And in the comments, what we are trying to proudly put on the table called “homemade cognac”, such an alcoholic drink, if we adhere to the accuracy of the definitions, is in no way. As a matter of fact, it is not a special drink produced in the province of Cognac and what we can see on the shelves of our stores, because, as you remember, in fact the right to use the famous name is limited by the relevant laws. But these nuances of jurisprudence are of no use to you and me: as we called cognac, and not cognac drink, an infusion of various herbs and oak bark diluted with alcohol will be so. And it is hardly worth breaking spears (or keyboards) about this. And it’s better to master the preparation of such wonderful liquids and drink to the health of everyone who put a part of their health, trying to protect information from encroachment in the information age :)

Okay, enough reasoning rather abstract from our topics.

What are cognac drinks?

Speaking quite simply and primitively simplifying, you add something else to cognac, you get a cognac drink. But, if, again, we try to follow some requirements, it turns out that this “something else” can be alcohol of grape origin, that is, it can be contained in wine - grape or, at worst, fruit and berry. Moreover, a tenth of the cognac drink should fall on grape wine and cognac spirit.

In order for this future cognac - cognac drink to have a richer, beautiful, deep color, the so-called sugar color can be added there. And after aging the entire mixture for three to five months, filter and bottle.

Let me remind you that real cognacs are aged much longer: three to five years - ordinary, up to ten years - vintage, more than ten - the so-called which are made from cognac spirits, whose age exceeds the honorary two five-year periods. Well, plus all the other conditions - aging in special barrels, the use of special grape varieties for the preparation of cognac wine material give a real branded drink with a characteristic shade and smell only for it. Real cognac. And not artificial, which we do.

By the way, a non-specialist is unlikely to distinguish a good artificial cognac from a real one. I even dare to say that I can't tell for sure. And if he does, then he is a specialist 🙂 Do you want to check your friends? Prepare a cognac drink from a good rectified product, even from simple - but, of course, high-quality - alcohol from bread and potatoes, getting a decent cognac drink that has excellent taste and recognizable, and by no means moonshine, aroma, in practice is not so difficult. And the results of tasting such a drink by the test subjects for the title of “cognac specialist” will be quite satisfactory, especially since in many countries cognac, including artificial cognac, is considered a therapeutic agent at the official pharmacological level, so to speak. 🙂

Here, for the manufacture of so-called artificial cognacs, the so-called cognac essences are also quite officially used. Now let's deal with them.

What are cognac essences?

I will immediately give several recipes, according to which any person (having all the necessary components) can easily prepare them - cognac essences - and subsequently use them for production at home and - do not forget also about the volumes - in home quantities - cognac drinks, or artificial cognacs, or homemade cognacs. About quantity separately. Remember that now we are preparing brandy essence, which we will use as needed and not all at once. So there is no need to make huge stocks of it.

Cognac essence recipe number one. We need ten grams of cognac oil, one gram of essential bitter almond oil, twenty milligrams of rectified vinegar, ten grams of vanilla essence and sixty grams of oak bark essence. This last one can also be prepared in advance and on your own, for which you need to take ten grams of crushed oak bark for one hundred grams of eighty percent alcohol and insist for a month. When all the components are ready and at hand, we dissolve them in a liter of rectified grape alcohol, and after three days we filter and pour into a vessel with a tight lid and ideally made of dark glass, in which our cognac essence will be stored until it is used in the preparation of strong cognac drinks.

Cognac essence recipe number two. You need ten grams of cognac oil and balsam essence, five grams of violet root essence, two to three grams (we can use a pipette) of benzoin tincture, one milliliter of bitter almond and orange blossom essential oil (can be replaced with bitter orange essential oil). We dissolve all this in a hundred grams of real good, the older, the better, cognac. And in a day we mix it with a liter of rectified alcohol, after another day we filter it and pour it into a glass vessel in which the essence will be stored.

Actually, by turning on fantasy and common sense at the same time (which, I agree, is not always easy), you can create your own recipes for cognac essences. Do not forget that the presence of substances coming from oak bark, grape spirits, which are contained in any grape wine, aromas and flavors of various spices, herbs and essential oils, is essential for cognac drinks. Creating your own is actually much more interesting than refusing to prepare the desired drink due to the absence of any component indicated by someone in HIS recipe.

Cognac- a strong alcoholic drink made from alcohol obtained by distillation of table wines, followed by aging in oak barrels. It has a pleasant aroma and characteristic taste. With aging, the taste of alcohol improves, softness appears in it and a pleasant delicate bouquet with vanilla tones develops. It takes 15-20 years to reach full maturity of cognac spirit.

Cognac classification.

Distinguish cognacs ordinary (obtained from cognac spirit 2 grades) and vintage (1 grade of long-term exposure).

TO ordinary include cognacs with three, four and five stars on the bottle, indicating the age of the cognac spirit from which the cognac is made.

