Remy Martin Cognacs have been a hallmark in the fine art of cognac making. It was in 1724 that Remy Martin a young winegrower established his company in the Cognac region in France. For over 280 years Remy Martin has been making some of the finest cognac that can be found across the world. The years 1830 to 1874 saw the creation of some of the finest cognacs from the House of Remy. In 1830 the Remy Martin Grande Champagne Cognac was created. Subsequently in 1848 the Remy Martin Fine Champagne Cognac was created.

The Remy Martin Cognac brand saw further strengthening of its brand value when in 1870 the Centaur symbol was introduced to represent Remy Martin. This symbol was introduced by Paul-Emile Remy Martin and was his zodiac sign. This sign was representative of the alliance between man and nature and finally became synonymous with the Remy Martin Cognacs.

The years 1898 and 1927 were significant to the House of Remy Martin. It was in 1898 that finally after many years of aging the Coupe Fine Champagne was released by Remy Martin. This cognac had the ‘greatest aromatic breadth’ and was released by Paul Emile Remy Martin himself. In the year 1927 the Remy Martin Fine Champagne VSOP was released. This cognac received a resounding success because of its impeccable taste and superior quality. Shortly after in 1937, Remy Martin became the official supplier to the Imperial and Royal courts and thus began the rise of a world cognac brand.

Remy Martin has a long drawn and lengthy process of making their fine cognac. The House of Remy Martin chooses its grapes from the two best crus or growth areas in France. These areas are that of Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne. The produce from this area is so coveted because of its unique chalk flecked soil. The porous soil also makes sure that the vines receive a steady water supply and the gravely exterior of the soil reflects the sunlight to the grapes helping them mature perfectly. It is because of this that the average ground rent in this area is higher by at least 20% than in the entire Cognac region.

The unique Remy Martin cognac blend is achieved by masterfully blending the eau de vie from the Grand Champagne and the Petit Champagne region with almost 50% of the total coming from the Grand Champagne region. The quality of the cognac is maintained because of a pact between Remy Martin and the winegrowers and distillers of these two regions called Alliance Fine Champagne. With the help of this alliance Remy Martin makes sure that it gets the best superior quality grapes for its cognac.

Once the eau de vie has been collected the Remy Martin cognac making process is on the roll. The wine is then distilled and given to age in French Limousin oak barrels. These barrels lend their unique flavor to the cognac. Since the excellent quality of grapes used for making the cognac have a great aging capacity, Remy Martin ages the eau de vie for much longer than the required time to get the deep aromatic breadth that their cognac is known for.

Three generations of cognac making has gone into the creating the Remy cognac. Founded by Remy Martin in 1724 the cognac made by this cognac maker grew to legendary heights when in 1738 he was granted rights to plant new vines by Louis XV himself despite there being a ban implemented on the planting of new vines in 1831. As the House of Remy continued in the pursuit of making fine cognac, they also started exploring the international market to retail their fine range of cognac. Soon Remy cognacs were established as a world brand by becoming the official supplier to the Imperial and Royal courts.

The secret behind Remy cognacs is the soil from which it comes. Remy cognacs use grapes that are grown only in the Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne region in central France. These two areas are the most sought after growth areas of the total six crus or growth areas. The Grand Champagne and the Petit Champagne region have a unique soil that is chalk flecked. This soil reflects the light perfectly and helps in ripening the grapes to perfection. So much in demand are the grapes from this region that the ground rents are at least 20% higher here than anywhere else in the Cognac region. Not only are the blends of Remy cognacs produced from the Grand Champagne and the Petit Champagne region but almost 50% of the blend is made from the eau de vie collected from the Grand Champagne region exclusively.

The eau de vie collected from the Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne region is so much in demand because of its spectacular aging ability. It is only 17% of the cognac that is made and shipped from this region which is considered in the fine cognac bracket. Out of this 17% of fine cognac, 80% is produced by Remy Martin alone.

For 280 years Remy Cognacs have been the stalwarts in cognac making. They follow the traditional process of distilling the cognac in small copper stills which are called alambics. This process ensures that the already complex cognac gets a better deeper flavor and greater length. The eau de vie, which is the colorless liquid produced during double distillation and fermentation, at Remy is extremely aromatic and delicate. This is because of extended and traditional distillation process. Also Remy Martin and the wine growers of the Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne have a unique partnership since 1965 called the Alliance Fine Champagne which ensures the most rigorous eau de vie selection process.

Finally it is the cellar masters who give Remy cognac its unique intensity and aroma. Remy Martin gives immense importance to its cellar masters as they recognize that it is the cellar masters who give them the end product that remains true to the standards set by Remy Martin Fine Cognacs. It is interesting to note that in the last hundred years Remy Martin has had only four cellar masters. Remy cognacs have a unique aromatic intensity that comes from finding the perfect balance between the wide range of aromas and texture of grapes that they play with. These aroma releases powerful sensations which make a Remy cognac a whole lot more intense and precise and gives it its mellow length.

