Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

5 Cognacs You Probably Haven’t Heard of for National Cognac Day

Sam Slaughter
By

When it comes to cognac, we’d bet money on the names that any given person would come up with when asked to name cognac brands: Hennessy, Courvoisier, Rémy Martin, and Martell. There’s good reason for this. Even though there are over two hundred producers of the French spirit, these four brands (at least in the U.S.) control about 90% of the market.

Today — Tuesday, June 4 — we’re turning away from those four brands. There’s literally nothing wrong with them (we’re never not going to accept a glass of any of them if offered), but we wanted to give you some options for other cognac brands in case you woke up this morning and thought to yourself, “I want to try a different cognac on this National Cognac Day.”

Related Videos

Below, you’ll find five options for cognacs that you’ve probably never heard of, but will never want to forget after you try them.

Related

(If you need a cognac refresher, check out this piece.)

Cognac DeLuze V.S.

The family that produces Cognac DeLuze has been in the business since 1640 and owns the largest family-owned estate in Grande Champagne (at 1,000 acres). The cognac of today is managed by the twenty-fourth generation of the family. The V.S. is a full-bodied spirit with a long, fruity finish.

Cognac DeLuze V.S. is 40% ABV and retails for around $26.

A.E. Dor Cognac V.S.O.P

Founded in 1858 and located in Jarnac, Maison A.E. Dor has maintained its status as a family-run house since opening. This V.S.O.P. is intensely floral from the first sniff. The blend of two cognacs— Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne—create a spirit with a complex body, a long finish, and a smooth character.

A.E. Dor Cognac V.S.O.P is 40% ABV and retails for around $60.

Merlet Saint Sauvant N*1 Cognac

Five generations after two brothers, Vivien and Firmin, first started the Merlet distillery, Pierre and Luc are still producing their own cognac with their father Gilles. Up until 2010, they only sold to other producers, but now produce on their own. This X.O. is full of ripe fruit notes that are bolstered by candied orange, white flowers, and roasted hazelnuts.

Merlet Saint Sauvant N*1 Cognac is 45.2% ABV and retails for around $115.

Cognac Deau Black

It has been three generations since Roland Bru settled in Cognac and purchased Distillerie des Moisans. Since 2011, Véronique Bru Legaret, the founder’s daughter, and Roland Legaret, his grandson, oversee production. The nose on this cognac is floral, with a smooth yet powerful palate. Dried apricots and ginger express themselves on the palate.

Cognac Deau Black is 40% ABV and retails for around $180.

Bourgoin Coganc X.O. Micro Barrique

Located in Tarsac, Bourgoin utilizes natural methods in order to fully express the terroir of the spirit. What does that mean? Single cask bottlings, no filtration, no coloring, and no added sugar. Each bottling is at cask strength and is labeled by vintage, growing site, and barrel. Due to the aging method (micro barrique), this cognac is perfect for Speyside Scotch whisky lovers.

Bourgoin Coganc X.O. Micro Barrique is 55.3% ABV and retails for around $140 for a 375ml bottle.

Post originally published June 3, 2018.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Wine tasting etiquette: How to look like you know what you’re doing
Spitting, tipping, pressure to buy: All the things you've always wanted to ask about wine tasting and haven't
how to hold a wine glass what is the proper way

Wine tasting is an incredibly fun and educational way to spend a vacation, extended weekend, or even just a breezy, casual afternoon. Learning the ins and outs of ancient wine-making practices and methods, differences in varietals, flavor profiles, bouquets, and aromas are all valuable lessons in the world of wine education. And let's be honest, walking around some gorgeous scenery and sipping on every millennial's favorite beverage is a pretty fabulous way to spend your time.
But wine tasting is so much more than tipsily stumbling about pretty vineyards tossing around words like "demi-sec" and "assemblage." There's a real art to be found in good wine, and being able to see and taste it is something truly beautiful. But just as walking into the Louvre and trying to analyze the world's most renowned paintings can be a little bit intimidating, so is knowing how to taste and dissect a glass of wine. For this reason, many people are too intimidated to ask some of the more awkward questions or know exactly how to act during a wine tasting. We're here to help.

How much do wine tastings cost?

Read more
The 5 best Irish food recipes for a tasty St. Patrick’s Day feast
From classic corned beef to comforting barley risotto, these Irish food recipes will have you reaching for seconds
ButcherBox corned beef brisket with aromatics on wooden board.

Saint Patrick's Day, a holiday that's usually filled with fun drinking and cocktails, is also a great time for some seriously good Irish food. After all, what sounds better than getting together with loved ones and friends over an Irish-inspired feast? Besides classic corned beef, there's also an endless number of dishes to make for Saint Patrick's Day, ranging from sausages to modern takes on risotto. To celebrate this Saint Patrick's Day, The Manual has collected five amazing recipes that are both hearty and delicious, a perfect combination to celebrate this festive holiday.
ButcherBox corned beef brisket recipe

Probably the most iconic Irish food recipe for Saint Patrick's Day in America, a properly made corned beef is a surefire crowd-pleaser. This corned beef recipe is from Yankel Polak, the head chef of ButcherBox, a B Corp Certified meat brand delivering high-quality, sustainably sourced meat and seafood right to your door. Customers can choose from four curated boxes or handpick a custom box for their delivery needs.

Read more
Here are a half dozen Irish liquors worth trying (that aren’t whiskey)
St Patrick's Day doesn't have to always mean green beer and whiskey. Here are six other Irish liquors to look into.
6 Must-Try Irish Spirits

With St. Patrick's Day on the horizon, the masses tend to gravitate towards the standard Irish drinks. You know, a finger or two of whiskey and a Guinness to wash it all down. As tasty as the popular options are, Irish liquor has much more to offer in terms of intriguing fermented liquids.

From interesting gins and smooth cream liqueurs to things you've probably never heard of (Poitín), we've put together a half-dozen Irish liquors worth checking out this March and beyond. They offer new flavor profiles and reveal a country with way more to its name than just lagers, stouts, and whiskies. If you're looking for Irish drinks this St. Paddy's Day and perhaps tired of the same old, read on.

Read more