So cognac *** prepared from cognac spirits aged for at least 3 years, cognac strength - 40 vol.%, sugar content - 1.5%;

Cognac **** - aged for at least 4 years, 40% vol.; 1.5% respectively;

Cognac ***** - not less than 5 years, 42 vol.%; 1.5% respectively.

TO vintage include cognacs of the KV, KVVK and KS groups.

Aged cognac KV is prepared from cognac spirits aged 6-7 years, they have a strength of 42 vol.% and contain 1.2% sugar;

Aged cognac of the highest quality- from aged 8-10 years, 43-45 vol.% and 0.7-3.0%, respectively;

Cognac old prepared from selected cognac spirits aged over 10 years, 45, 50, 57 vol.% and 0.7%, respectively.

Drinks made from unaged cognac spirit are called cognac drinks.

Obtaining cognac raw alcohol..

With a simple distillation of wine materials containing 8-10 vol.% alcohol, raw cognac alcohol is obtained with a strength of 20-35 vol.% and cognac stillage. In addition, at the end of the distillation, a fraction of fragrant waters is released. Distillation takes 6-8 hours. Cognac raw alcohol is obtained from 25 to 35% of the volume of wine taken for distillation.

Raw alcohol with a strength of 20-35 vol.%, obtained during the distillation of cognac wine materials, is pumped by a centrifugal pump into the collection, and the bard is for disposal.

Then raw cognac alcohol from the collection is sent for secondary distillation, during which the following are selected:

head(selected separately and sent for rectification),

average brandy alcohol (grade 1 has a strength of 62-70 vol.%, its yield is 30-35% of the volume of loaded raw alcohol),

end strap(they are distilled again with separation also into 3 fractions, the middle of which is called cognac spirit of grade 11, it is obtained in the amount of 20-25% of the distilled liquid, it is sent for aging for ordinary cognacs, and the head and end cuts are for rectification).

The difference in the production of ethyl and cognac alcohol lies in the fact that when obtaining rectified alcohol, they strive to completely purify it from volatile impurities. When obtaining cognac spirits, on the contrary, measures are taken to preserve in them the components of the end straps - esters and acids, since during aging they contribute to the development of their special, characteristic aroma and taste of cognac.

Extract of cognac spirits. After sorting, parsing and equalizing cognac spirits are sent first for short-term excerpts into new oak barrels, and then for many years of aging (aging) in old oak barrels, which are installed in rows or tiers according to the years of distillation in rooms with a temperature of 15-20 ° C and a relative humidity of 75-85%.

Alcohols that are intended for the production of vintage cognacs are subjected to two equalizations during aging: the first - when set for aging and the second - after 5 years of aging.

The aging period of cognac spirits is calculated according to the year of distillation.

Exposure is continued until the strength of cognac alcohol is reduced to 50 vol.%. After that, the alcohol is poured into bottles and stored in them until blending.

Cognac preparation.

The strength of aged cognac spirits is always higher than the strength of manufactured cognacs (40-45 vol.%) To lower the strength, spirits are diluted with pre-prepared special alcoholized waters. It is impossible to dilute cognac spirits with water, as they lose their achieved aroma and taste.

Alcoholic waters are prepared by diluting cognac spirit with distilled or softened tap water.

To soften the taste and give cognacs a little sweetness, sugar syrup is added, diluted with cognac alcohol aged for at least 5 years with the expectation of bringing its strength to 30-35% by volume, it is stored in oak barrels for at least a year before use. After aging, the syrup is clarified.

The cognac obtained by blending cognac spirit, alcoholized waters and sugar syrup is aged in bottles or tanks for up to 6 months to assimilate alcohol and other components. During this period, to clarify and improve the taste, it is subjected to processing: gluing, processing with yellow blood salt, cooling to minus 10 ° C and holding up to 10 days in a refrigerator (at minus 15 - minus 20 ° C - up to 5 days) and filtering.

Aged and processed cognac is transferred in barrels to the expedition, or bottled in special bottles on dosing machines, the bottles are labeled.

Preparation of cognac drinks. To make cognac drinks, young cognac spirit or ready-made blend is infused or passed in a stream through oak wood, previously processed in a special way. The blend mixture is prepared from young cognac spirit, distilled or softened water. The preparation of the drink is reduced to the extraction of wood components with a blended mixture. Extraction is carried out at 20-25 °C for 15-20 days. Further processing of the drink consists of clarification by filtration.

Calvados production

Calvados is a strong alcoholic drink with a specific aroma and taste, made from apple spirit obtained by distillation of fermented natural apple juice and aged in oak barrels or oak staves.

Depending on the quality and aging time of alcohol, Calvados are produced in two types: ordinary(from alcohol aged for at least 3 years) and vintage(not less than 5 years), fortress 42, vintage - 45 vol.%.

