There are over 5000 producers of cognac in the producing region; every one of them tastes different.

At Brandyclassics we believe that our customers should be able to understand and enjoy, not just the different flavours but also to identify the many different styles that make the region so interesting. Cognac, like other brandies is the result of centuries of experience and skills; it is complex and strong and has taken many years to mature and when we come to drink it, our experience is totally unique. To understand the flavours and styles can only enhance our enjoyment of the golden nectar whose history dates from the 17th century fashion conscious café society of Restoration London.

Perhaps before we start tasting we should consider what sort of glass may be ideal to provide the optimum aroma and taste. Many have come to accept the brandy balloon as the standard receptacle for fine cognacs, indeed a small balloon will provide many of the qualities we look for in the cognac but professional tasters, blenders and producers will use the tulip glass with a narrow top, maximising the aroma which represents 50% of our enjoyment of the glasses contents.

Fill the glass about a third full and examine the colour, perhaps against a white background. Many people will say they like a dark coloured cognac but colour can provide both good and bad news about what is in the glass, a slightly red tinge can indicate that caramel has been used to darken the cognac. Generally the darker the cognac the longer it has been ageing in the barrel before it was bottled but some oak barrels may be old and have narrow grain which prevents deep colouring. Many cognacs from the Champagnes may take many years to develop their colour, other cognacs, perhaps from the Fins Bois may colour much quicker.

As important as the taste of the cognac is the aroma since it provides half of the enjoyment of the spirit. The glass is a tool for extracting both the aroma and flavour at its best and there are two things one should try and avoid. Firstly, never warm brandy with a naked flame, good cognac should be enjoyed at body temperature and because, unlike wine, we tend to take a much smaller sip, a couple of degrees either side of body temperature will quickly change once in the mouth. It can also be dangerous to heat a spirit that is flammable. Secondly, try and avoid swirling it around the glass. Wine connoisseurs will use this practice to allow more air into the wine but with spirits this will only release the alcohol which, when we come to sniff it will lay on the surface of the cognac and blind the aroma. It is best to gently rotate the glass encouraging as much as possible up the sides, increasing the surface area of the cognac and providing the strongest aroma. Allow the glass to stand for a few seconds then gently bring it to the nose, try to imagine all the smells you know, fruit, spices, nuts, herbs, molasses, chocolate and try to recognise them in the brandy.

Finally, take enough into the mouth that allows you to pass it over the tongue and the back of the mouth where different flavours will be experienced to those in the front. Try and keep the brandy in the mouth for ten to fifteen seconds and as Nicholas Faith, the famous cognacs author suggests, "chew it", to release as much of the flavour as possible. Again, try and identify all the flavours that you can think of but also try and identify how balanced the cognac is, does it bite or is it smooth, perhaps it is sticky and sweet with added sugar, maybe slightly oily where it may have been diluted too quickly. There is much to find and discover in good cognacs and brandies, all you have to do is to taste them and find out.