Cognac

  • Doolittle Raiders to Enjoy 1896 Hennessy Cognac

    We recently read about the final reunion of the Doolittle Raiders who were celebrating the 71st anniversary of their attack on Japan.  The Doolittle Raiders were 80 brave men who launched an attack on mainland Japan from an aircraft carrier in retaliation for Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.  Not only did these brave men lift the spirit of a nation recovering from Pearl Harbor, they managed to survive a virtual suicide mission.  Launching from an … Read more

  • D’usse Cognac VSOP Review

    D’usse Cognac VSOP is the lastest offering from Bacardi’s Chateau de Cognac, the Cognac house that produces Baron Otard.  This is not your ordinary bottle of Cognac.  It’s producers have gone for a completely different look on the bottle.  It’s a bit gothic, a bit midieval with a double cross on a squat bottle with a glass topper.  It looks pretty bad-ass for a Cognac.  I guess that this is your granddad’s Cognac.  Oh, and … Read more

  • Farm to bottle with Grey Goose

    I was recently immersed in the story of Grey Goose Vodka.  A key part of the story is the “creation” of the vodka, itself.  I am sure you are thinking, “creating vodka is simple, why tell us about it?”  Admittedly, that was my initial reaction. What could Grey Goose possibly show me but a huge industrial distillery and some slick marketing.

    I was wrong!

    What I discovered standing in the wheat fields of Picardy, France … Read more

  • Celebrate National Cognac Day

    It might be hard to believe today, but cognac was as popular through the end of the 19th century as vodka is today! In fact, cognac was the original “must have” spirit and it was hard for cognac producers to meet demand. In the 17th century, the Dutch ruled the oceans and went from country to country trading wares. The Dutch realized that the wine they traded frequently spoiled on the voyage but the brandewijn, … Read more

  • DeKuyper Distillery Talks To DOTW

    This week we sat down with Marc de Kuyper, an 11th generation distiller in the DeKuyper Distillery.  de Kuyper spoke to us about his company’s launch of Mandarine Napoleon XO, a limited-edition of their Mandarine Napoleon line made with rare, aged cognac. We covered a number of topics including my love of lychee and DeKuyper’s Kwai Feh liqueur that is currently unavailable in the United States.

    Drink of the Week (DOTW):  How does it … Read more

  • Camus XO Borderies Review

    Most years, I buy my Dad a nice bottle of Cognac for the holidays – it’s become a family tradition.  My Dad lives in Wisconsin where Brandy is a religion and what could be better than Brandy than really fine Cognac (or Armagnac).  But, truth be told, my Dad often enjoys his Korbel as much as fine Cognac.  Not only do Wisconsinites love Brandy, they love their Korbel. 

    I am always on the lookout for … Read more

  • Remy Martin 1738 Cognac Review

    Growing up in the largest brandy drinking state in the nation (Wisconsin), I am also a cognac lover! I am also constantly on the lookout for good cognac and this one delivers.

    The Remy Martin 1738 cognac is named for the year that King Louis XV granted Remy Martin a warrant to expand his grape plantings on royal lands, allowing him to expand his cognac House. The Remy 1738 comes in a classy bottle that … Read more

  • Rikke Hagen Cognac Glasses

    These beautifully designed cognac glasses look like spinning tops but function like a snifter should. Empty or full, they look great.

    Rikke Hagen’s cognac glass is a glass constructed with consideration to its content’s aroma, temperature and volume. The shape of the glass increases the intimate experience of drinking cognac by accentuating the deep color and movement of the liquid.

    Vertigo Home… Read more

  • Giorgio G Cognac

    Giorgio G is fashion icon Giorgio Gucci’s foray into cognac. The distribution company, Emperor’s Brand, sent a sample of the Premier Cru Special Limited Edition, which is aged over 50 years. This was one of those situations where the small sample bottle left me wanting more.

    The name implies it’s luxury liquor, but the taste confirms it. Made from Ugni Blanc grapes from the Grande Champagne area, it has a deep gold color and gentle … Read more

  • Homemade Cognac Berry Liqueur

    Liqueur plays a big role in many great cocktails. So why not make your own using fresh fruit? Without commercial equipment, you can make a mixture that closely approximates liqueur. It’s not officially liqueur but it comes damn close and tastes fantastic. Inspired by roadside berry stands, we combined several berries with cognac to create this delicious treat.

    Ingredients

    ½ cup water
    ½ cup sugar
    1 ½ cups mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries)… Read more