A few weeks ago Bobby, Christine, Joe and I headed to an Irish Whiskey tasting at The Cellars in Roseville, we ended up really enjoying the tasting and discovered the have quite a few of these. Up next on the schedule was a Cognac and Armagnac one. Cognac? I don’t even think I know what it is or what it tastes like. And Armagnac? Never heard of it.
We got there early and snagged spots right up front, I grabbed a clipboard so I could be a good blogger and take notes. I don’t think I have an inch of space on my tasting sheet!
So what is cognac? It is a brandy that is distilled from wine. But isn’t brandy different than cognac? Yes. It is all about the aging process and the region in France where it comes from, Cognac and Armagnac.
Similar to Champagne, that has the designation of region, Cognac and Armagnac can only be made in France. Cognac is much more popular in the U.S., it outsells armagnac 1000 to 1, why? Marketing. A few high end luxury companies figured out that they can sell expensive things to Americans with the right spin. No surprise there 
What was really interesting to me was the stat that armagnac outsells cognac in France 10 to 1. They perceive it as a higher value and quality product.
We started tasting Cognac and focuses on two of the “better known” brands Hardy’s and Kelt. Cognac is classified by age and there are four main types:
V.S.- Very special, aged for a minimum of 2 years
V.S.O.P.- Very special old pale, minimum of 4 years aging
Napoleon- Minimum of 6 years of aging
X.0.- Extra old, at least 6 years but often averaging over 20 years
Hardy’s
V.S, retails for $24.99
V.S.O.P, retails for $35.99
Napoleon, retails for $55.99, a special category that was created so the price point would be between $50 and $100.
Extase X0, retails for $69.99, liquor that is made with oranges and sugar. VERY strong tasting. 20 years old
Kelt Cognac
V.S.O.P., retails for $55.99
Commodore, only Kelt makes this type, retails for $99.99
X.0., retails for $149.99, 42 years old. Only 1 in 10,000 bottles of cognac becomes an X.O.
I don’t think I am going to be a cognac drinker! I took a small sip or two of each just to experience the flavors but this is strong stuff. It burned all the way down Going to a tasting like this is a great way to try something new and learn about the process. Hearing how it is aged, stored and even marketed is so fascinating. Kelt sends their cognac on an Around the World journey that lasts 90-120 days just so it has a special flavor and the aging process speeds up because of the time at sea. Who came up with that? Were they all just sitting around one day and someone suggests putting the cognac on a ship around the world and telling the customer all about it. Brilliant marketing! Since I was intrigued and writing all about it, it must have worked.
Of all the cognac we tasted I enjoyed the Hardy’s VSOP and the Kelt Commodore the most, they seemed to have more noticeable flavors and were much smoother. After tasting the cognac we moved on to the armagnac. Some critics feel that armagnac tends to be fruiter and represent a better value. I didn’t notice a big difference between the two but it was fun to try!
Cles Des Ducs Armagnac
V.S.O.P., retails for $34.99 and is aged for 7 years
Napoleon, retails for $54.99 and is aged for 11 years
X.O., retails for $57.99 and was aged for 15 years.
I am excited to attend another tasting soon, I love trying new things and learning about how they are made and why they are popular. Check your local liquor store for some interesting and often free events.
{ 10 comments }
I am not a huge fan of cognac either – I love the smell, but too strong for me – what a great way to find out for yourself though!
Biz´s last [type] ..Where is Spring
I am not a huge fan of cognac either – I love the smell, but too strong for me – what a great way to find out for yourself though!
When I drank, I really liked cognac. But as I get older, alcohol doesn’t seem to sit well with me.
I would love to use cognac in cooking, though.
When I drank, I really liked cognac. But as I get older, alcohol doesn’t seem to sit well with me.
I would love to use cognac in cooking, though.
I love that you do these events. You never know until you try, right?
I love that you do these events. You never know until you try, right?
I wish I could spend a week with you learning all this great stuff about foods, wines, cognacs, and more!
Tina´s last [type] ..My Ode To Trader Joe’s
I wish I could spend a week with you learning all this great stuff about foods, wines, cognacs, and more!
i love tastings! they are soo much fun! and i love the cellars…its like 5 minutes from where i grew up. i’ll have to check to see if they have tastings (now that i know they have them) whenever i am home!
Elise´s last [type] ..Time to Color!
i love tastings! they are soo much fun! and i love the cellars…its like 5 minutes from where i grew up. i’ll have to check to see if they have tastings (now that i know they have them) whenever i am home!
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