, is great in a sidecar or a Vieux Carré, and VS works well with citrus or carbonated mixers as it tends to be “hotter” than older expressions.
“Some VSOPs are out there that are said to taste like XOs and are fantastic in cocktails,” says Brown. “Even if customers are better off knowing what the aging categories are and how they are determined, another solid rule of thumb is that cognacs go from good to great, and each cognac producer has its own stories for the different spirits in the portfolio. This is why the more a professional trains the palate by exploring different VSs, VSOPs, and XOs, some expressions will surprise you. Working with cognacs effectively often depends on trying new or unfamiliar things outside of your comfort zone.”
Although cognac has existed in different forms over the centuries, it claimed international popularity during the 19th century. Spurred by the burgeoning cocktail movement on both sides of the Atlantic, the first famous cognac cocktail—the Sazerac—was invented at the Antoine Amadie Peychaud apothecary in New Orleans and remains a foundational classic after two centuries. Other time-tested cocktails followed as nightlife took shape in New Orleans, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in the hands of that generation’s “influencers" until the onset of Prohibition. Post-1933, cognac was a solid bar staple, neat, over ice, or in cocktails. And a century on, some bars are tapping into cognac’s luxury cache by teaming up with certain producers, and others are upping the ante. The Wynn XS Nightclub in Las Vegas, for example, offers an exclusive Louis XIII Black Pearl cocktail for $10,000.
“I fell in love with the story and the process behind cognac,” says Victoria, British Columbia-based Shawn Soole, a certified cognac educator, consultant, and owner of Clive’s Classic Lounge. “I am lucky that cognacs are big sellers at Clive’s, as are our cognac cocktails. We have a massive cognac selection along with our big whiskey list. While we have spirits from the bigger houses, I make sure to have some of my favorites from the smaller houses available—such as Bache Gabrielsen, Voyer, and Hine— to introduce to people and explain what makes them very different from those larger producers.”
While the geographical indications established by the cognac DMB are officially recognized by the French decree, geographical denomination may add to the appeal of premium cognacs. For example, “Appellation Cognac Fine Champagne” is applied exclusively to those with raw materials sourced from Grande Champagne (minimum 50%) and Petite Champagne. Although these designations carry a lot of weight, the names of today’s most recognized cognac houses add the appeal of pedigree. During the course of the 18th Century, Martel, 1715; Remy Martin, 1724; Delamain, 1759; Hennessy, 1765; and Hine and Otard 1790s, emerged. When demand climbed during the reign of Napoleon III, Bisquit (1819), Courvoisier, (1843), Royer (1853), and Hardy (1863) emerged.
“There has been a movement, especially with smaller brands, as their representatives have done an excellent job of hitting the trade and introducing bar decision makers to a range of products, including quality VSOPs with a good mixable price point,” details Marrero on the growing industry in cognac’s history and origins.
“There are houses that have a unique craft portfolio with different expressions that can line up with certain beverage programs in a very interesting way so they present as craft mixable products. I like to talk a lot about the mix of VS and VSOPs that are young enough that one can taste the full difference between the different styles. There are some VSOPs that work really well on cocktails and that's getting to that next more elevated realm. I don't do a lot of mixing with XO because, for me, I think that's really about the expression and artistry that the cognac houses have developed to really just enjoy the beauty of their cognac.”
“Raw material sourcing, fermentation, and distillation all play such a huge role before the liquid ever sees a barrel,” explains Tremblay. “VS tends to have more sharp and bright notes that work well in cocktails with brighter flavors, VSOP and XO have more subtle notes that work well in bold, stirred cocktails,” he says. “The quality of the cognac should be the showcase, so finding flavors that accentuate the notes we find in these bottles is usually the key.”
“With a focus on European spirits at Coquette, we leaned into cognac as our house spirit of choice,” says Tremblay on cognac’s use in his bars. “With such a long history of production and a tie in with our wine lists, it just made sense. I’m a fan of mixing with fortified wines, and although I don’t necessarily have a favorite, cognac and sherry are a great combo. We have created a few different riffs including sidecars, stingers, and a Vieux Carré. We have found the most success with our house espresso martini using cognac as the base. The sweet notes from the brandy and the baking spice from the maturation blend seamlessly with the berry and toasted notes of coffee.”