Main stages of production:

making apple juice (apples are used in autumn-winter varieties with a sugar content of at least 7% and an acidity of 5-7 g / l., they are sorted, washed, crushed with chips of 2-3 mm, pressed; the juice is filtered);

must fermentation (fermented with cultural yeasts of the Yablochnaya-17 or Yakubovsky races in oak buts or enameled tanks at 20-25 ° C, clarified);

distillation of apple mash (just like cognac spirits, the head fraction is sent for rectification, the middle fraction is sent for raw Calvados alcohol, and the final fraction is added to the raw and re-distilled; the strength of apple spirit is 62-70 vol.%),

extract of apple alcohol (freshly distilled apple spirits are sorted by quality, aged, egalized and, for aging for at least 3 years, poured into oak barrels filled with oak chips; stored at 15-25 ° C and humidity 75-85%; during the aging period, oxygen is introduced into the alcohol,

blending and blending processing (Calvados is prepared by blending aged apple spirit, sugar syrup, citric acid, softened water and sugar color.

The mixture is stirred, heated to 50 °C and incubated for 2 days. Then the blend is cooled, pasted over with gelatin for clarification, filtered and sent to rest for 3 to 5 months. Ready Calvados is bottled.

Rum production.

Rum is a strong alcoholic drink with a pleasant aroma, made from rum alcohol obtained from sugar cane or cane molasses and containing such specific components as esters of acetic, butyric, valeric, caproic, heptyl and other acids, as well as rum oil. As a drink, it is rarely consumed in its pure form, in most cases rum is used to make grogs, liqueurs, cocktails and punches, as well as in the production of ice cream and confectionery.

Distinguish natural rum (obtained by diluting rum alcohol with water to a certain strength), rum blends (made from a mixture of ethyl alcohol and rum) and artificial rum (an alcoholic drink to which various esters or other substances are added to give taste. The main raw material for the production of rum is molasses from sugar cane factories, containing 45-60% fermentable sugar.

Rum production technology includes the following operations:

must preparation; must fermentation (pure cultures of yeast are carried out for 4 days at 25-27 ° C and pH 5.5-5.8 in closed fermenters with cooling coils; butyric acid bacteria are added in the production of Jamaican rum);

distillation of rum (mature rum mash is separated with a strength of 6-7% and a sugar content of 12-14% to separate yeast, during distillation, the head and end fractions are accumulated, diluted with water to 20 vol.% and distilled again, the middle fraction is added to rum alcohol. Alcohol has a strength about 60 vol.%, it is kept for maturation in oak barrels;

aging and maturation of rum (barrels with rum are stored at 20-30 ° C and a humidity of 75-80% for 4 to 5 years. Aged rum is drained from the barrels, diluted with distilled aerated water to a strength of 45 vol.%, tinted with color, filtered and bottled.

whiskey production

Whiskey - an aromatic alcoholic drink with a strength of 40-45 vol.%, obtained by distillation of fermented wort from grain raw materials, followed by a long exposure of raw alcohol in oak barrels, charred inside. The main raw materials for making whiskey are rye, corn, barley (barley is used in the form of malt). Accordingly, whiskey is distinguished: rye, corn and mixed.

The main stages of the technological process : Wort preparation- preparation and heat treatment of the batch, saccharification and cooling of boiled molasses, to enrich the wort with organic acids and other substances that enhance the aroma of raw alcohol, the wort is diluted with chilled stillage to a solids content of 11-13 wt.% and fermented with yeast of race X or M.

Wort fermentation spend at 30 ° C in hermetically sealed fermenters with coils for 72 hours until the strength of the brew is 7.5-8 vol.%.

Distillation of mature mash carried out on a continuous apparatus, alcohol is taken with a strength of 65-70 vol.%.

Exposure (aging). Raw alcohol is diluted with distilled water to a strength of 50 vol.%, bottled for aging in oak barrels with a capacity of up to 200 liters and kept for at least 4 years at 18-23 ° C and humidity 75-80%. Before being released for sale, whiskey is blended, while whiskey of different aging periods is mixed with an aqueous solution of rectified alcohol of the highest degree of purification and adjusted with distilled water to a strength of 45 vol.%.

To improve the quality of whiskey, it is allowed to add sugar, wines, juices, extracts to the blend. After a daily aging of the blend, the whiskey is filtered and bottled in b

Brandy and cognac are noble drinks with a complex aroma and subtle taste characteristics. Connoisseurs of quality alcohol know how cognac differs from brandy.

But ordinary people consider these drinks identical and are often confused. To determine the distinctive characteristics of both drinks, a comparative analysis according to several criteria will help.

Cognac and brandy belong to the same category of spirits, as they are produced using a very similar technology.

Important! In fact, cognac is one of the varieties of brandy, but at the same time, not every brandy is cognac.

Definition of drinks

Brandy is a product produced by the distillation of grape wine or other fruit-based alcoholic beverages. During distillation, alcohol acquires new organoleptic properties and a certain strength.

Several types of strong drinks produced using a similar technology are suitable for the definition of brandy:

• high-strength brandy (up to 90 °) - the resulting liquid is used to make fortified wines;
• grappa - brandy with a strength of about 70-80 ° - before drinking, the drink is diluted with distilled water;
• classic brandy - has a strength of 40-65 ° and is suitable for consumption in its pure form.

