What is the technology of factory and home production made of cognac? How French Cognac is Made Cognac is not made in the same name.

For me there were 2 discoveries: firstly, it is now fashionable to drink cognac with diluted tonic, and, secondly, the usual pot-bellied cognac glasses are a thing of the past ...

To realize how close everything in Cognac is to each other, I am posting this photo. It was taken from the balcony of the Valois castle, which houses the Otard cognac house, and just behind Hennessy is the Martel building:

A drink called Cognac can only be produced in the region of the same name, which is divided into 6 regions. The grapes grown in each of them differ in properties and taste.

The cognac that we buy in the store usually consists of several types of cognac of different aging and from different areas. The coolest areas are Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne and Borderies. The word Champagne refers to limestone and is not related to the Champagne region where French champagne is produced:

In one of the cognac houses in the museum, there are soil samples from some regions. They even differ visually. For example, cognac produced from grapes harvested in Grand Champagne has a light, delicate aroma with dominant floral tones:

Borderi soils contain a large percentage of clay and silicon. The local vines are used to produce excellent rounded and soft cognacs with pronounced tones of violets:

The main white grape variety from which the cognac is made is uni blanc - a slowly ripening variety with high acidity, high yield and disease resistance:

Immediately after the harvest, the grape juice is squeezed out. The juice turns out to be very sweet:

The wine distillation process takes place in the traditional Charentes alembic”, Consisting of an extraction boiler heated over an open fire (on the right), a“ onion ”-shaped boiler cap and a tube bent in the form of a“ swan neck ”, which is further transformed into a coil passing through the cooler:

Wine is heated in a cauldron. Ethyl alcohol has a boiling point lower than that of water, and is the first to evaporate through the "swan's neck". Then it enters the cooler, where it condenses and turns into liquid again, and the water remaining in the boiler is drained:

The wine is distilled twice. The first time the degree of the liquid rises to 27-32%, and during the second distillation to 68-72%. The clear liquid obtained after the second distillation is called cognac alcohol and is further aged in oak barrels:

During the first years of aging, the properties of cognac spirit change. It becomes darker in color, softer and rounder. In the aroma and taste, many shades appear, among which are notes of flowers, fruits and spices. During the tastings, you can smell and, if you wish, try different stages of the "readiness" of the cognac:

Here you can clearly see how the color of the cognac changes, depending on the aging - cognac spirit on the right, on the left - cognac with 6-year aging:

During aging, cognac spirit draws tannins, lignin and vanillin from the walls of the barrel:

Cognac barrels are made from French oak with an age of at least 80 years. Oak, as a material for the manufacture of barrels, was chosen due to its strength, fine-grained structure (that is, the wine will evaporate less through its pores) and high extractive qualities.

We visited the production of barrels, and I will write a separate post about this:

During the aging process, a significant part of the cognac evaporates through the pores of the tree (in France it is called part des anges - the share of angels), so there is a strong alcoholic "dukhan" in all the cellars. About 3% of the liquid evaporates per year:

During tastings, cognac is taken directly from the barrel and poured into glasses:

Maximum cognac is aged in barrels for up to 70 years. After that, its character and properties practically do not change, and in order to prevent its further evaporation, it is poured into glass bottles, the so-called "ladies-jones":

The properties of cognac in glass no longer change, and it can be stored like this for decades:

At the same time, the age of cognac is determined not by the year when it was poured into the barrel, but by the number of years of aging. That is, this 1893 cognac is still considered 70 years old, since it was aged in a barrel for 70 years:

In most cases, cognac is obtained by assembling (mixing) cognac spirits different years of exposure. At the same time, the exposure of the final product is determined by the minimum exposure period of the components. In the case of mass production of cognac, the assemblage allows maintaining its identical organoleptic properties, regardless of the quality of the grape harvest:

Cognac is mixed in large vats, and then bottled:

Cognacs are distinguished by age. There is a designation system on bottle labels:

* V.S. - at least 2 years
* V.S.O.P. - not less than 4 years
* X.O. - not less than 6 years

Cognac is tasted according to the same principle as the rest of the alcohol. They go down the face from top to bottom, eye-nose-mouth, that is, first they look, then sniff, and then try.

