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Fundamental Cognac Selection

Fundamental Cognac Selection

Here at Cognac Expert, it’s our mission to inform and share knowledge on all things Cognac – so for our latest Cognac Education campaign we’re breaking it down to the fundamentals of our beloved spirit. Starting with the four main tasting directions – discover exactly how to distinguish one Cognac from another. And since we work closely with different producers and are even neighbors with some of the best artisans of the region, we’ll be sharing some of the top large label brands alongside our favorite small producers in this feature. Uncover our fundamental Cognac selections below.

The 6 Crus of Cognac

Split into 6 different growth areas, the soils and conditions in which the grapes used to make Cognac are grown also play a part in the taste and overall refinement of the finished product. While the Grande Champagne cru wears its prestigious reputation with pride, let it be known that there are many hard-to-come-by Cognac jewels produced in the other Cognac crus too. Explore our top Cognac picks from each cru below.

Grande Champagne

Reason for choosing: one of the best rated Cognacs

Fruity, multifaceted and complex from beginning to end. Non-chill filtered, not colored or boiséd, this is a beautiful half a century old Cognac straight from the barrel.

Reason for choosing: Multi-awarded Hors d'Age

This exquisite and mature Hors d’Age Cognac boasts the luxurious aromas of the Grande Champagne.

Petite Champagne

Reason for choosing: A frank and assumed complexity

Conte et Filles XXO is a rounded Cognac that develops with blissful aromas of candied fruit, cloves, pear jam, walnuts and prunes and a hint of leather.

Reason for choosing: Aged on oak casks for around 35 Years

Distilled using the traditional method have been carefully selected by the Cellar Master Seph to produce an elegant and powerful Petite Champagne Cognac.

Borderies

Reason for choosing: Value for money

The Ordonneau Très Vieille Reserve de Borderies Cognac reveals a fruity, fragrant and well-rounded Borderies profile. A hidden gem and must-try for those looking to explore a smaller artisan Cognac house.

Reason for choosing: Highly Recommended by our customers

A single estate delight created from eaux-de-vie grown in the Borderies terroir, with the final result: an intensely aromatic Cognac.

Fins Bois

Reason for choosing: A well-structured body with a smoothness

A memorable character has been forged in this remarkable XO Cognac. It is a beautifully balanced choice that embodies an essence that every good Cognac tastefully harnesses.

Reason for choosing: Single Cask Vintage

An exuberant single cask Fins Bois Cognac from 1983. It’s a wonderfully well-aged offering that serves nicely as a gift to someone who particularly holds sentimental importance to the year 1983.

Bons Bois

Reason for choosing: Unique release comprises three vintages in one

These eaux-de-vie were combined in one barrel to save space in the cellar, and left for decades without any interference. Only 300 liters was obtained from the cask, making this a very limited edition indeed.

Reason for choosing: Pure Bons Bois and summer Cognac

Eau-de-vie from the Bons Bois Cru have good body, age fairly quickly, and often possess charmingly rustic textures.

Bois Ordinaires

Reason for choosing: Unique Concept

A unique Cognac concept, this eaux-de-vie has been aged just meters from the Atlantic Ocean ins a cliffside damp cellar. The result is a Cognac with fruit notes of dried grapes, dominant orange and a sweetness of caramel.

Reason for choosing: From the island Ile d’Oléron

Grosperrin N°90 Bois Ordinaire de l'Ile d'Oléron Cognac is the sublime result of the Bois Ordinaires sandy soils, alongside a large exposure to the Atlantic Ocean and almost Mediterranean sunshine.

Main Taste directions

From spicy notes to fruity, floral and wood based aromatic profiles – there truly is a Cognac to suit every palate. Finding the right one for you may require experience but a good recommendation will certainly lead you in the right direction too. Check out our Cognac selections according to tasting profile.

André Petit Hors d'Age 1990

$ 163
excl. TAX excl. shipping

Hardy Noces D'or Sublime

$ 326
excl. TAX excl. shipping

Hine XO

$ 70
excl. TAX excl. shipping

Prunier XO

$ 241
excl. TAX excl. shipping

And what about Rancio?

As part of our range of educational Cognac articles, we invite you to join us as we explore a Cognac phenomenon that’s shrouded in mystery— that of rancio. This is a topic that is very much open to interpretation and never fails to spark a lively debate amongst connoisseurs. Indeed the mere mention of the word will evoke a lengthy discussion and an array of opinions that are undoubtedly best shared over a thorough Cognac tasting session.

Vallein Tercinier Hors d'Age

Growth Area: Fine Champagne

ABV: 42 %

Cognac Age: Hors d'Age

Rancio at its best.

