How to read a Cognac label?
A Cognac can be identified by its label. You will find several different expressions and terms on an “etiquette”.
Terms which must be on the label:
The name: Cognac, Eau-de-vie de Cognac or Eau-de-vie des Charentes
The volume: The standard is 0,7 or 0,75 L
The ABV, which must be at least at 40%
The origin of the grapes that were used for the wine, which again gets used for distilling, called appellation. There are 6 major regional appellations in the Cognac region: Grande...
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Brandy and Whiskey.. What’s the difference? And Cognac and Whisky?
Many who enjoy Cognac also love Whisky - or Whiskey - (the difference being that the extra 'e' in the spelling denotes Irish Whiskey, as opposed to Scottish Whisky - also referred to as simply, Scotch. But we'll talk more about that all important 'e' in just a moment). And yes, many people are aware that Cognac is made from grapes, and Whisky from grain. And we'll cover Brandy too. But the story certainly doesn't end with the grape...
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TOP 10 Cognac misunderstandings: From Conyak to Hennessey
Sometimes, some people get it wrong. And in the world of Cognac where it's sometimes hard to understand the somewhat confusing terminology, that's fine. So we at Cognac Expert are going to do our bit in helping to set the record straight.
Here is a list of the TOP 10 misunderstandings regarding the most famous of all brandies, Cognac:
1. It's Hennessy, not Hennessey.
First of all, Hennessy is French and should not be confused with American products. It's a Cognac brand, and...
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Cognac tasting sheet: print the PDF and start your degustation
If you need some more structure for your Cognac tasting session, you might want to consider using a tasting sheet. Last time I tasted a Cognac (will be posting the report soon), such a "printable review pad" could have been useful.
We created one for you! Just print the PDF and place up to 4 snifters on the piece of paper, using it as a pad.
If you are blind testing Cognac, ask someone to place the glasses (and you look...
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The three different Cognac grapes: Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard
Of course, every Cognac is made from wine. The grapes used in the Charente are 3 different varieties: Those grape varieties will not deliver a very good wine but a wine perfect for distilling. Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard make light and acidic wine.
Ugni Blanc
This grape variety is even more known under its Italian name Trebbiano. Apparently the variety originally comes from the Toscana region. Here, the grape is used for light, fresh wine. Ugni Blanc delivers relatively...
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