To fully enjoy your skating, follow the following simple rules:

* Pour 30 milliliters of cognac into a tulip glass
* Hold it by the leg or base (as in the photo below)
* Cognac must be room temperature

Visual inspection:

* Raise the glass just above eye level. Take a close look at the color and its shades. A good cognac will glow with brown hues.

* Gently shake the glass and wash its walls with cognac. Look at the "tears" that flow down the walls - the slower they flow, the more years the cognac is

The next stage is the so-called cognac nose - the definition of its aroma. This procedure is divided into 3 parts - 3 noses:

* 1st nose: Bring the glass to your nose without stirring the cognac. Your nose should be in the center of the glass, a few centimeters from it. Feel the lightest floral scents. Generally, cognac aromas are divided into floral, fruity, chocolate, woody, tobacco and earthy.

* 2nd nose: Bring the glass a little closer to the nose, to the level of the rim. Shake the liquid a little. Feel more complex aroma tones: many fruity tones, pears, apples, shades of exotic fruits and dried fruits.

* 3rd nose: Dip your nose directly into the glass and try to taste the heaviest aromas - chocolate, woody and tobacco

Tasting:

* In our mouth, taste buds are located in different places, for example, we feel sweet with the tip of the tongue, sour and salty at the edges of the tongue, and bitterness at the base. To fully develop the taste of cognac, take a small sip and then draw some air into your mouth.

* Roll the cognac all over your mouth.

* In the taste of cognac, softness and flavors are appreciated, when the aroma is constantly evolving and changing shades and half-tones.

* The longer the aftertaste lasts, the better the cognac and the higher its grade.

In recent years, the consumption of whiskey has been growing very rapidly in the world. Young people have tasted it and drink a huge number of cocktails based on it. This does not give rest to the producers of cognac. They even began to produce various cognac-based liqueurs, which are consumed chilled:

Another example is the Canadian cider produced by the Camus house:

But the biggest surprise for me was that the French, for the sake of increasing sales, changed all their principles. Now it is not necessary to drink cognac at room temperature and in its pure form. In all the cognac houses we visited, we were offered cognac-based cocktails:

The idea is to offer the market cocktails with higher quality alcohol than whiskey, so they began to actively mix cognac with tonic and, moreover, add lemon to it, which was previously considered by the French to be a complete bad manners:

The cognac itself can also be served frozen to the table:

The National Interprofessional Cognac Bureau, which invited me on this trip, is actively promoting the Summit Cognac-based cocktail, which includes:

Lime Quarter
- 4 thin slices of ginger
- a long piece of cucumber peel
- 60 milliliters of cognac
- 120 ml lemonade
- 4-5 ice cubes

Until recently, a "snifter" or spherical goblet, narrowed upwards, with a large bowl and a short stem. They held this glass in the palm of their hand, warming the cognac with its warmth, rotated the cognac along the walls of the bowl and enjoyed its aromas, dipping their nose into the glass.

Now everything has changed, and nowadays a “tulip” or a glass with a bowl in the shape of a closed tulip bud with a high leg is considered a more traditional glass. This glass is held by the leg or base, like a wine glass, the cognac is rotated along the walls of the bowl, allowing it to actively "breathe" oxygen, and the aromas of cognac are enjoyed through the narrow "outlet" of the glass:

Read our community also on VKontakte, where there is a huge selection of videos on "how it's done" and on Facebook.

Cognac is a component of recipes for homemade liqueurs and desserts on the vypaymena site. рф, therefore, it is impossible to ignore it. In this article we will look at the history of its creation, production technology, and learn to understand the labeling.

Cognac is a brandy made from white wine grown in the Cognac region of France. Let's clarify right away: in this article, the word "cognac" does not mean a trademark (which belongs precisely to French producers from the province of the same name), but the production process. For our purposes, product properties are important, not legal subtleties. In addition to cognac, grape brandy, Armagnac, and grappa are obtained by distillation from grape alcohol. The difference in technological processes affects the properties and quality of the final product, and, accordingly, the production standards. Technically, cognac is a type of brandy, which is how it was featured on advertising posters at the beginning of the 20th century.