The Vallein Tercinier Hors d'Age Cognac really needs to be tasted to be believed, as it boasts ultra-premium level quality, surprisingly however, without the ultra-premium price tag to match. This affordable blend of both Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie is an award winning offering - from a house that takes true pride in its small, but simply sublime range of brandy and spirits. A beautifully balanced blend that has been created from over 20 different eaux-de-vie, the youngest of which has spent a minimum of four decades whiling away in oak barrels, during which time Mother Nature worked her magic.

Vallein Tercinier Hors d'Age

$ 190
excl. TAX excl. shipping

The Age Categories

VS Cognac

VS: Aged 2 Years + 

Suitable for Cocktails, Mixed Drinks & Cooking

VS Cognac stands for “Very Special” Cognac. A VS Cognac must be aged for a minimum of two years. It is also referred to as ‘Sélection’, ‘De Luxe’ or simply ***. If you see three stars on a cognac bottle, it means it is in the VS age category. This means that the youngest eau-de-vie that was used to create the blend was aged in oak barrels for at least two years.

Learn more.

VSOP Cognac

VSOP: Aged 4 Years + 

Suitable for Cocktails, On Ice & Cooking

You’re probably wondering what does VSOP mean. Well the official term stands for for “Very Superior Old Pale”, although it is often referred to as “Very Special Old Pale”. The origin of the expression dates back to an order made by the British Royal Court in 1817. King George IV asked the House of Hennessy for a “Very Superior Old Pale”, which would become a benchmark for all cognac houses from then on. At the time it was very common to use sugar and caramel to sweeten cognac, and this description alluded to one created without these additives.

Learn more.

XO Cognac

XO: Aged 10 Years + 

Suitable on ice, neat & paired with food

So what does XO mean for Cognac? The terminology stands for ‘Extra Old’ and describes a cognac consisting of eaux-de-vie that have been aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 10 years. Just like VS (Very Special) and VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), Extra Old is another English expression, which shows the strong connection to foreign countries, especially Great Britain and America.

Learn more.

XXO Cognac

XXO: Aged 14 Years + 

Suitable on ice, neat & paired with food

XXO stands for ‘extra extra old’, and is a relatively new category that was officially added to the description of cognac ages in 2018. Just as with the other age descriptions of cognac, VS, VSOP and XO, an XXO Cognac consists of eau-de-vie that’s been aged within French oak barrels. But in the case of an XXO, the minimum length of aging to qualify is 14 years. This makes an XXO cognac the oldest official rating a cognac can hold.

Read our blog article and discover the best XXO Cognacs (so far).

Vintage Cognac

Vintage: Single Year + 

Suitable neat

A Vintage Cognac is a Cognac from a single year and a single harvest, not a blend from different eaux-de-vie like an XO or a VSOP. It is also referred to as a Millésime Cognac. We commonly know this from Whisky as “single barrel“, which means the spirit comes from one single source: one year, one estate, one barrel. Vintage Cognacs are in trend and it's actually a very special gift to find a Vintage Cognac of a birthday, or one that marks an anniversary.

Learn more.

L'ESSENTIEL

A relatively new incentive which sees Cognac Expert partner with local Cognac producers, L’ESSENTIEL invites customers to give back to the producer and directly support them in maintaining their livelihood. L’ESSENTIEL editions focus on the ethos “ralentir, réfléchir, réunir” honing in on slowing down, reflecting and reconnecting.

L’ESSENTIEL Season 2 has already seen the release of the A29 Grosperrin and the A45 Marancheville. More will be on the way - wink, wink. Cognac lovers around the world have been receiving their bottles and enjoying the unique aromas, flavors, and sensations presented with these two stunning Cognacs.

There were changes from Season 1 to Season 2. Let’s be clear here: the ethos of L’ESSENTIEL from its conception - slow down, reflect, reunite - is here to stay. We believe that sharing a glass of high quality and unique Cognac with friends and family is a perfect means to this end. But, your questions as to how L’ESSENTIEL has evolved and what to expect in terms of the Cognac itself and the design certainly need answering.

For this reason, we suggest that you head over to the blog and read through the article entirely devoted to explaining L’ESSENTIEL Season 2 and why we think this Season’s Cognacs are deserving of your attention.