Pierre Ferrand cognacs are some of the best cognacs in the world. The house of Pierre Ferrand aims to make the best cognac for which they have their own vineyards and a unique state of the art distillation and aging process. This house believes that the art of making fine cognac is actually a lot more than choosing the right grapes and having the right distillation process. They also understand that aging the cognac in casks slowly over a period of time is only one of the essentials that go into the making of a fabulous cognac. The House of Pierre Ferrand places a great emphasis on the precise art of blending.

Pierre Ferrand cognacs are so different and unique in their taste as the cognac producers know the importance of blending that goes into making this fine cognac. It is five generations of cellar masters who have perfected the art of blending a cognac to the desired perfection and then carefully passed it on to the generations ahead. It is at the Logis d’Angeac that these cellar masters have studied and practiced the art of blending the right spirits with one another. Intuition and talent of understanding the spirits let these masters create incomparable cognac.

Pierre Ferrand cognacs have their distinctive taste because of the best varital of grapes used in its manufacture. Their vineyards are located in the Angeac terrior which is in the heart of the Grand Champagne region. Grand Champagne is the premier growth area and the vines from this region are called the ‘Premier Cru de Cognac’. The chalky soil of the Angeac area gives the grapes the required acidity which makes excellent cognacs.

Pierre Ferrand cognacs also owe their unique taste to their art of maturing the wine. The cognac makers at Pierre Ferrand understand that maturing a cognac requires a lot of time and a great deal of patience. Once the eau de vie is collected under the careful guidance of the experienced cellar master after being distilled slowly they are transferred to individual small oak barrels. These barrels are then transferred to the cellars where they are left to mature. Pierre Ferrand has seven different aging cellars out of which some are dry cellars and some are humid. These cellars have thick limestone walls that keep them cool. The cellars having earthen floors are the humid cellars and the ones having cemented floors are the dry cellars. This approach to cognac making ensures that the humidity and coolness of the cellar are maintained constantly to age the cognac perfectly.

During the aging of Pierre Ferrand cognacs it is also made sure that the cognacs spend time in different types of casks. These casks are of different ages and have been toasted to different levels. This process makes sure that while the cognac absorbs the best flavors from each cask there is no undue bitterness that can be caused by too much oak or tannis. Each of these casks lends their specific properties to the cognac and help contribute immensely in the important exchange that happens between the cognac, the wood of the cask and the air. The final product that is achieved after this long process is nothing short of spectacular.

One would wonder what is Napoleon Cognac is. The answer being it reveals the age of the Cognac. The facts of the evolution of Napoleon cognac are a bit hazy but what is believed as true is as follows:

Napoleon was very fond of Cognac. In those days, cognac was white and absolutely clear – more like spirit – harsh to drink but yet it was Napoleon’s favorite drink. It so happened that He had to leave for Russia as he wanted conquer this country. Much to his dismay Napoleon realized that there was no way he could carry his stock of Cognac with him. He entrusted his whole store of barrels to his good friends and gave them strict instructions not to disturb his barrels.

When he returned after about Six years he found that his friends had left his cognac safe and sound untouched and undisturbed. In fact he found that since the Cognac in the barrels had aged and matured by Six and a half years it had become tastier. To his delight and surprise it had adapted the color and flavor. It had also mellowed in taste as it had taken over the characteristics of the wood. Napoleon ranked it as the best beverage in the world.

The name cognac comes from the region of France. For Cognac to be called so, it should be from the region of France. If not it can be called Brandy. This means that the wood used to make its barrels must come from the neighboring forests and not from outside of France. Troncais oak wood helps the drink to age faster and also leaves its flavors quickly on the drink but the quality of the finished product may not be as desirable.

When cognac matures very slowly and steadily, it surpasses the quality of any other cognac. For this process, Limousine oak is used. Famous producers like Single Vineyard depend exclusively on Limousine oak.

Cognac, which has aged in Oak barrels for more than Six and a half years, then its manufacturers do not have to go through the formalities of VS-VSOP-Napoleon-XO. On the contrary, he has the freedom and authority to Christine his product with whatever name he fancies. Martha Cognacs are the best examples.

Made in France Cognac, is a fines grape brandy and the best one in the world. It is manufactured in places of Western France. This product is distilled twice from fermented grape juice and matured in barrels made of oak wood.

The French do not allow you to put the Cognac’s age on the bottle. This can be done only if it is a “declared vintage” – which is not an easy thing to do – rather very complicating. This means the “Tasting Age” is announced as16 years by local officers when the tastes the Cognac – This would also suppose that it could from a vintage harvested 15 years ago.

This indicates that if someone claims possessing a 25-year old Cognac it does not talk about its real age when it was blended and filled into that bottle. The Napoleon Cognac could be any time between 25 to 70 years old and has Age at Tasting of about 25 years. The advantage of buying these bottles from Frances that 1 bottle FREE on buying 5 bottles.