Why use cognac for tinctures

First of all: how does cognac differ from ferrying from any other wort? The whole secret is in the grapes. Even grape wine is incomparable with the fermentation products of any other berry or fruit. Grape wine does not retain the taste and aroma of the grapes. Any fruit wine tastes like the fruit from which it was obtained: apples, cherries, raspberries, whatever. The taste of fruit and berry wines does not differ from liqueurs and liqueurs based on the same raw materials. Grapes behave differently: the complex and rich organoleptic properties of grapes are manifested only during fermentation and subsequent aging.

You may be interested in Technology for the preparation of tinctures, liqueurs and liqueurs

And the process of distilling white wine into alcohol and subsequent aging in oak barrels gives the wine bouquet a new dimension, unattainable in other ways.

Like a peacock's tail, cognac reveals its flavorful bouquet smoothly and majestically

If classic Russian vodka does not have its own taste and smell, except for the smell of alcohol, then cognac does not smell like alcohol, while retaining all the extracting properties of strong alcohol. The tinctures on it are comparable to a symphony orchestra, for which you determine the soloist. Using cognac for liqueurs, you get at your disposal many flavor and aromatic combinations that are not available when using ordinary vodka or moonshine.

History, technology and raw materials

The distillation of grape wine in Europe has been noted in historical documents since at least the 15th century. The elder brother of cognac was Gascon Armagnac and numerous types of Dutch brandy. They were distilled once, and the strength of these drinks was relatively low (up to 36 degrees). Numerous varieties of brandy were distributed throughout western Europe, and the production of "burnt wine" reached Russia at about the same time. But the technology of aging wine alcohol in oak barrels to enrich it with tannins and tannins appeared only in the 17th century.

House Martell is one of the oldest and largest producers of French cognacs

What grape varieties are used to make cognac

In the production of real French cognac, three main varieties of white grapes are used:

• Trebbiano Toscano
• Colombard
• Folle Blanche

Additionally, grape varieties Ugni Blanc, Folignan, Juranson Blanc, Melier Saint-Francois, Montil, Semillon are used.

Typically, these are very sour and tart varieties with low sugar levels, and white wine from them is obtained with a low alcohol content. Cognac producers are prohibited from adding sugar or sulfur to wines to be distilled.

To reduce acidity, wines used as raw materials for the production of cognac are subjected to malolactic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation is the process in which the tart malic acid in wine is converted to lactic acid with a creamy flavor.

Getting cognac spirit - eau-de-vie

Continuous distillation (rectification), with the help of which vodka and gin are produced, is prohibited in the production of cognac. Used double distillation in copper alambics. The resulting raw material is called eau-de-vie - this is the same aqua vitae, "living water", which gave the name to whiskey and aquavit. Eau-de-vie contains about 70% alcohol, it is completely transparent, it has a pronounced fruity-peach aroma.

After double distillation, cognac spirit is aged for at least two years in oak barrels. To obtain some varieties, assemblage is used (mixing of alcohols from the harvest of different years to balance the properties of the final product). The list of such alcohols is strictly regulated. With the help of assemblage, the organoleptic properties of the drink are adjusted in accordance with the standard. Buying a certain brand of cognac, you know that you will get strictly defined properties. The same Armagnac in this regard is much more unpredictable and depends on the harvest in a particular year.

The main stages of production

• Process double distillation white grape wine and getting cognac alcohol.
• Aged in oak barrels.
• Blending.

Each stage of production changes the properties of the product. Subject to the rules and aging from 2 years, cognac acquires stability that preserves its quality over time.

A necessary part of the process is aging in wine barrels from oak. Average aging period - from 2 years. During this period, the raw materials absorb tannins and tannins from oak wood and the residual aroma of wine. With each year of aging, ethyl alcohol and water gradually evaporate. The evaporation process depends on the storage conditions, and on average are from 0.5 to 4.6% vol. in a year. This is poetically called the "angel's share." Considering that the initial strength of cognac alcohol is about 70%, even with prolonged aging, the strength of the drink is high.

