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The Cognac Process Part 3. The Dutch Influence

Around the middle of the 16th century the Cognaçais had been liberated from the English and lost some of their most important markets. But they were well placed to satisfy the new demand from the Dutch, who were seeking concentrated wines to render palatable the generally putrid drinking water in their ships.

At first they imported the wine from the Saintonge to “burn” in imported copper stills from Sweden. The Dutch authorities disliked using precious grain, the alternative raw material for spirits, because it was an important staple food. The need for the brandywijn increased and the Dutch started distilling at the French ports. The locals who were quick to catch on started to burn or distil the wines themselves, enabling the reduced wines to arrive at the ports in better condition.

The wines generally came from the bois slopes, where the woods had been replaced by vines (as they were not as suitable for growing grain) as well as the area to the south of Cognac known as the Champagnes, where grapes were already being grown. By this time, what was a necessity for the Dutch had become a fashionable luxury in London!