L'ESSENTIEL A29 Grosperrin

L'ESSENTIEL A29 Grosperrin

Growth Area: Fins Bois

ABV: 47.8 %

Lot: N°940 - Single Cask

Natural: No additives, non-chill filtered

Limited Edition: 152 bottles

L'ESSENTIEL A29 Grosperrin comes from the heart of the Fins Bois cru, between the communes of Matha Le Goulet and Thors. The vines that produced the wine, and therefore eau-de-vie, came from merely a few hectares of vines at the named place “Chez Train”. This part of the Fins Bois is particularly reputed for its agricultural and wine production - the proof being that 83% of the land at this location is devoted to these cultivations. Moreover, Parish records dating from 1686 make reference to the quality of this sector of the cru. According to Guilhem Grospserrin himself, the terroir is textbook Fins Bois: clay and limestone soil.

Reviews (11)

Average rating

Exceptional 90 /100
Nose
Mouth
Taste
Finish
Impression

L'ESSENTIEL A45 Marancheville

Growth Area: Grande Champagne

ABV: 42.8 %

Lot: L45-GC10

Natural: No additives, non-chill filtered

Limited Edition: 175 bottles

This wonderfully mature L'ESSENTIEL A45 Marancheville Cognac comes from vines situated in the heart of the Grande Champagne, notably the communes of Julliac-le-Coq and Marancheville. The terroir is textbook Grande Champagne terroir: Campanian chalk, a chalky limestone soil not unlike the soils found in the Champagne region’s Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs. But we’re not talking about bubbly Champagne here. This is Cognac.

L'ESSENTIEL A45 Marancheville

$ 190
excl. TAX excl. shipping

Reviews (9)

Average rating

Exceptional 91 /100
Nose
Mouth
Taste
Finish
Impression

L'ESSENTIEL A12

Growth Area: Petite Champagne

ABV: 46,3 %

Lot: N°0822

Natural: No additives, non-chill filtered

Limited Edition: 161 bottles

This vibrant youthful Cognac comes from a single plot of vines situated in Nonaville, in the Petite Champagne cru, called Le Tas de Pierre - the pile of stone in English. Sisters Blandine and Anne-Laure Conte state that this particular name is undoubtedly due to the especially chalky subsoil. Furthermore, this unique vineyard is located completely on an east-facing hillside, which allows the vines to receive the day’s first rays of sun, but which protects the vines from the late afternoon and evening drying warm winds from the west. The vines are considerably old - roughly 40 years to be exact - so the roots are firmly established and pierce deep to seek freshness.

Reviews (9)

Average rating

Highly Recommended 85 /100
Nose
Mouth
Taste
Finish
Impression

Cognac Calendar

With so many superb Cognac varieties on offer, from sophisticated blends to timeless eaux-de-vie, it’s hard to choose just one to enjoy. Thanks to our 2022 edition of the Cognac Calendar, you don’t have to. The 2022 version of our limited-edition Calendar allows you to taste 24 unique Cognacs from a range of fantastic artisanal houses.

Each Calendar is filled with 24 x 30ml bottles to allow you to experience a full variety of flavors and aromas. There’s plenty to go around if you’re in the mood for sharing, but we won’t blame you if you prefer to keep it all for yourself…

  • Strictly limited quantity
  • This year’s selection features a range of premium Cognacs, all strictly at least XO quality: XO, Extra, Hors d'Age, and beyond. A stunning concentration of exceptionally mature spirits in a single box
  • Free worldwide shipping

More about the Cognac Calendar.

Customer Voices about our Calendars

About the 2020 Calendar

Today was bottle number 1 from the Cognac Expert calendar and I am not sure what the next 23 will be like, but if it is anywhere close to this one, it will be fantastic.

– Sebastian

About the 2021 Calendar

Considering the value of the cognac, the labor in putting the whole thing together ( bottling, packaging, shipping, etc.) and the diplomacy with the producers to provide interviews for each selection (in English!) makes this calendar not only a unique opportunity to sample many great eaux-de-vie, but a great value! Highly recommended.

– Jim

About the 2021 Calendar

My wife and I are very excited to experience this year’s Cognac Calendar. Thank you so much! Last year we spent each night listening to your podcasts. We loved it!

– David

Top 4 Cognac Brands vs. Small Producers

At Cognac Expert, we believe in supporting local Cognac makers and farming families, constantly exchanging ideas with our neighbors. After all, without them, we wouldn’t be here. L'ESSENTIEL is one of our projects.

Operating from the Charente region from our family estate, we create ties between the local and the global by nurturing relationships with our neighboring producers, and presenting their craft Cognacs on a international stage.

Here at Cognac Expert, we believe that our story speaks volumes. As farmers ourselves, we understand what it is to grow vines; the successes and challenges, and the fleeting beauty of a fruitful harvest. Our family has been farming in the French Charentais region for generations, and with our curated selection of products online, we offer both connoisseurs and newcomers a glimpse into the hidden corners of the Cognac world.

Top 4 Cognac Brands

4 Small & Artisanal Producers

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