Category: How to make Cognac

Cognac must be distilled between the range of 67–72 degrees and many producers will try and get it to the higher end of the range to maximise on the purity of the distillate. Whatever the strength of the vapours, theRead more

The vast majority of distillers in the cognac region are bouilleurs de cru, distillers who grow their own grapes, rather than the bouilleurs de profession, distillers whose sole purpose is to distil the wines for growers and merchants. There areRead more

To visit the Charente in October is one of the most exciting periods of the whole of the Cognac season. There is a huge sense of anticipation – vats and stills are being cleaned, machinery is being serviced and viticulturistsRead more

Legally the Cognaçais can use a number of grape varieties, although the choice is largely theoretical. The Ugni Blanc accounts for over 90% of the total area, with the rest being Folle Blanche and Colombard. Cognacs rise to fame wasRead more

Finding a more suitable position to make cognac is impossible, since the combination of climate, soil and position creates that lovely French Term, “Terroir”, to which we have no singular description that encompasses such a wide term. The cognac regionRead more

At Brandyclassics we believe very much in education – without it the industry will fail to pass on the benefits of knowledge about potentially most important area of the end customer service. Brandy is important because it creates an opportunityRead more

One of the truly great names in cognac died in May 2005. Jacques Hardy of A. Hardy Cognacs died in hospital after a short illness, he was 83. The firm of Hardy was one of the last totally independent cognacRead more

From around 1600 many Irish traders and settlers became interested in the brandy business. These were settlers and the potential to condense wines by boiling them had a number of attractions, not least their greatly improved longevity, ease of handlingRead more