Why good cognac cannot cost less than 500 rubles

Recently I witnessed a conversation between two men in the alcohol department of a supermarket. As I understand it, they chose cognac as a gift to a friend.

One insisted that you need to take expensive cognac in beautiful packaging, and the second suggested taking cheaper, Russian-made. He argued that all cognac in stores is bottled from one barrel, and he sees no point in overpaying for packaging.

I thought, is he right? Is it possible to buy inexpensive cognac of good quality, or is it necessary to spend money. Let’s figure it out together.

How much does cognac cost in stores

Cognac is one of the most “status” drinks, combining the complexity of taste and aroma with aristocracy and a special culture of serving. The technology of its production is quite complicated, so even “mass” cognac cannot be cheap, not to mention exclusive varieties.

Good cognac can be found even among inexpensive drinks worth up to 1500 rubles.

Armenian cognacs are valued for their traditionally high quality and mild taste.

French cognacs of popular brands, of course, are more expensive:

• Hennessy. The brand line includes drinks of categories VS, VSOP, XO. The price starts from 3500 rubles for 0,5 liters.
• Courvoisier. One of the oldest cognac brands included in the “Big Four”. The cost starts from 3300 rubles for 0,5 liters.
• Remy Martin. A cult brand that holds the second place in terms of global sales. For 0,5 liters of a 2-year-old drink, you will have to pay about 2500 rubles, a 10-year-old – 12500 rubles.
• Martell. Due to its mild taste, it is very popular with ladies. The cheapest drink of the VSOP category costs about 3000 rubles, but the price can reach up to 15000 rubles.

When buying French cognac, you also have to pay for the brand.

What determines the price of cognac

The high cost of cognac is primarily due to the exclusivity of the drink. “Cognac” has the right to be called only what is produced in the French province of Charente.

Its analogues from other countries are already brandy. It happens that neither Armenian nor Russian cognacs exist, only brandy.

The complexity of the production technology also affects the price:

• cognac can only be produced from 12 grape varieties grown in the same province;
• oak barrels for its aging are still made by hand only from trees over 80 years old from another province – Limousin;
• exposure time (cognac needs to be stored somewhere for a long time).

To all this is added the “legendary” and “cult” status of French brands, the cost of the original packaging.

What other than the price you should pay attention to when choosing cognac

A high price does not guarantee the same high quality. According to statistics, expensive brandy is counterfeited even more often. In order not to throw away money on a drink that is dangerous to health, when buying, you need to comprehensively study it:

• there is an excise stamp on the bottle, for foreign drinks – with a certification mark;
• the label is clear, the font is well readable, without “blurring” and spots, it is glued evenly, without glue drips;
• cognac contains no dyes, flavor enhancers, flavors, other chemicals;
• the shade of the drink is similar to freshly brewed black tea, it should not reach the cork itself (about 50 ml of “emptiness” remains in the bottle).

There should definitely not be such an excise stamp on a bottle of high-quality cognac.

Important! If you turn the container over, there will be no flakes, “specks”, or other particles at the bottom of a bottle of high-quality cognac. One large “fat” drop should collect there, which will not immediately fall down, but will flow down the walls in thin, “oily” streams.

Why good cognac can’t be cheap

The lowest price for cognac is 500 rubles per 0,5 liter. There is simply no point in selling a drink cheaper, it will already be below cost. But even such cognac passes certification “with a scratch”, on the very edge of the standard.

For a guarantee, I recommend choosing drinks worth 700 rubles or more in order to enjoy the taste and aroma.

The price is due to the complexity and duration of the production process. A liter of cognac takes 10 liters of grape wine.

The process goes through natural fermentation, then the resulting cognac spirit is poured into oak barrels and aged for at least 2 years (the maximum aging period is not limited). Only after that the drink is bottled.

Cognac production is a long and difficult process, and this is reflected in its price.

Cognac lovers know that very good varieties can be found even among relatively inexpensive ones. However, a clearly underestimated price is the first thing that should alert a consumer who does not want to purchase counterfeit goods.

Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Take care of yourself!

How are you doing? Do you prefer to pay more, but are guaranteed to get a “reliable” French cognac in terms of quality? Or are you quite satisfied with the taste of Russian varieties that are cheaper?