Getting Comfortable With Cognac
“Cognac is one of the most versatile spirits, as it gives you a good base and foundation to play with,” says Brown. “It's not one-dimensional, and when you take the time to learn about different expressions within VS, VSOP, and XO, you have at your disposal different characteristics and flavor profiles that work for recipes designed for any season and harmonize with different modifiers and mixers. Furthermore, you can take a classic cocktail build and swap out the main spirit with cognac. You can either use a VS if you want to bring out that fruit or VSOP if you want to really hone in on the oak and those rounder flavors from aging with more complexity and character than a vodka or gin or tequila.”
Rather than lean too heavily on VS, VSOP, and XO designations, Soole prefers to pursue flavor profiles that he intuits the guests at Clive’s will like. This approach allows a cocktail to not only introduce customers to different cognacs, but to new expressions and smaller producers as well.
“Our bar is very niche in terms of the customers we attract; they come in open to trying something outside the norm,” Soole says. “This is why we had a lot of fun blending different cognacs together to create a base for our sidecar. [This advances our goal of] helping customers get past the fact that cognac is not just a drink that's supposed to be poured into a snifter and be quaffed by the fire. When we sit down at Clive’s and develop cocktail recipes and menus, we look at what’s worked in the past to see what spirits can be added or swapped into a recipe to create something fresh out of something familiar. As we have a ton of options to play with, we may adapt an attitude of throwing the rule book out the window and starting from scratch.”
ms. franky marshall, a modern bartender and educator based in New York City, agrees that a savvy bartender should consider various cognac house styles and brand expressions when planning stock and recipe creation. marshall may ask a customer how she takes her coffee and choose a cognac expression based on that. In some cases, she may direct someone who loves aged spirits towards an XO cognac, probably from the Grande Champagne region, which is known to produce eau-de-vies (young brandy that will become cognac) suited for long aging. She would steer a different customer who likes floral and bright fruit notes towards a VS from the Fins Bois.
“For more experienced drinkers who need coaxing over from other categories, I try to find out what kinds of flavor profiles they enjoy...not only in spirits, but in their food and beverage preference,” says marshall. “I always try to find out what the guest's drinking and flavor preferences are, then find a cognac that matches. There is really a cognac for every kind of drinker, so we can start with explaining what each classification means in terms of years, from VS to XXO [14 years aged]. People often know whether they enjoy younger or older spirits, so this is a good way to help them decide.
“When introducing a new spirit to anyone, you take an unfamiliar distillate and pair it with things that are very familiar and likable when planning the cocktail menu," continues marshall. "I like doing something such as pairing cognac expressions with a stone fruit aroma with fresh peaches in the summer. My partner likes doing a cognac and tonic finished with a garnish of different herbs. If a customer can taste the actual spirit itself and then enjoy a finished cocktail, it adds depth to the customer experience. I also create cocktail recipes with a split base, such as cognac and rye or cognac and bourbon, where the second spirit is one a customer is familiar with.”
Marrero serves up one example involving an impactful tasting with VS expressions from over 20 different cognac houses so trades participating could explore how much VS styles varied from more fruit-forward ones to others that were more herbal—even as the same grape is used in all of these VS cognacs.
Mixing Things Up
Juices and tonics are great ways of introducing cognac to new adopters, especially as there are different styles of tonic that one can mix or match with the expression’s unique flavor profile. Bartenders can even consider alternative juices that go beyond the typical orange, lime, and cranberry.
Marrero notes that she recently developed a new cocktail with cognac and watermelon, whose result turned out to be very refreshing. She liked the way the melon notes melded with the grape notes. "There is an elegance that pops through in a different way with something like a watermelon where you want to contrast it.
“Many people think of cognacs as a spirit with a richer, heavier sensibility,” she adds. “But again, there are expressions that project light and refreshing flavor, and more nuance than people expect. What I love seeing is people's eyes open up as they try expressions from different houses along with marks from VS to their XOs. Keep your cognac and mixed drink menus fresh and different. You're not having the same menus as everyone else out there, which kind of puts you more at the forefront of creativity.”
In updating old favorites, marshall loves a cognac highball with ginger ale or ginger beer, as the ginger spice compliments those fruit and floral notes found in younger cognacs. It's also a safe choice for those who are new to the category.
More seasoned drinkers are drawn to a cognac and tonic because of the bitterness found in quality tonics, completed with a lemon or grapefruit twist. In either case, effervescence helps the cognac shine.
