Cognac, grappa, pisco, armagnac, calvados— they all fall under the umbrella of brandy. Brandy is any liquor made from fermented, distilled fruit (most often grapes), and the name even comes from the Dutch word “brandiwijn” for “burnt wine.” Nowhere is this more appropriate than with Cognac, a region that —at least, in urban legend— has nigh undrinkable wine that makes for surprisingly wonderful spirits.

Cognac distillation is heavily regulated. To be considered cognac, the spirit must be made from at least 90% Ugni Blanc grapes twice distilled in pot stills no larger than 690 gallons, aged in French Limousin oak barrels for at least two years, with a resulting spirit bottled at less than 72% ABV. The Cognac region’s limestone-heavy soil produces grapes that maintain their flavor incredibly well through this process, but the vast majority of cognac is actually exported to other countries. It’s a distinctively local spirit that has a far larger international following; in particular, Britain’s history with cognac is a subject for a longer post in the future.

As with wine, brandy produced in different regions of France will have unique characteristics, and this is also true of cognacs that come from the six regions within Cognac: Bois Ordinaire, Bons Bois, Fins Bois, Borderies, Grande Champagne, and Petite Champagne (not to be confused with the Champagne region in northeast France). Make sure to try different varieties from different regions, and identify some of your favorites. Also, make sure to pay attention to the cognac’s age, but remember that older doesn’t always equal better. Using an unusual jargon sometimes represented in a system of stars, the cognac aging terminology is as follows:
– 2 years- “3 Star” or “VS” (very special) or “3 Star”
– 4 years- “5 Star” or “VSOP” (very superior old pale)
– 6 years or more- “Extra,” “Napoleon,” or “XO” (extra old); also “Hors d’Age” falls here but is usually used to note a higher quality or further aged cognac.
Again, make sure to try multiple varieties and ages.

I don’t make many cognac-based cocktails, but my favorite would have to be the Sidecar, one of the quintessential drinks of the Roaring 20s. Proportionally similar to the Margarita, the Sidecar follows a basic spirit-sweet-sour combination:

The Sidecar
1.75 oz cognac
3/4 oz cointreau
3/4 oz lemon juice

Because we’re using citrus, we need to throw this one in the shaker, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass with an optional sugared rim. With the sweetness and lightness of this cocktail, it’s well suited to spring and summer, but given how the weather has been lately, I want to turn mine into more of a winter drink. To do this, I’ll modify it with 3 dashes of lemon ginger bitters in the shaker, after which I’ll top it with 5 drops of apple bitters and a splash of calvados. Garnish with maraschino cherries.

I’m very much a cognac novice, but this is a cocktail that can still please guests who are looking for something a little fancier regardless of the season.