An important stage is the blending process. When cognac passes this stage of preparation, in addition to mixed different varieties alcohol is added fragrant water, caramel, alcohol infusion on oak chips, sugar syrup. All additives are regulated.

After blending, the drink is allowed to "rest" for 3-6 months, and mature brands - a year or more.

Aged in barrels, cognac is poured into glass bottles. The shelf life recommended by manufacturers is glass bottle- no more than 2 years, although if the rules are observed, cognac is stored for an unlimited time.

Grape distillation obtained from wines outside of France is not subject to strict regulations, technologies may vary slightly.

Exposure classification

Marking with "stars", habitual in the USSR, indicating the aging period, is now practically not used. Here is the aging classification, developed back in the 19th century by Maurice Hennessy:

• V.S. (Very Special) - 2 years old. Young cognac. In fact, they withstand it for 2.5 years.
• S./V.O. - 3 years old, Superior
• S.O.P. (Superior Old Pale) - 4 years old. This cognac is pale, "pale". For 4 years the color of cognac becomes paler.
• V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale) - 5 years old, premium class, aka Grande reserve
• X.O. (Extra Old) - 6 years or more. Extra class. It is also called Napoleon, which many people mistake for an independent brand of cognac.

The same gradation is applied to brandy in general, but regarding brandy there is also clause A.C., which includes drinks up to 2 years of aging.

How to make cognac from vodka

No way. From vodka, you can make tinctures that taste like cognac. Many will not be able to distinguish such a surrogate from cognac, and no wonder. For one and a half hundred years, the country preferred a mixture of water and alcohol, without this mixture, the snack turned into boring food, what delights are there.

how to choose and store high-quality cognac, how to distinguish a fake, and which cognac is better to use for home liqueurs.

Cognac, named after the city of the same name in France, is rightfully considered a noble drink, and it was in the French city of Cognac that this strong alcohol was created. The alcohol content in alcohol can be 40 to 60 percent. Due to the good degree and pleasant taste, the drink gained its massive popularity among the population, which contributed to the appearance huge amount fakes. In order to avoid unpleasant consequences from the use of a low-quality product, you should know how to check it for authenticity.

Of course, when purchasing a drink, you rarely think about the fact that there may be a fake in front of you, you want to quickly sip the velvet liquid and feel its noble aroma. But do not forget that drinking low-quality alcohol can lead to serious consequences, and a headache with a severe hangover will be the least problem. To avoid this, you should follow some rules and resort to little tricks that can help you choose real alcohol.

Place of sale of real cognac

In order to minimize the risk of buying a counterfeit drink, you should contact specialized alcohol sales points, large supermarkets with a good reputation, or buy it in duty-free shops when it comes to high-end brands. Careful selection of the place of purchase will provide you with additional options when testing alcohol for originality. For example, you can demand certificates of origin of the drink and get expert advice when choosing.

Price

The price for a bottle of ordinary alcohol, the aging of which does not classify it as a premium class, should be around $ 10-15. Price for good drink decent, so you shouldn't grab onto bottles priced at 25-35 percent less right away. In most cases, you will buy low-quality liquor.

For example, a bottle of real in a specialized liquor store costs at least $ 20 per 0.5 liter.

Bottle appearance

• Before purchasing cognac, carefully study the packaging and design. Real alcohol of world famous brands is poured into ordinary bottles of a classic look, without frills and pretentiousness, made of figured glass. As a rule, such containers have a corporate design that protects against counterfeiting. An example of simplicity and security are brands of cognacs and.

• The label is a very important indicator of the originality of the purchased alcohol... It should be glued neatly, symmetrically, without damage. Paper for labels of expensive alcohol is special, when touched it resembles an old banknote. Most counterfeits have a label made of cheap paper, the quality of the print is dull and blurry in color and inscriptions. The age and type of alcohol, country of origin, place of production and composition must be indicated on the label.
• Beyond the bottle and label attention should be paid to the cork... It is made from balsa wood, and such a cork seals the bottle tightly. If the bottle has an empty and loosely seated metal cap, be sure: this is a fake.