Cognac- a strong drink with a strength of 40 °, made on the basis of the juice of certain grape varieties, followed by aging the drink in oak barrels.

Cognacs are classified:

1. by exposure,
2. geographical origin,
3. and for cognacs of the post-Soviet space, they use a classification according to quality and status.

Important! Brandy can be made from any fruit juice, not just grape juice. The raw material for cognac is only grape juice from selected varieties of wine berries.

Production technology

Brandy

Grape brandy was originally used as a form of transport and storage for wine, preventing it from spoiling. Mentions of the drink can be found in the historical records of the 12th-14th centuries, and it gained the greatest popularity in the 15th-16th centuries.

Manufacturing technology:

1. Preparation of products for distillation. Successful or unsuccessful wine, fruit mash, fermented grape pomace, etc. can serve as raw materials.
2. Distillation (distillation) of raw materials - the base is evaporated one or more times until the required organoleptic properties are achieved.
3. Extract of the resulting drink.

The last step in the production of brandy is optional and is often skipped to make the manufacturing process cheaper.

There are no strict rules for making brandy - if only the basics of technology, which can vary by each manufacturer in their own way.

Important! Cognacs from Armenia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, common in the post-Soviet space, are in fact brandies made using cognac technology.

The composition of the drink according to technology may add flavors, sweeteners, caramel, nuts and herbs, giving the drink additional taste and aromatic properties.

Cognac

Cognac is a patented name assigned to alcoholic products produced in France. The French city of Cognac and its environs became the birthplace of the famous drink, after which this elite variety of brandy was named.

Cognac is much younger than brandy, the first cognac houses were created only at the end of the 17th century. It was during this period that the traditions of making high-quality alcohol were born, which are used to this day.

The production of cognac drink takes place in several stages:

1. After harvesting the grapes, the berries are pressed and fermented for 3 weeks until a young wine is formed.
2. Young wine is subjected to distillation, resulting in cognac spirit.
3. Cognac alcohol is placed in oak barrels with a large amount of tannins. Here the drink acquires a specific aroma of oak wood, spices and a characteristic amber color.
4. The drink is poured into barrels of a different type, older ones. Here the cognac finally matures and is saturated in its own fumes.

Important! The raw material for cognac is the grape varieties Folle Blanche, Yuni Blanc, Montil, Colombard, etc.

The production of cognac in France is strictly regulated, and the technology has remained unchanged for over two centuries. The French attach special importance to the quality of oak barrels, using wood grown in a particular area for their manufacture.

The video tells about the technology of cognac production:

Excerpt

Brandy

Brandy production technology involves aging in barrels at the last stage. However, most manufacturers either do not stand the drink at all, or leave it to infuse in ordinary plastic containers. This makes it possible to reduce the cost of production and shorten the production process.

Conscientious manufacturers can apply the following ways of aging the drink:

• Traditional in wooden barrels. In them, alcohol slowly combines with oxygen, part of the alcohol evaporates, and the rest is saturated with aromatic substances.
• Dynamic. Brandy is poured from one barrel to another, thereby enriching the drink with oxygen. Sometimes maturation is accelerated by mixing a young drink with an old one.
• Express method. It is carried out in any suitable containers, where oak material is placed in the form of chips or shavings, and then poured into young brandy. Then the containers are heated and oxygen is forcibly supplied 2-3 times a month.

Cognac

Aging in cognac production technology is a fundamental step. It is thanks to strict adherence to the principles of aging a young drink that its unique taste and aromatic properties are achieved.

The duration of exposure formed the basis for the classification of cognac drinks and divides them into 6 groups:

• A. C. - the youngest variety, not older than two years;
• V.S. (Very Special) - aged in barrel for 2.5 years;
• Superior - drinks aged for at least three years;
• V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale), Vieux, Reserve or V.O. (Very Old) - alcohol age 4 years;
• V.V.S.O.P. (Very-Very Superior Old Pale), Grande Reserve - a five-year-old high-quality drink;
• X.O (Extra Old), Vieille Reserve, Tres Vieux, Extra, Royal or Napoleon - the highest, most expensive class of cognacs aged for at least 6 years.

Cognacs produced in the post-Soviet space are usually labeled with asterisks in accordance with the degree of aging of the drink:

1. three stars - three-year-old cognac;
2. four stars - alcohol aged 4 years;
3. five stars - five-year cognac.

Reference! Cognacs with stars are called ordinary (ordinary).

A class above are vintage cognacs with their own classification:

• O.S. (very old) - 12-23 years;
• K.V.V.K. (cognac aged of the highest quality) - 8-10 years;
• K.S. (old cognac) - 10-12 years;
• K.V. (aged cognac) - maximum 8 years.

Important! Collectibles are considered the best domestic cognacs. Their age exceeds 23 years, and the cost is very high.

You can find out in which barrels cognac is aged by watching the video:

Taste and color

Brandy

The taste of brandy largely depends on the raw materials that served as the basis for its manufacture.

