Effective 1 August 2025, the US Government increased the Section 301 tariff on spirits (including cognac) from 10 % to 15 %. Our carrier has now updated its systems to the new rate and we have resumed shipping at that tariff level.

Tariffs are set by US trade policy, not by Cognac Expert; we collect the exact amount Customs requires and remit it on your behalf so your parcel clears the border without delay. Unfortunately, we have little control over this topic.

We are regrettably caught in the crosshairs of these recent tariff and trade disputes. We regret the added cost and appreciate your patience and understanding as these broader trade measures unfold.

When the US government introduced additional import tariffs on French spirits and customs agents began enforcing them more aggressively, dozens of parcels were either returned or even destroyed. Continuing with the old route would have meant suspending US deliveries altogether. Instead, we invested several months testing a fully compliant FedEx Express solution. The goal was never to “charge more”, but to protect your orders and keep Cognac flowing across the Atlantic.

Express air freight is inherently pricier, but it provides 48‑96 hour delivery to most US ZIP codes, end‑to‑end tracking, reinforced packaging, and professional customs brokerage. Those upgrades eliminate the uncertainty, seizures, and weeks‑long delays customers experienced with postal shipments.

Tariffs on French brandy were introduced by the current US administration beginning of 2025 and adapted in August 2025. Cognac Expert neither decides nor profits from them; we simply collect the amount that US Customs will claim and pay it on your behalf so your parcel is released without delay.

No. Our recent logistics overhaul was driven solely by new U‑S import rules and tariffs. Sticking with the old process would have meant frequent seizures, returns, or destruction of parcels. We re‑engineered the route to stay fully compliant and keep serving US customers; the core shipping fee we retain has risen only enough to cover FedEx Express rates and extra compliance work, not to increase margins.

Recently dozens of shipments were detained or destroyed. Continuing with our previous carriers and logistical processes would have forced us to suspend US deliveries altogether.

Switching to FedEx Express—with full pre‑clearance paperwork—was the only practical and compliant path to guarantee that your bottles arrive intact and on time.

Some retailers ship via postal services such as USPS. However, this route now carries a high level of risk for the end customer. US authorities have significantly increased checks on alcohol shipped through postal channels, often leading to delays, fines, or even destruction of the parcels.

Cognac Expert works exclusively with FedEx Commercial Express. This method files a proper commercial entry, automatically triggers the legal payment of duties and tariffs, and ensures insurance coverage as well as reliable and timely delivery. We keep your Cognac moving smoothly across the border—free from surprise fees, delays, or losses.

US Customs applies a 15 % “Section 301” tariff on French brandy, plus federal excise duty and, in some states, alcohol sales tax. The tariff is calculated on the declared customs value of the goods (product price plus insured shipping). We collect these sums at checkout and transfer them in full to the carrier and the US Government so your parcel clears the border without delay.

Please see our simulator above for examples.

US Customs calculates the tariff on the landed value of the goods, which by law includes the product price plus the insurance and freight you pay to move it across the Atlantic. That is why you see the 15 % base tariff (and the 25 % Section 301 surcharge) applied to both the cognac itself and the FedEx transport cost.

We cannot influence or waive government‑imposed charges. Our role is to collect the exact amounts prescribed by law and submit them with the customs entry so that your parcel is released immediately. Should US trade policy change, the tariffs you see at checkout will change automatically.

Margins on fine spirits are already tight, and FedEx rates have risen sharply. Lowering prices to cancel out the tariff would mean selling below cost, which simply isn’t sustainable. Instead, we focus on transparent pricing and cost‑saving tools like consolidation and Build‑a‑Box so you can spread the fixed fees over several bottles.

Yes. Building a larger order—or using our upcoming “Build‑a‑Box” / deferred shipping feature to combine several purchases into one shipment—spreads the fixed FedEx and brokerage fees over multiple bottles, lowering the landed cost per bottle.

We are working on a deferred shipment solution. Soon you'll be able to build a box over time. Buy bottles, and when you hit 3, 6, or 12 bottles, we'll ship them all in one go. No rush, and you save on per-bottle shipping costs. We can store purchases in our warehouse for up to three months. However, because future tariff changes are uncertain, most customers prefer to consolidate orders and ship once the box is full rather than wait indefinitely.

Coming soon.

No. Every shipment leaves our warehouse with complete, pre‑approved paperwork, full tariff pre‑payment, and a FedEx broker reference. That makes the parcel 100 % compliant, so US Customs releases it automatically—no holds, no surprise fees, no risk of seizure. The only scenario we still insure against is physical damage in transit; if a bottle breaks, we refund or replace it at once.

That line shows the 15 % “Section 301” tariff that the US Government currently levies on French brandy (including cognac). The tariff is collected by US Customs—not by Cognac Expert—and must be prepaid before the parcel leaves France so that it clears the border without delay. We list it separately on your invoice for full transparency; every dollar is passed straight to US authorities, while Cognac Expert retains only the shipping fee shown in the cost‑split table.

Since January 2025 every US import of French brandy faces a 15 % tariff plus federal excise duty. When you add those mandatory charges to FedEx Express rates and a formal customs‑broker fee, the landed cost inevitably rises. Cognac Expert collects the exact government amount up‑front so the parcel is released immediately. We chose full compliance to protect your bottles and offer absolute cost transparency.

No. The moment our checkout detects a non‑EU shipping address it automatically removes the 20 % French VAT and shows the net (tax‑free) product price. Prices may vary from country to country. We never pocket VAT on exports because French tax law forbids it.

No. Since 1 August 2025 the de minimis threshold has been abolished for all imports, no matter the value or product type. Every shipment—from a single souvenir to a full case of cognac—now falls under the standard US customs tariff and duty schedule (including the Section 301 surcharge where applicable).

If those charges are not declared and prepaid, the parcel is at serious risk of being stopped or returned by customs. We therefore file a full formal entry and settle the duties in advance so your order remains 100 % compliant and moves through the border without delays.

Our new shipping method is compliant and your parcels will be cleared by customs automatically. Federal excise tax, state tax, tariffs, and customs clearance fees are all covered by the taxes amount charged at checkout. No hidden fees or surprises upon delivery!

Each bottle is declared separately with its own country‑of‑origin code. Our customs broker applies the correct tariff rate to every line item and then totals them for a single entry, so you see just one “Tariff” figure at checkout even though multiple rates may apply behind the scenes.

If a bottle is already inside the United States—shipped from our licensed distribution partner through the three‑tier system—no extra tariff is added, because the import duty was paid in full at the moment that bottle officially entered the country.

Please contact shop@cognac‑expert.com with your order reference and we'll do our very best to resolve your questions.