Any fruit that ferments can be distilled and turned into a brandy but the most common and most favored choice is grape. A unique aspect of Hennessy Cognac is that the responsibility for each and every eau-de-vie is not down to a single person. Instead, the house has a Tasting Committee. This group of eight people meets every morning at 11:00 to discuss and taste various Cognacs. In fact, they sample between 7,000-8,000 each and every year. Now, who wouldn’t want that job? Discover more about the intricate (and long) journey to becoming a member of the Hennessy Tasting Committee in our article, Cognac Expert’s Visit to Hennessy Cognac. Its impressive character means this is a brandy that should only be enjoyed neat or, at most, with ice. This sweet and smooth bottle is perfect to win over brandy novices right through to experts. Jean Martell came from the Channel Island of Jersey to devote himself to studying the art of Cognac and creating ties with local wine-growers.

Vintage: A term used for a bottle of brandy (or, commonly, Armagnac) for when a particular year’s harvest is all that’s gone into the bottle. These bottles are very expensive due to their rarity and age. Methodology: How we select, test, and rank the best brandy and Cognac on the market If you were a passenger flying from Paris to New York on a super-speedy Concorde flight, you would have savored a Martell Cordon Bleu. By 2015 Martell was producing around 14 million bottles of its cognacs a year, [3] making it the world's second-largest cognac producer behind Hennessy. In 2006, Martell joined the Comité Colbert, an association that promotes French luxury houses on an international scale. Like Scotch whisky, older expressions are often considered “better”, but as with anything, it comes down to your personal preference. How we test brandyVS stands for “Very Special”: only eaux-de-vie at least two years old can be used to make a VS cognac. Other denominators and expressions are permitted, such as “3 stars” or “luxury”, and as such are included in the VS cognac category. VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”: VSOP cognacs are created from eaux-de-vie aged for at least four years. The VSOP category includes designations such as “Old” or “Reserve”. It’s also a spirit that’ll leave you guessing until you’ve taken a few sips. The number or term on the bottle might give a hint as to what sort of flavors are inside but, thanks to the spirit’s diverse nature, each new bottle of brandy promises a unique experience. If you’re new to the world of brandy, the broad variety of options available on the market might be overwhelming at first. It will require patience and trial to explore the different brands. a b Ball, Deborah (2002-11-11). "Seagram Acquisition Proves To Be a Good Mix for Pernod". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660 . Retrieved 2022-03-24.

While a VSOP cognac must be aged for a minimum of four years, an XO or “extra old” cognac requires a minimum of 10 years (up from six years, as of 2018). However, this legally only applies to cognac and armagnac, so you’ll still find the term used widely on other French brandy to demonstrate that it's “extra old”. In 1795 a marriage between the Hennessy and Martell families [6] cemented a strategic alliance that created an effective duopoly in the cognac market. Another marriage followed in 1865. [6] While still in competition, the two companies also made joint decisions, for example introducing the star grading system at the same time. [7] This semi-formal relationship was dissolved in 1947 after the death of Maurice Firino-Martell. [8] This aging and storage process can often be a sign of an impressive brandy or cognac. Most brandies are blended products of various ages. The age of the youngest brandy in the blend designates the age statement on the bottle, but can also be noted with various abbreviations: It’s a bottle that’s won competitions against some of the biggest names in brandy in the world, and is unrivaled for its delicious taste and strong characteristics. The brandy is aged for around 17 years, with the process taking place in Limousin oak barrels. Wood spices and red fruit are two of the immediate aromas noted, and a sip will reveal a rich and deep brandy filled with soft orchard fruit, vanilla, and hints of chocolate. Martell is among the oldest brands of Cognac in the world with 300 years of history. This brandy is made from white grapes exclusively grown in Cognac, specifically Charente and Charente-Maritime regions of France. The resulting wine from grapes is then distilled twice in copper stills to make eaux-de-vie. This is then aged in oak for a minimum of two years for the VS then blend to make specific flavors of Cognac. Martell production is unique, following a strict method of production and distillation called Charentais Alambic. Martell is amongst the most popular brandies in the world and is celebrated for the elegance in its taste.Discover more about the historic brand of Martell, and their wonderful array of luxury Cognacs. 3. Rémy Martin:The Fine Champagne producer Rémy Martin defines excellence in a bottle and combines everything a good brandy should have. This XO is a Fine Champagne, produced by blending up to 400 different eaux de vie. It’s a thoroughly good quality bottle, combining 85 percent of the product sourced from the Grande Champagne region with the remaining 15 percent taken from the Petite Champagne region. Remy Martin has a similar size range to that of Martell, including some great value VSOPs and Napoleon qualities. They’re also well known for their annual limited edition XO created for the iconic Cannes Film Festival. Rémy Martin is known for being one of the biggest cognac producers in the world. Its expertise can also be recognized as it’s part of the Comité Colbert, an association of luxury businesses that promote French know-how worldwide.

It has an aroma of dark chocolate, port wine cask, exotic spices, and figs, while a sip will reveal notes of white and red grapes, dried apricot, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, and caramel. It’s certainly a complex brandy, and one that will leave you wanting more than just one taste. It’s a popular choice for brandy lovers, with a warming finish and smoky wood quality running throughout. Grande Champagne: A French district, otherwise known as a cru, known for its Cognac. The Grande Champagne region is regarded as the best and most respected region, followed by the Petite Champagne.Martell is known for its elegance and tradition. Martell cognac was served at the gala dinner to celebrate the marriage of Prince Rainier of Monaco to the US actress Grace Kelly, and was even given as a gift to Queen Elizabeth II on her first visit to France! Brandy vs. Cognac: What’s the difference?