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Without Additives
The Pure Selection
Cognac Without
Additives
No added sugar. No caramel colouring. No boise. Just Cognac, aged in oak, bottled as nature intended by producers who believe in transparency.
See top picks Full selection
New to our collection
Les Ormeaux & Maison Machenaud
The facts
What most Cognac houses don't tell you
Cognac is one of the most tightly regulated spirits in the world, yet within those rules lies a quietly accepted practice that surprises most drinkers: the addition of sugar, caramel colouring, and wood extracts is entirely legal, and almost universal.
Under BNIC regulations and EU Regulation EC No. 110/2008, three additives are permitted in Cognac production: sugar (sucrose) to sweeten the spirit, caramel (E150a) to standardise colour between vintages, and boisé, an oak chip infusion that adds wood character. The combined effect of all additives must not cause the obscuration to exceed 4% vol. — in practice, this allows roughly 15–16 g/L of additives. None of this needs to appear on the label. Most consumers have no idea.
"Obscuration is the gap between the apparent and the real alcohol content, caused by dissolved additives altering the specific gravity of the liquid. It is a reliable indicator of additive use — though note that long barrel ageing can also produce a small natural obscuration even without any additives."
Cognac Expert — on the science of obscurationThe term to know is obscuration: the measurable difference between a Cognac's real alcoholic strength and its apparent strength as read by a hydrometer. Dissolved sugar makes the liquid denser, causing the instrument to read lower than the actual alcohol content — a Cognac with significant additives might read only 37% on a hydrometer while the lab-verified real strength is 40%. The label must state the real strength. Cognacs from this selection show an obscuration typically well below 0.5%; for context, even a genuinely additive-free cask-strength bottling may register a small natural obscuration from ageing alone.
✓ No added sugar
✓ No caramel colouring (E150a)
✓ No boise extract
✓ Obscuration below 0.5%
✓ Natural colour variation
✓ Verified by producer
Want to go deeper? Read our full guide on obscuration and permitted additives
Highest rated & most loved
Our top picks
Curated by customer ratings and sales. Every bottle here is verified additive-free.
How can you tell if a Cognac has no additives?
Look for the obscuration figure — as a general rule of thumb, a reading well below 0.5% is a strong indicator of no added sugar, though it is worth knowing that extended barrel ageing alone can produce a small natural obscuration even in genuinely additive-free Cognacs. Naturally varying or pale colour is another strong indicator: artificially standardised Cognacs are almost always a uniform amber. Producers who use no additives are proud to say so. Every bottle in this selection has been verified.
Look for the obscuration figure — as a general rule of thumb, a reading well below 0.5% is a strong indicator of no added sugar, though it is worth knowing that extended barrel ageing alone can produce a small natural obscuration even in genuinely additive-free Cognacs. Naturally varying or pale colour is another strong indicator: artificially standardised Cognacs are almost always a uniform amber. Producers who use no additives are proud to say so. Every bottle in this selection has been verified.
Complete selection
All No-Additives Cognacs
Every bottle in this list is verified additive-free. This is a living selection we keep expanding — it does not mean that every other Cognac on Cognac Expert contains additives: disclosure is often opaque, and we are working to make provenance clearer, bottle by bottle.
Les Ormeaux & Maison Machenaud New
Léopold Gourmel & Fanny Fougerat — Top-rated estate producers
Vallein Tercinier — Six generations, Fins Bois
Pasquet — Certified Organic Grande Champagne
Grosperrin — Additive-free since 1999
Mauxion — Artisan, multiple crus
Revanche · Domaine la Prenellerie · Prince Hubert de Polignac · Rémi Landier
Giboin — Borderies Vintage Series
Comandon · Esprit Organic · Pierre Palissier — Single cask
Merlet · Normandin Mercier · A de Fussigny
Henry Toursier · Métreau · Grateaud
Authentic Spirits · Bache Gabrielsen · Domaine des Tonneaux
Paul Giraud · Maison Laurichesse · DEAU
Hardy · Delamain — Exceptional & Collector Rare
Navarre — Grande Champagne, cask-true
The producers
Who makes additive-free Cognac?
Independent estates and small negociants who put quality and transparency ahead of volume and uniformity.
Producer spotlight
Grosperrin: additive-free since 1999
Few names carry more authority in the world of natural Cognac than Grosperrin. Founded in 1999 by Jean Grosperrin and today run by his son Guilhem, the négociant sources exceptional aged eaux-de-vie from small growers across all six Cognac crus and bottles them without compromise.
Every Grosperrin expression is released at natural colour and strength. Some bottles are pale gold; others dark mahogany. That variation is not a flaw, it is the proof. No standardisation means no additives.
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Pasquet: certified organic in Grande Champagne
Jean-Luc Pasquet has farmed his Grande Champagne vines organically since 1998, holding France's official Agriculture Biologique certification. His Cognacs are distilled on the lees and bottled without anything that would mask the terroir he works so hard to cultivate. Certified organic. Completely additive-free.
Vallein Tercinier: six generations of patience
The Vallein Tercinier family have farmed in the Fins Bois for six generations, with roots in the Charente stretching back to 1850. Their estate range is centred on the Fins Bois cru; select limited editions — such as the Brut de Fût Lot 83 — draw on Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie. Their entire range is additive-free. The colour in every glass is the honest record of years in French oak. What you see is exactly what you get.