Meukow is a drink of the privileged. The distillery for this product is run by a family and hence Cognac Meukow is a modern family business. It is one of those famous cognac houses holding high stakes on the family business. In order to survive the stiff competition, the family came up with a brave wave of creating – Compagnie de
Guyenne (CDG). This happened in 1969. The idea was to have it as an umbrella company and Meukow is still a part of and it comprises of many small cognac houses which are in association with Meukow,

In 1862 Karl and August Meukow travelled to Charente in times of Russian Tsar. The purpose of this trip was to find Cognac from this region. It so happened, that in that particular year they established themselves there by founding the cognac house Meukow – and so there was no reason for them to return to Russia. Ever since, now meukow’s history is a strong family support which is successfully running the family business

The Matha distillery is located at Charente Maritime – a historical estate in Brugerolle. The CEO of this company is Philippe Coste and Claude Brugerolle, head of their sales department, assists him. The Black Panther which appears on the product’s bottle is their famous mascot, designed by Philippe’s dad – Michel Coste, in 1995. Other products like Armagnac, Vodka, Gin, Brandy, Rum, Whisky etc. are also covered by their staff which is about 82 people, who make an average turnover of 35 million – 50% of this being cognac.

The Meukow distillery represents the most technologically advanced products of cognac. This distillery in Matha is recently undergone renovation recently and has been raised to the most modern standards. The modernization plan had cost them approx 1.4million Euros. This includes the cost of the most awaited robot for the crating system.

They now have a spacious and absolutely new reception dock, which is capable of housing 18,000 hectoliters along with a newly constructed place to take care of the delivery as well as pick-up of their products. Close to this is their old bottling unit, which was fully restored in the year 2001. Their Six lines of production churn out roughly 13 million bottles in 2009. Currently, Meukow only lacks an automatic system to organize and move the crates around.

Talking of its History, comparatively, it has a very young history. It was christened under its present name in 1947 and holds a very important position in the world market even today. Initially,in 1847, Meukow’s site was a part of Brugerolle Cognac and in

1987 it became a part of CDG. Andre Brugerolle the CEO was an important politician and also a Mayor of Matha – 1958 to 1978. Having started from humble beginnings as a family, they had a sentimental attitude towards their work place. Instead of stocking their spirits in a high tech designed site of Cognac, they chose to use the Brugerolle site – as Phillippe Coste felt their soul was in Brugerolle.

Respecting their traditional and family attributes, they have also been very supportive locally by restoring in their own town, the old clock tower and also the family chapel. It would be the endeavor of the family to maintain the values of the generation and never let go off Cognac from the hands of their family. Symbolically, the next cognac after Meukow would be named “Esprit de Famille”.

Connoisseurs of fine cognac have always been admirers of Hine cognac. Founded by Thomas Hine, Hine cognac has been in the business of cognac for six generations. Thomas Hine had humble beginnings and came from Dorset in England. He left England and travelled to France to find his fortune in 1775. Following an arrest during the French Revolution, Thomas Hines destiny took him to Jarnac which is the heart of the Cognac vineyards. It is here that he founded Hine Cognac in 1763.

A lot of people want to know the difference between Cognac and Brandy. While all cognac is brandy all brandy cannot be termed as cognac. This is because fine cognac can only be created in Charente region located in South Western France. Cognac can only be made in this region only in a specific environment. Anywhere else, brandy producers can use the same methods of distilling wine and even use the same grapes as used in Cognac and age it in the same oak barrels but the resultant brandy will never taste the same as a cognac.

Hine cognac prides itself on its fine taste and aroma. Aged in fine French oak barrels sipping on Hine cognac is like travelling through the fine Grand Champagne vineyards and discovering the warmth and fruitiness of the region. These fine cognacs have different and distinctive flavors. The spicy notes speak of aromatic warm hints of pepper and spices. The Oriental notes in the cognac are rich in their tones combining opulence, warmth, exoticism and sensuality. The floral notes in their cognac bring to the taster a fine abundance of floral perfumes while the fruity notes tease the palette with hints of peaches, tropical fruits and luscious plums.

The sensory journey of Hine cognacs changes from one product to the other. The Hine cognac range is a consistent and fine blend of cognacs which have been aged for at least four years or more. Using the finest grapes from the Grand Champagne region and combining them with grapes from other regions such as Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Borderies these cognac blends have different aging timelines. Some of the youngest blends are aged for a minimum time of ten years and are perfect accompaniments to a classic hand rolled cigar.

Amongst the most coveted of all Hine Cognac stands the Family Reserve. This blend was made specifically for a discerning New Yorker in 1936. The Family Reserve collection is aged for a minimum period of fifty years or more and is the finest blend of old Grand Champagne cognacs. Released in limited editions this blend is a treat and desire of the true cognac connoisseur.

Hine Cognacs accompany a fine cigar in an excellent manner. Bernard Hine, one of the world’s most accomplished cognac blenders belonging to the House of Hine successfully pairs off Hine cognacs with its suitable cigars. Not only that, he also recommends aptly the time to smoke the cigar and drink the cognac to get the right experience. Hine cognacs make cognac drinking an experience to be reveled in. To revel in this experience open a bottle of Hine’s finest and get drawn into warm and mellow notes.