How to check the authenticity of cognac by the excise stamp

Remember that no matter how good the bottle, cap, label looks and the absence of an excise stamp is the minus that decides the fate of your purchase. The excise stamp must always be present... It should be glued tightly without damage.

The excise stamp must have a hologram and a barcode, the name must match the one declared on the label. The presence of the mark indicates that all taxes on this product have been paid, it is legally imported into the territory of the state, and alcohol can also be checked by official means.

Marking and excerpt

One of the important factors in detecting counterfeiting is the labeling and aging of alcohol. Counterfeiters usually rely on the buyer’s carelessness or lack of knowledge. There are two types of markings: French and used by manufacturers of the CIS countries.

French labeling is regulated by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac. For buyers of French alcoholic beverages, there is the following marking by which you can find out about the aging of this cognac:

In France, it is prohibited by law to label beverages older than 6.5 years. The reason for this is that it is almost impossible to control the mixing and quality of such alcohol.

The classification used by CIS manufacturers is much simpler. Such markings are most often found on alcohol. The following types are distinguished in it:

Color and transparency

The color of real cognac varies from light amber in young varieties to dark amber in varieties with a long aging period. In real alcohol, there is no precipitation, and light penetrates perfectly through it.

Liquid consistency

In order to understand how high-quality the product is in front of you, you can also turn the bottle upside down and watch the bubbles rise. If the big ones went up first, and then the small ones, then you have high-quality alcohol in front of you. But often the container is filled completely, and this method of verification becomes impossible.

Composition and manufacturer information

Since cognac is a natural drink, the composition should not contain any flavors, rectified alcohol or dyes. If there are any, it is best not to take it.

The best is alcohol produced in France and Armenia. This is important information, and it must be on the label. It is also worth remembering that drinks based on wine distillates are called real cognac, which are produced in only two regions: the French region of Charente, represented by the cities of Cognac, Jarnac, Segonzac and in Armenia. For example, a real "Frenchman" produced in the Cognac region.

How to check cognac for authenticity and quality at home

At home, you can carry out simple manipulations to determine the quality and aging of real alcohol.... To do this, pour the liquid into a glass and rotate the slightly tilted glass around its axis. If the drink flows down the walls of the glass slowly and leaves behind even traces and individual drops that also linger on the walls, then this is a good quality drink.

To learn about aging, observe the marks on the glass. If they last for 5 seconds, this is alcohol with an aging of 5-8 years, 15 seconds - about 20 years, 20 seconds - 50 and more years.

Taste and aroma

The aroma of alcohol appears gradually. What does real cognac smell like? The smell of real alcohol is multifaceted... First, there are subtle oak notes, the aroma of tobacco and various fruits is revealed, and then chocolate with hints of vanilla. The counterfeit product does not have a variety of flavors or "gives off" with acetone or kerosene.

It's the same with taste. Real alcohol has a pleasant mild taste that gradually unfolds. A fake is often stinging, with an alcoholic aftertaste.

Approaching with all responsibility to the choice of this noble and popular drink, you will get real pleasure and great mood. But remember that the immense use of even the highest quality and most expensive cognac can negatively affect your well-being. How do you choose a drink and have you come across fakes? Be sure to write about it in the comments.

Has long gained popularity among lovers of spirits. This alcohol has a bright taste, rich aroma and amber color... Although the historical homeland of the drink is France, today it is also produced in other countries. However, what cognac is made of and the technology of its production remain unchanged.

History

France is a land of vineyards. She also became the birthplace of cognac, which is made from special grape varieties. The history of "wine vodka", as cognac is sometimes called, began at the time of the Roman conquest of the Gauls territory. In ancient Rome, grapes were also grown and wine was produced, but it was very different in quality from the products made in French lands.