Reference! Since this drink is made not only from grapes, but also from fruit juices, subtle fruit and berry aromas can be felt in it.

Some manufacturers additionally saturate the drink with flavors or add caramel to give the drink a more expressive taste.

The drink, aged in barrels in compliance with all technologies, acquires golden and brown hues.

A good brandy has three flavor waves:

1. at a distance of about 5 cm from the glass, light vanilla chords should be felt;
2. notes of flowers and fruits should be caught at the edge of the glass, subtle smells of violet, rose and linden can be felt here;
3. complex port wine shades complete the bouquet.

Cognac

Cognac has many shades - from light amber to rich brown.

The color of the drink directly depends on the duration of its aging - the longer the alcohol is aged in the barrel, the more it absorbs substances that give it a characteristic color.

The drink acquires the most saturated color in the ninth year of life, and the youngest is almost transparent.

Taste characteristics:

• In good cognac, unlike brandy, no flavors should be felt - neither burnt sugar nor caramel.
• The aromas that cognac exudes can be very different, but absolutely natural. It can distinguish shades of vanilla, fruits, flowers, tobacco, berries, wood, chocolate and coffee.

Important! The taste of good cognac is always balanced, pleasant, without a bright alcohol flavor.

Just like brandy, cognac is characterized by three waves of aroma. They should be pronounced, harmoniously intertwined and flow into each other. The most burning are considered to be younger ordinary varieties. Vintage ones have a soft oily texture.

Video

Both cognac and brandy are good in their own way. But cognac drink is considered more noble and elite.

The technology of its manufacture is patented, the raw materials are chosen very carefully, and aging in barrels is strictly required. Brandy is less demanding on raw materials and production technology, but has an optimal price-quality ratio.

Watch a video where an expert in the field of alcoholic beverages talks about the difference between cognac and brandy:

He is often referred to as the king of spirits. And no wonder. How else can you call a drink that is several hundred years old, corked in a bottle encrusted with gold and diamonds, worth $ 2 million?! Only a real king deserves this. And we are talking about cognac. Fortunately, you can find copies in stores much cheaper than the Henri IV Dudognon listed in the Guinness Book of Records. So many will be able to enjoy the unique taste and aroma of this drink. Of course, if you follow the rules for the use of cognac.

Cognac is one of the most famous brandy-type alcoholic beverages, it is made from white grapes with an alcohol content of 40 to 45%.

This drink in all ages was perceived as a synonym for "luxury". The history of its origin is inextricably linked with a small town in the west of France - Cognac. At the beginning of the 17th century, a local farmer discovered, apparently by accident, that distilled wine turns into a drink with a stronger and nobler taste. Shortly thereafter, the first distillery appeared in the Cognac district, followed by the following. Many of them are still working today, using the same centuries-old technologies for the production of a drink that the French called "water of life".

What is cognac

By the way, it is this region that legally has the exclusive right to use the name “cognac”. However, this is a common practice for the French. At least remember champagne and the province of Champagne. But, as is the case with sparkling wine, in other parts of the world brandy producers also sometimes write "cognac" on their bottles. However, experienced sommeliers will immediately “bite through” a fake.

This cognac is made from white grapes grown in the provinces of Charente (Charente) and Maritime Charente (Charente Maritime). As a rule, the Ugni Blanc variety is used. Berries for the real "water of life" are harvested by hand. Grape alcohol is made from them in the fall. Young wine is fermented until the end of March without addition, and then double distilled. Hence the other name for cognac - "burnt wine". To create 1 liter of a golden drink, approximately 10 liters of raw wine are used. By the way, French law even defines the exact timing of distillation: the beginning - in November, the end - on March 31, since non-compliance with these deadlines affects the quality of the drink. This is how real cognac is born.

The second important stage in production is aging, which sometimes lasts for decades, sometimes for centuries. The drink is aged, as it was many centuries ago, in oak barrels made from the wood of local forests. Oak barrel is the most important factor influencing the taste, color and healing power of brandy. Their production is taken very seriously. And first of all carefully choose wood. It should be old (usually not less than 100 years old) and dry oak. Ideally, it should grow in a dry, sunny place, then during the aging of cognac, the barrel
will give the drink a delicate aroma and exceptional taste. Oak wood, taken from a swampy area, will “reward” the drink with a sour-bitter taste. And before becoming a barrel, the prepared tree still has to dry for several years. But such high requirements for a tree also determine its price. A cube of wood for cognac barrels could cost 15,000 francs. All this together gives the drink that bewitching taste for which collectors are willing to pay millions.

Meanwhile, the magic of creating skates has another component. And it's a family tradition. The quality of cognac directly depends on the experience of winegrowers. There is a special person in the process of making this divine drink. The French call it maitre de chai or "cognac master". As a rule, this function, along with all professional secrets, passes from father to son over the centuries and cannot be performed by a woman. In the famous Hennessy family, the powers of maitre de chai have been passed between family members for 200 years, and this is already 8 generations. And in this they are unique - this is the oldest cognac dynasty.

