5 Best Cognac Bottles To Try If You’re A Whisky Lover

In the pantheon of aged spirits, there’s no disputing the appeal of whisk(e)y. Whether you prefer bourbon, single malt Scotch or Australian whisky, this spirit is likely the first you think of when imagining aged liquor. Then you might think of rum or tequila, but if your list doesn’t make its way eventually to cognac, you’re really missing out on a complex, sippable spirit.

Why? If you’re a whisky drinker, you’re going to find many striking similarities between your favourite expressions and this French brandy. Maybe you just don’t really know what Cognac is, but there’s so much to discover. For me, it wasn’t until I took a trip to Cognac, France, that I really grasped what this elusive spirit actually was and why (as a whisky drinker) I would quickly grow to love it.

What Is Cognac?

If you took a glass of Cognac and set it next to a glass of single malt Scotch whisky, you might struggle to tell the difference. But they couldn’t be more different. Unlike Scotch and bourbon, Cognac is definitely not a whisky.

Cognac, as the name suggests, is a French brandy made in the Cognac region of France in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Like bourbon or tequila, it’s a geographically specific spirit as it must be made in this area of France and follow a strict set of rules created by the appellation d’origine contrôllée.

While whiskey is made from various grains (like barley, corn, rye, and wheat), Cognac is made from white grapes. These include Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard varieties. The most highly regarded grapes are grown in Charente’s Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne districts. Cognac must be distilled two times in traditional copper pot stills, and it must be matured for at least 2 years in French oak barrels. The aging is where it starts to gain some of the aromas and flavours whisky drinkers enjoy.

Aging Cognac vs. Scotch Whisky

While Cognac most closely resembles the flavour profile of whisky, its aging process is actually more similar to tequila. Single malt Scotch whisky makes things easy for consumers by either adorning its bottles with no age statement (and an assumption it spent a few years maturing) or listing the age in years. You’ll find countless bottles listed as 10, 12, 16-year-old or beyond.

But the aging terms for Cognac, like tequila, are keywords designed to signify a certain time period without actually listing the years on the label. Tequila drinkers know blanco, reposado, añejo etc. correspond to different ages. The same goes for Cognac drinkers.

A handful of terms represent the age of a Cognac. VS (also known as Very Special) Cognac was matured for a minimum of two years. VSOP (also known as Very Special Old Pale) was matured for at least 4 years. XO (Extra Old) spent a minimum of 10 years aging.

Flavour Difference Between Cognac And Whisky

While Cognac and whisky carry some of the same flavours, there are key differences. Both spirits gain aromas and flavours from the wood they mature in, but the base ingredients truly set them apart. In essence, Cognac, with its white grape base, is fruitier and more wine-like. Whisky, with its grain base, is nuttier, grainier, and has more wood notes.

That said, there are enough similarities between whisky and Cognac. If you don’t already have a bottle or two on your bar cart, as a whisky drinker, you should invest in some bottles of Cognac sooner rather than later.

Why a Glencairn Glass is a Great Choice for Cognac

If you’re a whisky drinker, nobody will fault you for sipping it in a rocks glass or any other vessel you prefer. But, if you’re an aficionado, there’s a good chance you own one or more Glencairn glasses. The glass features a wide, round bowl at the bottom and a tapered tulip-like mouth.

The Glencairn’s shape is designed to concentrate aromas like the fruity and floral notes of the spirit, allow for swirling, and let the spirit breathe and open up all of the various flavours.

5 Recommended Bottles of Cognac for Whisky Drinkers

If you’re ready to learn more about the world of Cognac, it’s time to find a few bottles to add to your home bar. As a whisky fan, there are countless Cognac expressions just waiting to be discovered. To help you pick the right bottles, I’ve listed them along with a characteristic (or two) that will appeal to specific whisky drinkers.

1. Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal

Made with a blend of 65 per cent Grande Champagne and 35 per cent Petite Champagne crus, Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal is a must-buy for serious whisky drinkers. This blend of more than 240 different eaux-de-vie aged between 4 and 20 years old (with an average age of 12 years) is known for its complex, memorable, sippable flavour profile.

• Price: From AUD $110-170.
• ABV: 40 per cent.
• Cask type: This unique expression is matured in heavily toasted French Limousin casks.
• Nose: Scents of cocoa powder, dried fruits, sticky toffee pudding, caramelised sugar, and oaky wood highlight the nose.
• Taste: The palate is creamy, fruity, and filled with flavours like candied orange peels, baking spices, dark chocolate, caramelised sugar, orchard fruits, and oak.
• Finish: The finish is long, very warm, and ends with oak, ripe fruit, chocolate, and wintry spices.
• Best for: Heavy sherry-monster Scotch drinkers.

