Contents
What is this article about?
It’s no secret that genuine cognac is produced only in the vicinity of the French commune of the same name Cognac (Cognac, France).
It is important to knowthat there are more than 250 cognac companies. However, the most famous are the so-called “Four Great” cognac houses:
Hammer
Remy Martin
Hennessy
Courvoisier
It is these famous brands of cognac that account for about 80% of the products supplied to the world market.
Vzboltay collected all the famous cognac brands and wrote about it below …
Hammer
Cognac House Martell is the oldest company in its category. Its founder, Jean Martel, who moved to the cognac region from the island of Jersey, for the first few years of his company’s existence, traded in everything from coal to colonial goods.
In 1726, a native of Jersey married the daughter of a major brandy merchant, as a result of which he reoriented his business to the sale, and then the production of cognac products.
Throughout the XIX-XX centuries, the company remained the undisputed leader of the cognac industry, but by the mid-1990s, it began to lose ground, losing ground to the houses of Hennessy and Rémy Martin.
At the same time, even today, the brainchild of a successful entrepreneur sells 22 million bottles of his famous products every year, exporting them to almost 150 countries around the world.
In addition, this house owns such brands as:
Augier
Briand 8s With
Cohiba
Jules Robin
Detailed view of Martell
Remy Martin
The Rémy Martin brand began its almost three hundred years of history with a small family distillery.
Today it is the second largest enterprise in terms of production, annually selling more than 24 million bottles of cognac, exported to 165 countries.
At the same time, the reputation of Rémy Martin is so impeccable that this manufacturer can afford not to indicate on the labels the exact age of the youngest spirits contained in the drinks sold.
Rémy Martin is also the owner of a number of other brands, namely:
De Luze
Roulleaud Larret
Etienne Gasqueto
Detailed review of Rémy Martin
Hennessy
At the origins of the Hennessy house, by far the largest representative of the cognac industry, was not a Frenchman, but an Irish military man, Richard Hennessy, who was in the service of the French King Louis XV. Subsequently, it was the owners of this company, in the framework of the fight against fakes, who were the first to supply their products not in barrels, but in bottles. They also introduced the practice of designating the number of years of cognac aging with the help of asterisks.
Unlike the other three cognac houses, Hennessy is still fully controlled by the direct descendants of its founder. The export of drinks produced directly in Hennessy distilleries exceeds 30 million bottles per year.
In addition, from the spirits provided by this cognac house, drinks are produced under the brands:
Command
Davidoff
Denis Mounie
Hine
Monnet
Pellisson
Detailed review of Hennessy
Courvoisier
The youngest of the great cognac houses, Courvoisier, in terms of sales volume, is somewhat inferior to its main competitors. Its annual export is approximately 15 million bottles. In addition, unlike the other meters of the cognac industry, Courvoisier has neither its own vineyards, nor its own cooper production, or even its own distilleries. The company buys everything necessary from the surrounding owners and craftsmen.
At the same time, this circumstance does not prevent the company from owning a number of rights to well-known brands of cognac:
Thank you
Oak
Count Louis de Naives
Curlier
Garde Imperiale
Grandier
Fountain
Royal Symbol
Salignac
Royal symbols
Frederick Wildman
It is curious that the history of this house is quite closely and intricately intertwined with the history of the imperial house of Bonaparte. It was this company that was the court supplier of cognac under Napoleon III.
In addition, there is a legend that Napoleon I, captured after the defeat at Waterloo, either tried to find the location of British officers, generously treating them to Courvoisier cognac, or planned to escape to America on a ship carrying this very cognac. Although, in fairness, it should be noted that, according to official documents, this French enterprise appeared only 20 years after the collapse of the great emperor.
Detailed review of Courvoisier
Gautier
One of the oldest cognac houses in the region, Gautier, received official permission to engage in entrepreneurial activities from King Louis XV in 1755.
The uniqueness of its products is largely due to the practice of aging cognac spirits in a cellar located on a rather humid river island.
Today, under the Gautier brand, about a million bottles of cognac are sold annually, supplied to almost 70 countries of the world.
Bisquit
Cognac House Bisquit founded in 1819 by twenty-year-old Alexander Biscuit, still preserves cognac spirit in its cellars dated to the year of its foundation.
Although today the funds of such a reputable company as Pernod Ricard are invested in the development of the brand, the annual sales volume of Bisquit cognacs is a little more than 3 million bottles.
Delamain
Although the Delamain company was founded in England by one of the descendants of French Huguenot emigrants, Henry Delamain, from the moment of its creation in 1824 to the present day, no one doubts its right to be ranked among the original cognac houses.
The fact is that the cognac produced by it is made exclusively from authentic French raw materials, and its exposure is made only in the Charente region. Drinks from Delamain are usually aged in old barrels in order to give them softness.
Every year the company sells about 600 thousand bottles of cognac produced by it, which invariably find their admirers.
Detailed overview of Delamain
Bucket Brothers
Cognac House Godet Freres, officially founded in 1838, appeared thanks to the efforts of the Dutch trading dynasty Godet. A well-recognized slogan of a company that buys grape spirits entirely from local distillers is the phrase: “We choose spirits as friends are chosen.”