The Gauls were already actively engaged in wine production, so the Romans cut down most of the vineyards in the conquered territory so that local wine could not compete with imperial products. Only a few vineyards remain in France, including in the province of Poitou on the picturesque banks of the Charente River. The city of Cognac was also located here. The land in this place was fertile, and therefore the best quality was produced. Ships from neighboring states came there to fill the holds with barrels of French wine.

However, by the 16th century, Poitou was producing so much wine that it dropped sharply in quality. The sailors did not deliver the drink to its destination, as it quickly deteriorated. Only a century later, the idea of ​​distilling wine came to French winemakers, as did pharmacists and alchemists to obtain medicinal alcohol. Local craftsmen have designed a special distillation apparatus... Now winemakers received cognac alcohol, which did not deteriorate during transportation. And a few years later, the double distillation technology was discovered.

The fact that "wine vodka" improves its taste qualities with long-term storage, the French learned during the war with the British at the beginning of the 18th century. Sea trade routes were blocked, therefore alcoholic beverage was kept in oak barrels in the cellars of the city. Later, residents of the city of Cognac were surprised how tasty the drink became. Since then, the alcoholic drink has been aged only in oak barrels.

How the best drinks in the world are made

Only producers of the city of the same name in France and some areas of the Charente department have the right to make cognac. The production of cognac there is carried out according to old technologies using distillation stills, designed according to the models of the first apparatus.

For the manufacture of the drink, grapes grown on special plantations with calcareous soils are used. The climate should not be dry and cold. Not every variety is suitable for production, as cognac is made only from those grape varieties that give colorless juice. Most often these are white and pink species. Suitable varieties are:

• Unyi blanc;
• Fol blanche;
• Colombard;
• Motil;
• Semillon.

These varieties ripen by October when harvesting begins. vine... The fruits, together with the seeds, are immediately sent under the press to get the wort. After several weeks of fermentation, the producers receive grape wine. It is sent for secondary distillation. For the production of 1 liter of cognac, about 10 liters of grape wine is required, since at the output it gives 3 fractions. For further production, only the 2nd fraction is used with optimal strength (70%), taste and aroma.

In early April, the drink is poured into oak barrels. Much attention is paid to the container in which the drink is stored. For storage of cognac, barrels are made from old wood species. The design of their fastening does not use nails and other metal parts that can spoil the taste of the drink. Barrels are stored at a temperature of + 15 ° C. Extract of "wine vodka" must be at least 3 years.

The French are as proud of the strong drink as they are of the wine. They are picky about the technology of its production, starting with the conditions for growing raw materials. The French believe that the slightest violation in the rules for making a drink leads to a deterioration in its qualities. However, "wine vodka" is produced today in many countries.

Ingredients and production technology in Russia

European law prohibits the use of the name "cognac" for labeling spirits produced outside the Charente department. If manufacturers of other countries use this word, then they are obliged to add the name of the place of production to it. Therefore, on the shelves of shops you can find "Russian brandy", "Armenian brandy", etc.

Not all cognac grape varieties can be grown in Russian climatic conditions. Therefore, for the manufacture of the drink in Russia, other grape varieties are used: Aligote, Plavai, Cleret, Rkatsitele, etc.

In terms of technology, the production of cognac in Russia also has its own characteristics. Russian product it is distinguished by the golden color of the liquid. This color is achieved due to the use in the production of ionized water, sugar syrup, natural colors and aromatic alcohols. These same components give the Russian drink an original aroma.

However, in Russia, only a few factories can boast of quality products. These are Derbent, Kizlyar and Novokuban cognac factories. The rest of the manufacturers supply the market with low quality products or outright fakes. The production of cognac at such enterprises is put on stream.

Making cognac at home

Per good product no need to go to France, as many drink lovers make cognac at home. There are many varieties of grapes suitable for making "wine vodka". The main thing is to observe the technology.

The grapes are separated from the twigs and pressed together with the seeds. The fruits are not even washed, so as not to remove from the surface wild yeast... Sugar is added to the mass and sent to a fermentation vessel for 4-5 days. Remove foam from the surface.