And one more secret of real cognac. For long-term aging, the drink is transported to the Grande Reserve cellars on the banks of the Charente River or in the mountains.

What does the price depend on

The cost of brandy depends, as a rule, on the quality of the spirits used and the aging time of the drink. And of course, the “water of life” from well-known brands will cost more. But eminent manufacturers are again the highest quality.

Experience has taught winemakers that the main rule of excellent cognac is blending (mixing distillates). Even the highest quality distillate is not cognac. A real drink, so to speak, is collected drop by drop from many different spirits, the youngest of which should not be less than 3-4.5 years old.

The age and type of the drink are indicated not only by the stars on the bottle (the fewer of them, the younger the drink). On the oldest ones, with exquisite taste and aroma, there are no stars at all. For these, special marks are used:

• VS (Very Special) - as a rule, cheaper cognacs, the label indicates that the drink has been aged in barrels for at least 2 years;
• VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) - the youngest spirit included in cognac, aged for at least 4 years;
• XO (Extra Old), aka Napoleon - cognac with a minimum exposure of 6 years, but the average age of XO cognacs can even reach 20 years;
• Vintage - this inscription indicates that we are dealing with cognac older than 6 years, this is a vintage drink and the label indicates the year of production of the youngest wine included in the bouquet;
• Hors d'Age - indicates that the distillate is so old that it is impossible to determine its age.

By the way, experienced tasters determine the age of brandy by taste. Juveniles have a strong smell and taste. The drink "aged" is characterized by "warmth, calmness and pride."

How to use

It is considered bad manners to dilute expensive vintage wines with other drinks. This rule also applies to cognacs. According to the rules, brandy can be consumed after lunch or dinner from a tulip-shaped glass (pouring about a third of the glass). Before enjoying the drink, sommeliers are advised to slightly warm the glass in their hands (ideally, the temperature of the drink should be around 20 degrees). This will allow the brandy to open up, and the taster to feel the aroma of violet, vanilla, blueberry, honey, as well as oak grown on the banks of the Charente River in the mild climate of the land of Cognac.

Although some connoisseurs of alcohol believe that brandy does not need such "tenderness". But, as they say, this is all for an amateur ... An amateur and advice from the Spaniards: before taking a sip of cognac, put a few raisins or coffee beans in your mouth. And some like to drink cognac with tonic, ginger ale or cola. But for such cocktails, only young cognacs are used.

As for food, cream cheeses, such as Roquefort, or smoked salmon, are perfect for cognac. But it’s better to forget about the lemon, which we like to eat brandy with. The French are generally horrified by this combination. They made the most correct combination of four Cs: café, cognac, cigare, chocolate. Moreover, it is in this sequence that the products are consumed.

How to taste right

Vintage cognacs are tasted in several stages. The first is by eye. To do this, it is important to carefully look at the walls of the glass. The drink flows down the walls in smooth viscous traces - this indicates the complexity of cognac. It falls off in large watery drops - it means that caramel is present (it is added for a beautiful color).

The second stage is the smell. To do this, winemakers are advised to put the glass to the chin and easily inhale the aroma from the glass. Floral-fruity aroma, as a rule, is a sign of young cognacs, a deeper one indicates an aged drink. Often there is a vanilla note in cognacs, but it should not dominate, cinnamon and walnut flavors are also caught.

The third stage of tasting is the study of taste. To do this, sommeliers take a little drink into their mouth and distribute it along the tongue so that the drink touches the main taste buds (the tip of the tongue is sweet, the back is bitter, and the sides are salty and sour). A good cognac should maintain a balance of flavors. The presence of caramel is also easy to taste: the tip of the tongue will quickly feel the sweetness, but it will disappear just as quickly.

How to store brandy

After opening the bottle, of course, it is not necessary to drink everything at once. Cognac is the drink that can be "left for later." But for a better preservation of taste and aroma, experts advise either storing the bottle in a dark place, or pouring it into a darker glass container. And of course, do not forget to seal tightly.

Store a bottle of cognac vertically, and the crust should not come into contact with the drink.

Medicinal properties

Cognac is an alcoholic drink and in large doses cannot be useful. Nevertheless, the consumption of good (and this is an important point!) brandy, moreover, in small portions (no more than 30 g per day), can have a positive effect on well-being.

Medicinal properties of cognac people have noticed for a long time. Europeans drank a little cognac with dizziness and shortness of breath. They used this drink as a healing potion, which combined the power of the sun, air and traditions of the French land.

Small doses of cognac can increase blood pressure, thereby relieving dizziness and weakness.

Due to the presence of biologically active substances in the drink, cognac activates the stomach, improves appetite, and also activates the functioning of the entire digestive tract.

