Brandy & Cognac See A Resurgence

Feb. 27, 2015 – For many of us, the image conjured up by the mention of Cognac is a brandy snifter, cigar, a fireplace, or at least candles, and possibly a handsome dude in a silk smoking jacket.  It’s not a bad image but it’s about to change big time. The revival of the cocktail culture has focused on whiskey in the brown spirits category and, of course, vodka and gin in white spirits.  When’s the last time you thought about brandy or Cognac?  According to Jack Robertiello whose in-depth look at the growing Cognac and brandy market can be found here, it is becoming more likely that a bottle of brandy will find its place on your bar in the near future.

Cognac can only be called Cognac if it comes from Cognac, France.  If it is made elsewhere, then it’s brandy.  It is usually labeled with mysterious letters such as VS, VSOP and XO, which stand for Very Special, Very Special Old Pale, and Extra Old.  Another descriptor is Napoleon Cognac which fits somewhere between VSOP and XO.  That’s the simple explanation.  It is actually quite complicated and involves the age of the various brandies in the blend.  We’ll leave that for another day.