Then the mass is filtered, bottled and covered with a rubber glove. The liquid is again sent to fermentation in a warm, dark place. This stage takes up to 8 weeks. After that, the liquid needs to be driven 2 times through the moonshine still.

How to tell a stellar drink from a fake

It is believed that you cannot choose cognac as a gift if you do not understand alcohol, as you can run into a fake. For the manufacture of a surrogate, not wine, but simple alcohol is used. The drink is not kept in oak barrels, as it is long and expensive, but stored in simpler containers. In order for the liquid to acquire a characteristic cognac color and aroma, flavors and dyes are added to it.

However, you do not need to know everything about cognac in order to choose a quality product. The first thing to look at is the price. A liter of a young product cannot cost less than 500 rubles. The cost of an aged drink is higher. Exposure information is applied to the company label.

Manufacturers prefer to bottle their products in intricate bottles. The cap on the bottle always sits tightly, the label is tightly glued, and the excise stamp is applied on top of it. If these conditions are not met, then the product may be counterfeit.

Be sure to read the composition. The drink, which contains flavors or ethyl alcohol, is of poor quality. If you turn the bottle over, the aged cognac will not run down the walls. After opening the bottle, the liquid should not smell like alcohol. The counterfeit product may also have a vanilla aroma. This is how dishonest manufacturers interrupt the smell of alcohol.

Not so long ago I talked about how to choose the right red caviar and champagne. And now, at the request of my readers, it was the turn to talk about how to buy quality cognac or brandy, which are essentially the same thing. The brandy name is used mainly by European manufacturers, because there, according to the law, only a drink made in the province of the same name can be called cognac.

It's no secret that good cognac should cost at least 200 rubles for 0.5 liters. But even in this case, we run the risk of running into a fake. So how to choose and then buy this noble drink, what to look for so as not to spoil your holiday?

How to buyquality cognac?

1. The shape of the bottle. Better to choose non-standard ones. The more complex bottle shape suggests that the manufacturer is concerned about protecting its product from counterfeiting. Therefore, the more complex and original the shape of the bottle, the more likely it is to buy a good cognac.

2. We look at how the label is glued. Exactly, therefore, the product is of high quality. All irregularities, folds, traces of glue, corners lagging behind the glass are signs of a poor-quality product. You should not buy cognac if the label is glued over the excise stamp. It is important to remember: the excise stamp is glued last and only the excise stamp can get on the label, but not vice versa.

3. Check the cap. It should not rotate on well-made cognac. At the factory, cognac is sealed with an automatic machine. The cork sits smoothly and firmly. Try to twist it: if the cap is spinning, then you shouldn't buy such cognac.

4. Here we have checked the bottle by its external features. Now we read on the label what's inside. If it says ethyl grain rectified alcohol or extra, then it is, in fact, colored vodka. Real brandy (cognac) must contain cognac alcohol. Also, real brandy or cognac should not be flavored. In addition, the following information is written on the label: the name of the brandy, the name of the company and the manufacturer (on the front and back side), the capacity of the bottle, the volume fraction (%) of alcohol, the age of cognac spirits (for cognacs of special names and brands), the designation of the standard (GOST 13741 - 91), date of the spill. By the way, the guaranteed shelf life of cognacs in bottles from the day of bottling is 2 years. However, if, after this time, sediment and turbidity do not appear in the bottle, then the cognac is suitable for further storage and consumption. On the bottle with collectible cognac, an additional label is glued with the indication “Collectible”. Additionally: "Aged in the collection for _ years".

And in conclusion: no matter how hard we try to choose the right products, unfortunately unscrupulous manufacturers come up with more and more ways to deceive us. To finally make sure of the quality of the purchased brandy, you can do the following: when the bottle is open, pour the brandy into a glass and let it breathe a little. After 3 - 5 minutes, sniff your drink: if, along with the smell of alcohol, you do not catch notes of solvent or kerosene, then you have chosen a good one. quality cognac... And I am glad that my advice helped you with this. And if so, then share this article with others. 🙂 And please express your opinion in the comments. Enjoy the shopping. 🙂