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Les Ormeaux
Fins Bois — New to our collection
A small-scale estate producer new to our selection. Les Ormeaux crafts Cognac in limited lots from Fins Bois terroir, releasing without additives or artificial colouring. Their XO Lot 72 joins us as a genuine discovery.
New ArrivalMaison Machenaud
New arrival — XXO and VSOP
Maison Machenaud brings exceptional patience to the Charente. Their La Cuvée de Bernard XXO, aged 35 years, arrives at Cognac Expert with no additives and no apologies. A serious artisan producer.
New ArrivalMauxion
Multiple crus — artisan small lots
A small artisan producer working across all six Cognac crus — Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, and Bois Ordinaires — committed to additive-free production throughout. Limited in quantity and consistently remarkable. Mauxion's single-cask Borderies and Bois Ordinaires expressions are genuinely rare.
Additive-freeAuthentic Spirits
Full transparency — all crus
Built around complete provenance labelling: cru, vintage, distillery, barrel number, bottling date. Every bottle sourced independently from small growers and released without additives or chill-filtration. Transparency as a brand value.
Additive-freeBache Gabrielsen
Founder's Edition — single cask
The Norwegian-French house's Founder's Edition series takes a different approach to their core range: single casks, natural colour, no additives. Lot 57 shows what Bache Gabrielsen can do when the commercial formula is set aside.
Single caskDomaine des Tonneaux
Estate bottled — no additives
Domaine des Tonneaux produces estate Cognac from XO to Hors d'Age level without additives — including a Très Vieille Réserve and a cask-strength Brut de Fût. Each release reflects the terroir without manipulation. A pure, unhurried expression.
Additive-freeWhy it matters
The case for purity
Adding sugar to Cognac is not a scandal. It is a tradition, and most consumers accept it without question. But for those who drink Cognac to understand it, to trace the path from vine to glass, to taste the place, the year, the barrel, additives are a kind of dishonesty. They smooth what should have edges. They darken what might naturally be pale. The Cognacs in this selection have nothing to hide. Every colour is earned. Every gram of sweetness comes from the grape.
Common questions
Everything you need to know about Cognac additives
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What additives are legally permitted in Cognac?
Under BNIC regulations and EU Regulation EC No. 110/2008, three additives are permitted: sugar (sucrose) to sweeten the blend, caramel colouring (E150a) to standardise colour between batches, and boisé, an oak chip infusion that adds wood character. The combined effect must not cause the obscuration to exceed 4% vol. — in practice, this allows roughly 15–16 g/L of additives. None need to appear on the label. The vast majority of major-house Cognacs contain at least two of these. Read our full guide
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How can I tell if a Cognac has no additives?
The most reliable indicator is the obscuration figure: the gap between the real and apparent alcoholic strength. A reading well below 0.5% is a strong indicator of no added sugar — though note that long barrel ageing can produce a small natural obscuration even without any additives, so context matters. Other signals: naturally varying or pale colour (artificially coloured Cognacs are almost always a uniform amber), explicit "no additives" labelling, and a clear house policy. When in doubt, ask the producer, or ask us.
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Does "no additives" mean the Cognac is better quality?
Not automatically, but it means the quality is more honest. Without additives, a producer cannot rely on sugar to soften harsh edges, caramel to correct off-colour barrels, or boise to simulate ageing. Everything has to be there naturally. This demands better raw material, more patient ageing, stricter cask selection. For collectors, additive-free Cognacs tend to offer more transparency and more to discover over time.
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What is "obscuration" and why does it matter?
Obscuration is the measurable gap between a spirit's real alcoholic strength and its apparent strength as measured by a hydrometer. Dissolved sugar makes the liquid denser, causing the instrument to float higher and read lower alcohol than is actually present — a Cognac might show only 37% on a simple hydrometer while the lab-verified real strength is 40%. The label must state the real strength (within ±0.3%). Tax authorities measure obscuration to calculate excise duty on the real alcohol content. For consumers, an obscuration above roughly 0.5–1% — considered in context of the Cognac's age — is a reliable indicator of added sugar.
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Why do most Cognac houses add sugar?
Primarily for commercial consistency. Sugar softens the palate perception of alcohol, rounds the blend, and standardises taste across large lots. For houses producing millions of bottles, batch-to-batch consistency is essential. A slightly sweeter, rounder profile also appeals to a broader market. It is not done with bad intent: it is simply the industrial norm. The producers in our selection have chosen a different path.
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Are all "Brut de Fut" Cognacs additive-free?
Brut de Fut means straight from the barrel, and in practice these bottlings are almost always additive-free. Because they are bottled at cask strength without dilution, adding sugar or caramel would be inconsistent with the spirit of the label. There is no legal guarantee however, so we verify each one independently. All Brut de Fut expressions in our selection have been confirmed additive-free.
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Can I taste the difference between Cognac with and without additives?
Yes, particularly over time and once you know what to look for. Additive-free Cognacs often have a drier, sharper initial impression, with more variation in colour and style between bottles. The sweetness you find in most Cognac is partly the sugar talking. Without it, you taste the grape, the barrel, the year, the place. Some find this revelation; others prefer the familiar warmth of a sweetened blend. There is no wrong answer, but there is only one honest one.