Currently, you can choose an alcoholic drink for every budget and taste. Cognac has been and remains one of the most popular spirits, it is quite easy to choose it, the main factors are aging and region.
Domestic classification of cognacs
The varieties and types of this drink are distinguished by the alcohol solutions on which the cognac is based. In the domestic industry, the following classification has been adopted: those aged for a period of three to five years are called ordinary, those aged over six years are called branded. Young ordinary cognacs are marked with the usual asterisks. The packaging can have from three to five stars, which are directly related to the aging period. Vintage cognacs are divided into several subspecies - aged cognac (six to seven years), aged cognac of the highest quality (eight to ten years), old cognac (more than ten years), very old cognac and collectible cognac (here aging can be up to fifty years).
French method
French producers differ in a completely different approach to the production of cognac. Actually, the word "cognac" has the right to be called only the drink that is made from grapes grown in a particular area. The French exercise strict control and standardization of all types of this drink. Distinguish cognac by the inscriptions on the labels. Exposure for at least two and a half years is marked with the letters V. S., the letters V. O., V. S. O. P - aging for at least four years, V. V. S. O. P. - five-year exposure, X. O. marks the oldest six-year-old cognac.
Beverages aged over six years are outside of this typology. The blending process at such stages is simply impossible to control. The label of such cognacs may contain the names Grand Reserve, Extra, Napoleon. They do not represent a brand, as they are sub-classifications. For example, the word Extra can indicate that the drink has been in the barrel for two to five decades. And the Napoleon labeling may indicate that this particular cognac was created on the basis of the distillation of white wine.
These are the main age differences of cognacs, which are indicated on the labels. In addition, cognacs differ quite strongly in aromas, tastes, and colors. Each cognac spirit is aged in an oak barrel, saturated with aromas, acquires individuality. The "semitones" of cognac depend on the oak species. It can become vanilla, soft, pungent, pungent, woody, fruity, plum. It can taste like cigars, cocoa, and sometimes mushrooms. Most often, the manufacturer indicates the bouquet of the drink's aromas on the label to make it easier for the buyer to choose. The most popular are soft varieties with fruit flavors, hot, hard cognacs go to connoisseurs.