2. Ferrand Cognac 10 Generations

Crafted to honour the ten generations of the renowned Cognac-producing Ferrand family, Ferrand Cognac 10 Generations is a single-cru Grande Champagne cognac made from 100 per cent Ugni Blanc grapes. Bottled at 92-proof, it’s a great choice for whisky drinkers who prefer their spirits to be slightly higher in ABV.

• Price: From AUD$75-95.
• ABV: 46 per cent.
• Cask type: This memorable Cognac was aged in traditional French oak barrels. 20 per cent of which were matured in sweet Sauternes wine barrels.
• Nose: A nose of toasted vanilla beans, toffee candy, fruitcake, honey, and floral hints greets you before your first sip.
• Taste: Sipping it reveals notes of orchard fruits, sweet grapes, marmalade, candied nuts, and caramelized sugar.
• Finish: The finish is lingering, warm, ending with a mix of wintry spices and butterscotch.
• Best for: High ABV cask strength whisky drinkers.

3. Martell XO

Bourbon drinkers who prefer oak-forward flavour profiles will love Martell XO. Distilled mostly from Ugni Blanc grapes, this expression is made up of more than 150 different eaux-de-vie of different ages (ranging between 15-35 years). The result is a highly complex, balanced Cognac well suited for a whisky palate.

• Price: From AUD$290-350.
• ABV: 40 per cent.
• Cask type: While you only need to age a Cognac for 10 years to be considered an XO, Martell aged its eaux-de-vie for as long as 35 years in fine-grain French oak casks.
• Nose: Candied almonds, cracked black pepper, raisins, toasted vanilla beans, caramelized sugar, and charred oak make for a welcoming nose.
• Taste: The palate is loaded with flavours like figs, raisins, candied nuts, cracked black pepper, baking spices, oak, and toffee.
• Finish: The finish is dry, warm, oak-forward with notes of vanilla, caramel, and cracked black pepper.
• Best for: Oak-heavy bourbon drinkers.

4. Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak

Produced by Maison Bache-Gabrielsen, this 100 per cent Ugni Blanc grape Cognac is double-matured in two different wood types. One from Europe and the other from the US, making for a truly global, unique Cognac perfect for fans of American whiskeys—especially Tennessee whiskey like Jack Daniel’s.

• Price: From AUD$75-100.
• ABV: 40 per cent.
• Cask type: This noteworthy Cognac was first matured in traditional French Limousin oak barrels before being finished for six months in new, charred American Tennessee whiskey barrels.
• Nose: This Cognac opens with scents of toasted coconut, vanilla cream, candied nuts, and charred oak.
• Taste: Sipping it brings notes of dark chocolate, candied orange peels, caramelized sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon sugar, with baking spices and more oaky wood.
• Finish: The finish is long, dry, and ends with a mix of cinnamon, vanilla beans, and caramelized sugar.
• Best for: Soft, sweet Tennessee whiskey drinkers.

5. Camus XO Elegance

You might not find a more elegant, well-rounded Cognac for whiskey drinkers than Camus XO Elegance. This multi-layered, sublimely balanced Cognac is made from eaux-de-vie from all six crus. This includes Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, and Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires. The result is a fruity, floral, sweet Cognac well-suited for whisky drinkers.

• Price: From AUD$200-250.
• ABV: 40 per cent.
• Cask type: This nuanced Cognac is matured in French Limousin casks and features eaux-de-vie between 10 and 30 years old.
• Nose: Aromas of plums, raisins, and other dried fruits are prevalent on the nose, as well as candied orange peels, caramel, and a gentle hit of wildflowers.
• Taste: The palate is centered on flavours of orange zest, honey, stone fruits, vanilla beans, candied nuts, baking spices, and a floral flavour.
• Finish: The finish is long, warm, and ends with a gentle mix of charred oak, dried cherries, toffee, treacle, and cinnamon.
• Best for: Sweet, fruity Irish whiskey drinkers.

Related reads

• What Is the Difference Between Brandy and Cognac?
• 18 Best Cognac Brands to Drink Right Now
• After Nearly 200 Years, the Iconic Cognac Monnet Has Finally Landed in Australia