Cognac is, without a doubt, one of the most essential French spirits that every cocktail fan should know. But, if you're already familiar with the fruity barrel-aged brandy hailing exclusively from France's Cognac region, then you know that seeking out a fine bottle can come with serious sticker shock. With some rare cask Cognacs costing upwards of $22,000 after tax, this bespoke spirit's high cost is attributed to its limited seasonal production and long aging process.
However, finding a budget-friendly bottle of Cognac isn't as hard as you might think -- if you know what to look for. Food Republic spoke to Molly Horn, Chief Mixologist and Spirits Educator at Total Wine & More, to find out how to shop for good Cognac without breaking the bank.
"If you are planning to sip neat but don't want to spend a lot, look for a VSOP," Horn says. "This style of Cognac has to be aged at least 4 years, which helps soften the bite and round out the flavor profile." For everyday sipping, she recommends the apple-and-cinnamon-tinged Single Estate VSOP from ABK6, a family-owned producer that grows its own grapes, distilling and aging their Cognac on-site. For those with a little more cash to spend, Horn suggests trying ABK6's VSOP Grande Champagne Cognac made uniquely with grapes from a select region of Cognac "known for producing Cognacs that have beautifully delicate floral and lush fresh fruit notes."
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To understand the different popular styles of Cognac, one must first have a basic understanding of how the spirit is produced. Grapes from the protected Cognac region of Southwestern France are first turned into wine, which is then distilled twice in copper pots before being aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two years. With the exception of single estate producers like ABK6, most Cognac houses source unaged brandy (known as eau-de-vie) directly from the distillers before aging and blending them according to their own standards.
For a Cognac to be designated VSOP, meaning Very Superior Old Pale, the youngest eau-de-vie in that blend must be barrel-aged for a minimum of four years. The expression itself can be traced back to the year 1817, when King George IV requested that the House of Hennessy produced a special Cognac that didn't rely on the use of added sweeteners. While four years is the minimum aging requirement for this designation, many producers will blend their VSOP using eau-de-vie from a range of ages to fine tune the final flavor profile. Boasting smooth notes of oak and spices, VSOPs are one of the most popular (and affordable) Cognac styles -- you can even find decent bottles at Costco!
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