Every year, about a million bottles of Godet Freres products reach stores in 45 countries around the world.
Hardy
Company Hardy, founded in 1863, also has foreign roots. At its origins was a native of the UK, Anthony Hardy.
The Hardy house is one of the few actively engaged in the retail sale of its own products. At the same time, he is the leader in the sale of cognac in the domestic French market. The total annual sales of Hardy at times is almost 2 million bottles.
Camus
Camus was founded in 1863 by the great-grandfather of the current owner of the company, Jean-Baptiste Camus.
The annual sale of cognac of this brand is 4,5 million bottles of its products, exported to nearly 150 countries. In addition, Camus is the owner of the Planat cognac brand.
The company’s employees pay special attention to the quality of water used for irrigating vineyards. Interestingly, this cognac house, at one time, maintained very close trade ties with both Tsarist Russia and the former USSR.
Detailed view of Camus
Other brands worth knowing about
In addition to all the above brands, there are many other brands of cognac that can be found in specialized outlets, especially those located in the Duty free zone.
If you’ve had enough of world-famous cognac brands and want to try something new, you should pay attention to the following brands:
AEDor
Currently, the A.E.DOR Cognac House is owned by Jacques Riviere, a descendant of Amadeus Edouard Dora, and together with his son Pierre-Antoine, they carefully adhere to tradition and create excellent cognacs.
AEDor cognac house is one of the top three cognac houses in the world. Their cognac collections are unparalleled.
Chabasse (Bowen)
Founded in 1818 by Jean-Baptiste Chabasse, he also created excellent cognac spirits, which were the basis of the future family business.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Louis Oliver Chabasse, head of the Chabasse Cognac House, traveling and promoting his cognacs around the world, met Elizabeth Bowen, who struck him with her passion for nature, wild life, courage and freedom of spirit. Returning to France, he created a blend of noble cognac with a delightful range of subtle aromas, unsurpassed charm, strong character and named this drink in honor of Elizabeth – “Bowen”.
Croizet
The Croiset family was known back in the XNUMXth century for its extensive vineyards located in Grand Champagne (Grand Champagne).
The history of the cognac house began in 1805, when Leon Croizet, holder of the Order of the Legion of Honor, started producing cognac. Croiset received France’s highest award for researching methods to combat phylloxera – grape aphids. By enclosing part of the vineyards with stone fences and grafting vines with American seedlings, Leon Croiset managed to preserve valuable varieties.
At first, the Croizet house was engaged in the production of inexpensive cognacs, supplying them mainly to the Scandinavian countries.
Delon
A brand positioned at a high level, named after the French actor Alain Delon and actively promoted by him.
The brand is represented by XO Reserve Speciale cognac, made from Grand Champagne, Petit Champagne and Fain Bois spirits, with an average age of thirty years.
Denis Charpentier
The brand was refounded in 1984. It gained its fame in the wake of the “pre-crisis” growth in demand in Asian countries.
The products of this house, produced on the basis of Grand Champagne and Fine Champagne cognac spirits, have won several prizes at international competitions and settled, for example, in such an important market as China, as well as in Duty Free stores. .
Edgard Leyrat
A fourth generation small family grower owning the Domaine de Chez Maillard (Che Mayar) estate in the Feng Bois sub-region. The vineyards of “Edgar Lehr” (53 hectares), according to the head of the company, are located on an exceptionally favorable territory for the cultivation of grapes, noted in the XNUMXth century by the famous geologist, Professor Henri Cocan, who conducted the first scientific research in Charente.
Frapin
The Frapin family has been known as a dynasty of winemakers since 1270, whose vineyards settled in the South-West of France in the Grand Champagne region, in the Premiere Grand Cru du Cognac.
The Frapin residence is located in the Fonpino family castle in the vicinity of Segonzac. For 20 generations, family members have been producing cognacs.
One of the representatives of the Frapin family was the famous XNUMXth-century writer Francois Rabelais, son of Antoine Rabelais and Catherine Frapin, author of the world-famous work Gargantua and Pantagruel.
Gaston de Lagrange
In 1961, the famous concern Martini & Rossi founded the Cognac House Gaston de Lagrange, which got its name in honor of the French aristocrat.
For the production of cognac Gaston de Lagrange, cognac spirits from the most famous regions are used: Grande Champagne, Borderies, Feng – Bois, Petite Champagne. Preference is given to Ugni Blanc grapes.
Cognac is created from a perfectly matched ratio of alcohols, the maturation of which takes place in Limousin oak barrels. Alcohols that have matured to 55-65 degrees are softened with water aged in old barrels, this process is called reduction. As a result, the fortress of all cognacs is 40 degrees. Gaston de Lagrange products are exported to more than 50 countries around the world.
Hine
Hine is currently part of the LVMH (Louis Vuitton-Moet-Hennessy) group. The company is managed by sixth generation descendants of Thomas Hein: cousins Bernard and Jacques Hein.
