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Cognac is one of the most “status” and elite spirits. It is appreciated by alcohol lovers for its special depth and subtlety of taste. But recently, the reputation of cognac has suffered greatly due to the appearance of counterfeit goods in large volumes.
Some, having run into a fake several times in a row, even begin to think that there is no difference between this low-quality product and real cognac.
What is cognac
Cognac is a type of brandy produced only in the French region of Charente from grapes of certain varieties with strict adherence to the process methodology.
In Russia and other states that were part of the USSR, “cognac” is not quite correctly called all drinks produced using a similar technology, which would be more correctly called “brandy”.
Literally everything is regulated at the legislative level in the production technology of a drink that really has the right to the name “cognac”.
The boundaries of the area where it can be produced, the grape varieties used, and other nuances of the process are strictly outlined. Accordingly, cognac is an exclusively French product.
“Cognac” is a unique French drink produced in a certain area according to a very strictly regulated technology.
What are the varieties of cognac
The drink is classified on the basis of the age of cognac spirit. If a blend (“cocktail” of them) was used for this variety, the exposure time is determined by the “youngest” one.
Cognacs with an alcohol content of 6 years or more are prohibited from being classified in certain categories by French law. This is argued by the fact that further quality and blending is almost impossible to objectively assess.
Depending on the aging period, the price of cognac varies greatly.
There is also a classification, little known in Russia, according to the wine-growing regions into which the province of Cognac is divided. Features of climatic and weather conditions in each of them determine the specifics of the taste of the drink.
How different types of cognac are prepared
The main difference in the production technology of different types of cognac is its aging time. The technique itself has not changed for several centuries. The process is conditionally divided into 4 stages:
- Obtaining sour white wine from officially recognized grape varieties suitable for this.
- Its double distillation in copper stills.
- Aging for two years or more in wooden barrels. They use only oak from another French province – Limousin.
- An assemblage of the resulting spirits in order to obtain a perfectly balanced drink. Here, blending masters or master tasters are included in the process, and the final result mainly depends on them.
Aging in an oak barrel is one of the most important features of the method of creating a drink.
Is all brandy bottled from the same tank with different labels?
Real cognac is a drink, the entire production process of which is carried out with the strictest observance of technology. Its quality is controlled no less strictly. In such conditions, manufacturers simply do not have the opportunity to “cheat”.
Yes, they don’t need it – not a single brand wants to lose a reputation that has been earned for decades and even centuries.
Therefore, to say that all this drink is bottled “from one barrel” is fundamentally wrong. But a completely different matter is counterfeit cognac. By the way, elite brands, not surprisingly, are counterfeited more often. And here the statement about “one barrel” is already quite true.
Fake is not only a complete disappointment, but also quite possible harm to health. Therefore, you need to choose a bottle very carefully, this minimizes the risk of acquiring counterfeit goods.
Important! You should go for a bottle of cognac to specialized stores that can document the originality of the drink.
This French cognac is distinguished by its exquisite taste and aroma. But in order not to be disappointed in the drink, you need to buy exactly the original product. The complexity of the production technology determines the high price, but connoisseurs of the drink believe that it is definitely worth it.
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Take care of yourself!
What do you prefer? Real French cognac or its Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Moldavian counterparts? Do you think that the unique production technology provides the same unique taste?