How to Buy a Good Cognac

Cognac is a very fine type of brandy that is made only in the area surrounding the French town of Cognac. Made primarily from Ugni Blanc, Colombard or Folle Blanche grapes, cognac differs from brandy in the way it is distilled and aged. By learning more about the different varieties of cognac, you should be able to select one that will be utterly complex, smooth and rewarding in its flavor.

Instructions

1. Learn more about the grades of cognac before you buy your first bottle. "VS" cognac, or "very special," indicates that the youngest brandy used in the cognac has been aged in a cask for at least 2 years, while "VSOP," or "very special old pale," has been aged for 4 years. "XO" cognac, which stands for "very old," has been aged in a wooden cask for at least 6 years and is also known as Napoleon or Hors D'Age cognac.

2. Familiarize yourself with the other designations used to classify cognac, which usually identify the specific region where the liquor has been distilled. These classifications may include Grand Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires. Each region produces a cognac with a slightly different flavor, which is attributable to variations in the soil where the grape is grown.

3. Buy a good bottle of cognac by reading the labels on the bottles. Cognac labels are usually very informative when it comes to telling potential buyers about the grapes used in the distillation process.

4. Choose the best cognac that fits into your budget. While it is easy to buy a good cognac for a reasonable amount of money, some of the rare types of cognac may rank as the most expensive types of liquor available. For instance, some cognac may have been aged for as long as 200 years and may cost a small fortune.

5. Use online resources, such as Cognac World, to learn more about how cognac is created and how to buy a good bottle of cognac without seeming like a novice (see Resources below). In addition, Cognac World offers links to sellers of fine cognac.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn cognac terms. For example, the term "fine" indicates that 100 percent of the grapes used in the cognac came from a specific region. So a cognac that is categorized as fine champagne was created using only grapes from the Champagne Region of France.

Resources

• Cognac World for learning more about cognac