Drinkables DIY Cognac Cocktails

Cognac is brandy that must be made in the Cognac region of France. Which should already have you excited because the French world of spirits is second only the French world of food: both are absolutely master class! All cognac gets its characteristic notes from the 90% of its blend that must be made from a very specific blend of grapes. The other 10% of grapes used, as well as minor changes in the distilling and ageing process is what sets each bottle apart from the rest.

All cognac comes with a grade, something true collectors swear by and novices may have only barely noticed. Still it’s worth knowing about when you’re selecting a bottle to send as a gift, verses one you’re going to mix in a DIY Cocktail.

• V.S – Very Special – this label is for any blended cognac where the youngest brandy has been in a cask for a minimum of two years.
• V.S.O.P. – Very Superior Old Pale – this label is sometimes referred to as “Reserve”. This lets you know that the youngest brandy in this blend was stored in a cask for at least 4 years.
• X.O. – Extra Old – okay we agree that label doesn’t sound very flattering, but like fine wines, age is actually a good thing with cognac. As of April 2018 this means that the youngest brandy in the blend was in a cask at least 10 years. Before that the requirement was 6 years but those blends are not referred to as “Napoleon”.
• Hord d’age – Beyond Age -  This is for any bottle that goes above and beyond the requirements for X.O. Making these bottles some of the most sought after, and most expensive. We don’t want to tell you what to do with your gifts, but we really recommend drinking this straight or on the rocks in slow luxurious sips.

Cognac Cocktail Recipes

• Bermuda Highball
• Boulevardier
• Fleur de “Lees”
• Mata Hari
• Old Fashioned
• Roosevelt Punch
• Sidecar
• Tom & Jerry
• Vieux Carre
• Cognac and Coke

Mix things up and try another drink from our DIY Cocktail page! If you want to send cognac gifts to Russia, or any other country, follow the link to our shop.