The company does not have its own vineyards and alambikov. Most spirits come from Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne, with very little from Feng Bois. Hine prefers to reduce alcohols, reducing the strength to 60% immediately after distillation. Alcohols are aged in barrels only from Tronsey oak.
Detailed view of Hine
Louis Royer
The cognac house was created in 1853 by Louis Royer and is known for a wide range of quality cognacs and Pineau des Charentes.
The company is located in the city of Jarnac on the banks of the Charente River, its offices and cellars are located where they were built over 150 years ago.
Until recently, the company did not have its own vineyards – only in 2012, Louis Royer acquired a winery in Grand Champagne – Domain du Ménis, so grapes are bought from five of the six sites allowed for cognac production.
marnier
In 1827, Jean-Bastiste Lapostol founded a plant for the production of fruit liqueurs with the addition of cognac. In 1876, his granddaughter married Louis Marnier, the son of a prominent family of winemakers. Thus, the Grand Marnier company was formed, which has been owned by the Marnier-Lapostol family for more than 150 years.
In 1921, Louis Marnier acquired the Château de Bourg-Charentes in the Cognac region, in the cellars of which cognac spirits began to age. Since then, the company has been the fifth largest cognac house in the region, buying brandy spirits from more than 200 producers.
Today, the House of Grande Marnier is headed by the sixth generation of the Marnier-Lapostol family, namely Jacques Marnier-Lapostol. In the production of drinks, Jacques remains true to the traditions that were laid down by his ancestors. Marnier cognacs range from VS to XO.
Meukow
Founded in 1862 by Russian citizens, the Meukov brothers, with the blessing of the Russian Tsar Alexander II, it is the first and only Russian brandy house today.
Detailed view of Meukow
Otard
Baron Otard is the most respected cognac and has been around for 200 years. It can easily compete in terms of sales with Hennessy, Martel and Rémy Martin.
The secret of this amazing drink lies in the impeccable and completely unique conditions for aging alcohol in the cellars of Château de Cognac. This castle was bought by Otard in 1796, right after the founding of the brand.
Detailed view of Otard
Paulet
Founded in 1848 by Jean-Maurice Lacroix on the basis of a distillery that produced cognac back in the XNUMXth century, this brand is now owned by the Cointreau family, owners of the Frapin house.
Paulet’s extensive range includes several cognacs with a noticeable presence of Borderie spirits – it is thanks to them that the style of the house is recognizable by its rich floral aroma.
Prince Hubert de Polignac
Prince Hubert de Polignac comes from the oldest noble families in France. Their history dates back to 860 and is associated with the name of Armand de Polignac 1st.
Over the centuries, some of the members of this family have played an important role in the history of France. The honorable commitment of the Polignac family is reflected in their motto, “Sacer Custos Pacis”, which can be translated as “The Sacred Guardian of Peace”.
Ragnaud Sabourin
Elite French cognac, which is very difficult to find not only on the shelves of large stores, but even in specialized alcohol boutiques.
The thing is that Ragnaud-Sabourin is a small family business that produces its alcoholic masterpieces in small quantities and only for true connoisseurs of quality cognac. French brandy Ragno-Sabourin (Ragnaud-Sabourin) has a very complex production technology, which has been kept secret by the owners of the house for a long time. They pass it on only by inheritance to their sons.
In addition, all Ragno-Sabourin brandies are not blended, but are made from their own grapes by specialists who have devoted almost their entire conscious life to the alcoholic business. After that, the French cognac is sent for a long time to grow old and saturate with wonderful taste qualities in its own cellars, which are constantly monitored.
Renault
The cognac house was founded in 1835 by Jean-Antoine Reno. In the XNUMXth century, he was one of the first to supply cognac not in barrels, as was customary before, but in bottles, thanks to which he achieved considerable fame in the markets of Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries.
Acquired Castillon in 1963. In 1991, he entered the Pernod-Ricard group through its Bisquit cognac house, after which it became known as Renault-Bisquit. After that, the headquarters of the house was moved from Cognac to the former possession of “Remy Martin” – the Château de Lignier.
Larsen
The history of the company began in 1926, some time after Jens Reidar Larsen left his home in Norway and moved to France. This happened in 1919, and first a young Norwegian from Tromso settled in Bordeaux, and then came to Cognac, where he stayed.
The range of Larsen cognacs is quite extensive. The drinks are made from selected spirits, distilled from high-quality varietal grapes from the fertile lands of Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fain Bois. The age of the youngest spirit included in the cognac blend is 2,5 years, and the age of the oldest spirit is 5 years.
Larsen is a surprisingly bright drink, in the aroma of which tones of ripe grapes and herbs soar. The taste is quite soft, balanced, smooth and full-bodied, which is not typical for such young drinks. There may also be a slight sourness to the taste.
If you set out to get acquainted with the products of other two hundred enterprises, including those sold only to selected restaurants, you should, at least for a while, settle in a glorious French town called Cognac or in its vicinity.
Relevance: 10.02.2021
Tags: brandy and cognac