For the prevention of colds, it is recommended to use 1 teaspoon of the drink. And in combination with tea, it can be taken as a medicine in the early stages of a cold. By the way, in 1918, when the Spanish flu was raging, people in Germany were saved by ... cognac. More precisely, a tincture of garlic and cognac, which they drank a few drops daily. And Dr. Joseph Beck went down in history thanks to the fact that during the Second World War in France he stopped the flu epidemic with the help of Hennessy. When the medicines were already running out, the doctor began to give the sick a drink, known to us as eggnog - a mixture of milk, butter, raw yolk, honey and cognac. When other ingredients were not available, the doctor gave the sick cognac with hot milk diluted with water. After that, according to historians, the death toll from the disease decreased by 27 percent, and the duration of the disease did not exceed 5 weeks.

With sore throat for disinfection, you can rinse your throat with a drink diluted with water. There is another remedy for the disease. Boil 80 g of cumin in a glass of water (cook for about 15 minutes, you should get a thick mass). Strain, add 50 ml of water and boil again. Cool and add a tablespoon of cognac. Take a spoonful of the mixture every half hour. As a rule, the disease disappears after 8 hours.

As an expectorant, warm milk will help, to which a little brandy should be added.

A little cognac before going to bed will relieve nervous tension, relieve insomnia, relax, calm and ensure a healthy restful sleep.

Due to the warming effect, salt and cognac compresses help with sprains, bruises and rheumatism.

In cosmetology, brandy is used to treat acne. To do this, mix glycerin, cognac and a little water. Cognac is also an excellent tool for skin whitening (for this, add to a mixture of face masks) and strengthen hair.

Other benefits of cognac:

• is an excellent source of polyphenols (found in grapes);
• increases the level in the body (due to oak barrels, from which it receives ellagic acid);
• improves eyesight;
• reduces the risk of cancer;
• has a beneficial effect on blood vessels and the heart (if you drink 15 ml of good cognac every day);
• reduces the risk of blood clots;
• prevents the development of type 2 diabetes;
• serves as a prophylaxis against gallstone disease.

Cognac for hair beauty

Grapes are one of the most popular hair care products because they add volume, shine and color retention. Alcohol is an excellent antiseptic, improves blood circulation. When these two components are combined, a delicious hair product is obtained. And cognac (or brandy) is great for making a cosmetic mask at home. Regular use of brandy-based products improves hair color, accelerates hair growth, repairs damage and treats dandruff.

To enhance the effectiveness of masks, it is important to follow a few rules:

1. You won’t need much drink for the mask, so it’s better to take some expensive cognac - don’t skimp on beauty.
2. All ingredients to be mixed must be at room temperature.
3. It is important to apply the mask on dry, unwashed hair.
4. To enhance the effect, after applying the components, warm your head with a towel.
5. Before use, carry out an allergy test: apply to the skin behind the ear and wait 5-10 minutes, if there is no itching, then you can use it.
6. Keep the mask for 20-40 minutes.
7. Rinse with warm water, then rinse your hair with a decoction of herbs.
8. The course of treatment is 14-15 procedures.

Mask options:

1. Nutrient: beaten egg, 1 tbsp. l. cognac, 1 tsp , powdered milk.
2. For oily hair: mash the peach in puree, add cognac (for 3 tbsp puree 1 tsp brandy).
3. For dry hair: 3 tbsp. l. blue clay, 1 tbsp. l. chopped strawberries, 2 tbsp. l. Hercules, brandy (how much you need for gruel).
4. Moisturizing: beaten raw egg, chopped cucumbers, a tablespoon of lemon juice and cognac.

Other uses

Although cognac is mainly used as a drink, in cooking it is also used to make sauces, marinades, fruit preserves, and chocolate. But for such purposes, of course, it is better to take cheaper brands of brandy.

Side effects

Side effects from cognac are much less than advantages. But they are very serious. Abuse of cognac, like any other alcoholic beverage, leads to alcoholism.

It is not advisable to use this drink for people suffering from hypotension, hypertension, diabetes, cholelithiasis, hepatitis. In addition, cognac contains quite a lot of kilocalories, so it is not recommended for overweight people.

The Charente region was not the first to become famous thanks to cognacs. The first fame she brought ... salt, which was mined from the local river. In those days, this spice was almost worth its weight in gold. So merchants and sailors from various regions came to Charente for goods. It was they who became interested in wine from the Cognac region. However, the drinks produced at that time were of rather poor quality, contained little alcohol, were acidic and were by no means suitable for transportation by sea. In the 16th century, merchants thought of distilling wine. The resulting distillate was called “burnt wine” (brandevijin) by the Dutch. The British shortened the name to "brandy". The new drink quickly gained popularity. But it is worth saying that he was still very far from modern cognacs. Only after repeated distillation did the drink turn out to be more familiar to modern connoisseurs of alcohol. It is believed that the first person to think of double distillation was the Chevalier De la Croix-Maron.

And in the XVIII century, two people whose names would later become synonymous with cognac, each individually built the first successful distilleries for the production of brandy. The first is the French smuggler Jean Martel, who arrived in Cognac and built a distillery on the banks of the Charente. The second is the Irishman James Hennessy, who served in the French Navy. The latter also built a Hennessy Connelly and Company store in Cognac, which the very next year received an order to supply serious batches of the drink to the American colonies.

