Cognac has been on a roll : The distilled wine spirit has been driving much of the increase in brandy / Cognac consumption in recent years . While many people know that Cognac comes from France , a number of attributes set the spirit apart from other brandies . Here are eight .

1 ) It must be made in the Cognac region . Like

Champagne , Cognac has to be produced in a specific geographic area of France . Cognac , located 300 miles southwest of Paris and just north of Bordeaux , is divided into six regions or crus : Grand Champagne , Petite Champagne ( which are not part of the sparkling wine Champagne region of northeastern France ), Borderies , Fins Bois , Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires .

Cognac can only be made from three different white grape varieties : ugni blanc , folle blanche and colombard .

2 ) Cognac is made with white grapes / wine .

While any type of fruit can be used for brandy , Cognac can only be made from three different white grape varieties

: ugni blanc , folle blanche and colombard . The vast majority uses ugni blanc , the trebbiano grape from Italy , because its acidity works well for Cognac .

3 ) The minimum age for Cognac is two years . The

wine made from the specified grapes is distilled twice using copper pot stills . This creates an eau de vie that must then be aged in French oak casks from Limousine or Tronçais for at least two years , though most quality Cognacs are much older .

4 ) Cognac also uses letters instead of numbers to indicate the age . For

instance , VS Cognac , also known as Very Special , ages for at least two years ; VSOP ( Very Special Old Pale or Reserve ) has a minimum age of four years . Most Cognacs are blended ; the age statement refers to the youngest Cognac in the blend .

5 ) There are revised age classifications for older Cognacs . The Bureau

Cognac aging in barrels at Courvoisier in Jarnac , France ; the minimum age for Cognac is two years .

National Interprofessionnel du Cognac ( BNIC ) in April 2018 updated the official quality grades for Cognac older than four years . X . O . ( Extra Old or Hors d ’ Age ) Cognac must be aged for a minimum age of 10 years , which is up from a minimum age of six years . The BNIC added the Napoleon classification ( previously an unofficial designation ) to indicate a minimum age of six years , and the XXO ( Extra Extra Old ) for Cognacs that have been aged for at least 14 years .

6 ) Cognac continues to outshine Armagnac . The

grape brandy Armagnac has much in common with Cognac and it ’ s estimated to be at least 150 years older , but it ’ s never been as popular . Armagnac , which must be from the eponymous region in southwest France , uses similar white grapes as Cognac but it ’ s distilled once via column and has a more rustic flavor profile . Cognac also had an advantage in the early days in that it was easier to export , given its location along the Charente river and proximity to the Atlantic ocean .

7 ) The spirit crops up in classic cocktails . The

interest in vintage cocktails

The Scarlet cocktail at Bar Zazu , which opened in late 2021 at Resorts World Las Vegas , with Remy Martin VSOP Cognac , Montenegro Amaro , white peach , coriander , sage and orange blossom .

has no doubt helped lift Cognac ’ s profile in the U . S . Many of the drinks in The Bar-Tender ’ s Guide or How to Mix Drinks , first published in 1862 by Jerry Thomas , were Cognac-based . These include the Japanese cocktail ( Cognac , orgeat , Angostura bitters ), the Coffee Cocktail ( Cognac , ruby port , simple syrup , whole egg ), as well as the Mint Julep and Brandy Punch . Several modern cocktails use Cognac as well .

8 ) The French don ’ t actually drink much Cognac . More than 95 % of

Cognac goes to export markets . The U . S . is the world ’ s largest market for Cognac , followed by East Asia and Europe . French people generally prefer Scotch .