Alarming increase in exports of young Cognacs

Sales of cognacs, fuelled mainly by the massive demand for brandy products leapt 20% in the first six months of 2012. This represents an increase of approximately €200 million over last year. We have to ask, can we maintain this sort of growth when we are currently producing and selling cognacs that don’t have enough time to age sufficiently for their flavour to develop properly?

Cognacs from the top cru, Grande Champagne are the slowest to age and most producers prefer not to bottle them until they are at least ten years old. Naturally, we have to sell younger cognacs and the slow addition of water becomes a necessity. But at the moment the big four are buying cognacs at 2-3 years old and the quantity of young cognacs they are buying is increasing rapidly as is the prices we are having to pay for them.

The truth is that the increase in sales, mainly to China, means that the quality of these cognacs gets poorer every year and the levels of additives are increasing.