When it comes to cognac brandy, Hors d’âge has an average of 30 years and above blends, and it can be up to 100 years old.

Like other liquors, it has jurisdictional requirements to be considered and is called brandy, which can depend on the location where it is made. Vintage: A term used for a bottle of brandy (or, commonly, Armagnac) for when a particular year’s harvest is all that’s gone into the bottle. These bottles are very expensive due to their rarity and age. Methodology: How we select, test, and rank the best brandy and Cognac on the market

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By this logic, VS bottles of cognac tend to be a lighter amber when poured. XO bottles of cognac are very dark and smooth. This applies to all cognac producers, not just Martell. Martell specifically uses fine-grain oak wood, which gives their cognac a delicate woody flavor.

In Canada, brandy should be distilled from wine, aged for a minimum of six months (sherry casks or any wood casks), and flavorings are allowed.

Brandy is a spirit that demands attention: fragrant and elegant, smooth and rich, and dark and brooding all at the same time. Thought it was just a sweet drink suitable for drawing rooms and cigars? Think again. They were looking for well-balanced examples, from light and fruity through to more mature examples with oak ageing. Those awarded top marks had a smooth mouthfeel, well-integrated alcohol and complex sweetness. A brandy can also be designated as an Hors d’Age, which translates from French as “beyond age” and covers the spirits that have been aged for at least six years and often for decades, or “vintage” which covers those produced from the very best years. A vintage brandy is the best of the best and should only be sipped neat.

In 2010, Martell renewed its sponsorship with the Palace of Versailles, which began in 2007, by supporting the restoration of the Queen's antechamber. [14] Products [ edit ] Map of the Cognac regionLike Scotch whisky, older expressions are often considered “better”, but as with anything, it comes down to your personal preference. How we test brandy It has a perfect harmony of elegant and powerful aromas as well as smooth and well-balanced tasting notes. Hennessy was founded in 1765 by Irishman, Richard Hennessy, and his son James, and has been passed down through the generations. In 1971 Kilian Hennessy created the group Moet Hennessy in a merger with Champagne house, Moet et Chandon. In 1987 they then merged with the clothing brand, Louis Vuitton, to become LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), and the largest such luxury goods group in the world. In 2006, Martell joined the Comité Colbert, an association that promotes French luxury houses on an international scale. Its impressive character means this is a brandy that should only be enjoyed neat or, at most, with ice. This sweet and smooth bottle is perfect to win over brandy novices right through to experts.