Cognac/Brandy

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COGNAC & BRANDY

Cognac and brandy are often conflated with one another, but they are not the same. Cognac is produced in the Cognac region of France, located along the Charente River basin.

Cognac is produced exclusively in the Cognac region of France, and adheres to strict regulations regarding grape varieties, distillation methods (it’s distilled twice in copper pot stills), ageing (it’s aged for a minimum of two years in French oak barrels), and specific quality standards.

The youngest of Cognacs, marked VS. VSOP is aged for four years or more—is great for cocktails. XO can be typically aged for 10 years.

Brandy encompasses a broader range of spirits made from various grapes and fruits that can be produced in different regions worldwide, following diverse distillation methods and aging processes. While all Cognacs are brandy, not all brandies are Cognac.

Pisco, on the other hand, is the South American derivation of brandy made in Chile and Peru, and it is unaged. “Pisco is not aged in oak, but rather rests in porous clay jars allowing it to oxidize without absorbing any of the flavour that oak often imparts.

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