Older people will probably remember the satirical scene where the Soviet actor Yevgeny Leonov talks about the benefits of alcohol. So, his hero said: “Cognac is always useful! But dear. But that's why it's expensive, because it's very useful! But the hero of Leonov was right. Although it is important to add one more recommendation to these words, perhaps the most important one: cognac is useful only in small doses.

This is a noble drink that is appreciated and loved all over the world. The variety of types and varieties of cognac is amazing. Long gone are the days when only 3-4 types of this alcoholic beverage could be found in stores. Now the shelves are lined with dozens of varieties from Russia, Georgia, Armenia and France. But not every drink is of good quality. In order not to be disappointed in cognac, you should know its classification and the rules for choosing high-quality alcohol.

About the drink

Cognac, which people have been drinking for over five hundred years, is produced using a rather complex technology. This drink with a strength of at least 40 ° is made by double distillation of mash from special grape varieties. According to the technology of cognac production, the drink must be aged in oak barrels for at least two years.

Invented this technology in the French region of Charente. Since then, only alcohol produced in this place has the right to be called cognac. Other types of alcohol produced using the same technology should be called brandy, but this does not bother anyone.

The aroma, color and quality of cognac can vary greatly. They are influenced by the grape variety, the territory in which it was grown, the aging period of cognac spirit, as well as the species of oak from which the barrel was made.

Depending on the type of wood, such alcohol can be mild or sharp, it can taste like fruits, vanilla, cocoa, cigars and even mushrooms. Fruit varieties are considered the most popular, but there are also fans of unusual burning tastes.

What happens

Even a person who does not drink cognac knows that the older this drink is, the more expensive it is. Depending on the exposure, the alcohol label may have the following markings:

• cognac, stored in a wooden container for more than 2 years, contains the inscription V.S., Trois Etoiles, de Luxe or Selection;
• three-year-old alcohol was called Superior;
• cognacs aged for at least 4 years are labeled V.O., V.S.O.P., Reserve or Vieux;
• a drink that has been waiting in the wings for 5 years is called Grande Reserve or V.V.S.O.P.;
• the most valuable varieties that improve their taste for 6 years are X.O., Royal, Napoleon, Extra.

In the Russian Federation and the CIS countries, their own classification of cognacs by aging has been established. Drinks aged from 3 to 5 years are called ordinary, stored for 6 years or more - vintage. On bottles with young products, the buyer will find a certain number of stars corresponding to the years of aging.

Vintage alcohol is also divided into varieties: simply aged (6-7 years) and aged VK (from 8 to 10 years). Collectible cognac is considered a particularly valuable drink. The latter option is rare and can cost tens of thousands of rubles.

The pride of every cognac house is a product of 25 years and older. Such cognacs have their own names, for example, Remi Martin Louis XIII. Unblended drinks, which are made from fruits of the same variety, are also very rare. They were called "millesim" or "vintage".

According to tradition, the best cognac is made in grape growing regions, because only fresh natural raw materials are used there. For several centuries, the leaders in this area are Martell, Courvoisier, brandy from the Greek manufacturer Metaxa. In Russia and the former Soviet republics, cognacs "Noy" and "Ararat" (Armenia), "Bagration" (Georgia), "White Stork" (Moldova) are also loved.

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How to define quality

High-quality cognac is not in vain considered a sign of luxury and taste. The drink will bring real pleasure if you choose it correctly. Here are some simple tips to help you decide:

The color of quality alcohol is from brown to wheat. It does not have sediment, and the main value of the drink is a pleasant delicate aroma. If after 5-10 minutes after uncorking it smells of perfume or solvent, most likely it is a fake.

You can also determine a good cognac by its consistency. If you tilt and rotate the glass a little, the liquid will slowly flow down the walls, leaving a film.

In order for cognac to become a pleasant medicine, and not an enemy of health, it must be handled with care. Do not drink this drink chilled. It should be at room temperature, and you can slightly warm the glass in your hand before drinking.

Information! Snacks, according to etiquette, do not rely on cognac. Traditionally, this alcohol is served with coffee, cigars, dark chocolate. Sometimes they also use lemon, and cognac owes such a strange snack to Emperor Nicholas II.

If you still want to feed the guests, it is better to avoid spicy and spicy dishes with a pungent odor. You can take a cue from the French and serve canapes with pate, nuts, cheeses such as Gouda or Gruyère.

The optimal portion of brandy that will not cause harm is 100-150 ml. High-quality alcohol in such quantities strengthens blood vessels, prevents dementia and coronary disease. Drinking a little cognac is recommended when recovering from an illness. It also affects pressure. Light varieties reduce it, and a dark aged drink increases it.

conclusions

Due to the high content of tannins in cognac, it is absorbed slowly.

Intoxication from it comes later than from other strong drinks and even wine.

If you do not get carried away with this truly unique product, you can not be afraid of negative consequences. True, you will have to spend money on good cognac, but the pleasure of drinking it is guaranteed.