Seasons should also be under consideration. marshall prefers VS cognacs in highballs and French 75s that are served in warmer months. VSOPs work well in more complex cocktails like a sidecar, or a stirred brandy crusta or Vieux Carré. marshall recommends sipping XO's neat, or with a little water available for when she wants to release another dimension of the cognac.
While Alexis Brown’s favorite mixers are different teas as the herbaceous flavors of the teas are compatible with the rich notes of different expressions of cognac, she also feels pairing dinners are a solid vehicle to open bar professionals’ and customers’ eyes to the versatility of cognac.
“At Maple & Ash in Chicago, for example, we did a white truffle and a black truffle pairing when they were in season,” Brown says. “During those dinners, it blew people's minds that the earthy flavors of the different truffles and the different expressions worked so well together.” Gino and Marty's and some of the other partner accounts in Chicago are freely doing riffs on cocktail classics like the sidecar as well as creating their own infusions.
“I really enjoy working with the chefs and the mixologists in the accounts, and providing them with training and resources to explore flavor profiles and figure out what kind of things would pair well with what the chef is trying to accomplish," says Brown. "At Stetson's Steakhouse recently, we did a five-course meal where the pastry chef, the chef de cuisine, and the mixologist collaborated by using different cognacs to bring fall flavors of the various courses alive and use them best in terms of where they wanted to take their menu because of the time and attention that goes into crafting them.”
Marrero and some of the other experts see a real opportunity for cognac to have a resurgence as a category can become "new" again when customers discover or re-discover an unfamiliar spirit and explore its different expressions, and bartenders combine it in different ways with other ingredients.
“If you look at the old cocktail books, especially the oldest recipes that involved stirred mixing, you’ll see cognac was very present,” says Marrero. “As classic cocktails make a comeback across the country, it’s exciting to see cognacs increase in popularity and more bartenders not afraid to mix with younger expressions and experiment with smaller batch products.”
Recipes
Looking for inspiration on ways to mix cognac into cocktails? Check out the cognac cocktail recipes below.
Date Night
By ms. franky marshall, Cognac Educator and Modern Bartender, New York City
Ingredients:
½ oz Pressed (brand) coconut water
½ oz Pineapple coconut sugar syrup*
2 oz Date-infused VS cognac
Directions:
For the pineapple coconut sugar syrup, make a 1-1 blend of fresh pineapple juice and coconut sugar. For the cocktail, add ingredients to mixing glass. Stir with ice. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
Photo credit: The Tipsy Muse
Cocktail of the Future
By ms. franky marshall, Cognac Educator and Modern Bartender, New York City
¼ oz Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
¾ oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
¼ oz Pimento Dram
¾ oz Crème de Mûre
2 oz VSOP Cognac
Directions:
Add all ingredients to mixing tin. Shake well with ice. Strain into double rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with crushed blackberries, strawberries, lime zest on side of glass.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Martell USA
Coquette Espresso Martini
By Ray Tremblay, Corporate Beverage Director for COJE Management Group, Boston
Ingredients:
1½ oz VS Cognac
¾ oz Espresso
½ oz Coffee liqueur
½ oz Salted brown sugar syrup
Brown Sugar Syrup:
16 oz brown sugar
16 oz water
1 tsp salt
Directions:
For the brown sugar syrup, Add water to a pot and bring the water to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Cool, bottle, label, and date.
For the cocktail, pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Hard shake to chill, then fine strain into a brandy snifter.
Photos by Josh Jamison
Autumn Shrub
Courtesy of Alexis Brown, Hennessy Brand Ambassador
Ingredients:
1½ oz Hennessy VS
½ oz Calvados Brandy
¾ oz apple cider gastrique
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: Apple fan/grated cinnamon
Add all liquid to a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with the apple fan and cinnamon.
Milk & Honey
By Aude Surville, 2021 #HennessyMyWay Global Top 25
Ingredients:
2½ oz Milk-washed Hennessy VS with lime and amaretto adiriatico
1 barspoon Ardbeg 10 yr Scotch
2 bar spoons fir honey
Pinch fine sea salt
2 to 3 bar spoons of milk emulsion infused with propolis
Garnish: Honeycomb tuille and propolis
Directions:
Stir all ingredients together and add garnish.
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