Brandy & Cognacs

What is Brandy?

Brandy is produced from the distillation of wine, to generate a spirit which is typically 35% to 60% alcohol by volume. Brandy is aged for a minimum of six months in wooden casks which imparts a distinctive deep caramel colour.

What is Cognac?

Cognac is a specific variety of Brandy which is produced in the vicinty of the french town Cognac, within the French Departements of Charente and Charente-Maretime. The reuqirements of the AOC require a Cognac to be made from Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard grapes, be twice distilled in coper pot stills and agred for at least two years in French Oak barrels. Most quality producers age their Cognacs for substantially longer than this minimum term before they release their bottles of Cognac.

Cognac is a fine French brandy from the region of the same name and is recognised with its own appellation controlee. The region itself lies approximately 110km north of Bordeaux in south-west France and is divided into six areas according to the particular style of the cognacs produced within each one: Grande Champagne; Petite Champagne; Borderies; Fins Bois; Bons Bois; Bois Ordinaires. The finest of these are Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, which both benefit from a balance between maritime and continental climates and high concentration of chalk in the soil. The cognacs produced here are very elegant and delicate with a rich, floral character that can age for decades. For a cognac to be termed Grande or Petite Champagne it must be made from grapes grown in that specific cru; when a cognac is termed Fine Champagne, it is a blend of Grande and Petite with at least 50% of the blend coming from Grande Champagne.

Ugni Blanc is the main grape used to produce cognac (Folle Blanche & Colombard are also used but Ugni Blanc accounts for around 90% of total growth) and makes a white wine whose strength and acidity are perfect for obtaining an eau-de-vie (Cognac’s equivalent to new make spirit) with great finesse and bouquet. Once the grapes have been picked and pressed, the resulting juice is transferred into vats for fermentation for around one week. Once this is complete the vat is totally filled and tightly sealed to ensure no air can get in and cause oxidisation – this wine is fruity, dry and fairly low in alcohol (9%) and is ready to be distilled.

The distillation of cognac is carried out in two stages over a naked flame, a tradition that dates back to the 16^th century. The first distillation (premiere chauffe) lasts about 8 hours and the result is called the ‘brouillis’ and is around 30% ABV. The brouillis is then distilled a second time (bonne chauffe) – the distiller’s expertise is required at this stage to only keep the heart of this part of the distillation, a young eau-de-vie cognac at 70% ABV. Colourless and with a powerful fragrant aroma (having tried Hine’s eau-de-vie I can testify that is truly remarkable stuff at this point, with heady floral aromas that belie its alcohol content!), it is then transferred into a new cask.

The new casks are made of oak exclusively from France and in Hine’s case, mainly from the Limousin region. The grain and texture of this oak coupled with its soft tannins are uniquely suited to the long ageing of the greatest vintage cognacs. Indeed, the cooperage that Hine obtain the majority of their casks from store the oak for 3 years before crafting it into barrels, to ensure any impurities and harsh tannins have time to mellow. Once the cellar master has selected and blended the cognac to his exacting standards to achieve the perfect balance, the cognacs are blended in large oak vats. They are then returned to casks where they are aged for 6-9 months until the perfect ‘marriage’ has been achieved. After this, the cognac is transferred to old oak barrels where it begins its long ageing process, until it is ready to be bottled.

What is the Best Cognac?

For a cognac to be classed as VS, VSOP or XO it must be aged for a minimum of: VS (Very Special) – the youngest and cheapest blend, the youngest eau-de-vie must be at least 2 ½ years old; VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) – the youngest element in a VSOP must be at least 4 ½ years old; XO (Extra Old) – legally, these must be aged for a minimum of 6 ½ years but most producers used much older cognac. For example, the youngest cognac is Hine’s Antique XO 1er Cru is around 20 years old. Although around 50% of the cognac consumed worldwide is VS, Hine do not produce anything younger than a VSOP, reflecting the long standing family traditions that emphasise quality rather than quantity.