Category: The History of Cognac

By 1800 many of the houses that we know of today were becoming established, and their requirement for brandies from the farmers was increasing demand. Coupled to this, the skills in making cognac had improved and a form of standardisation was gradually forming, both in the distillation and ageing process. But very little brandy was sold for keeping and most was intended to be cut with water when it reached its final destination – usually in Ireland or England. However some producers had realised the benefits of longer ageing, especially farmers who were supplying quantities to the merchants for onward… Read more

Distillation is a simple process, based on the fact that alcohol vaporises at a lower temperature than water, allowing the spirit to escape. When fermented liquor such as wine is heated, the alcohol vaporises and is trapped in the pipe leading from the top of the still, and is then cooled when it turns back into a liquid. There are a number of problems such as the shape and size of the vessel, the metal from which it is constructed and the quality of the liquid being distilled. Although in early days distillation was repeated on several occasions to increase… Read more

In 1753, one Father Arcère wrote in a history of La Rochelle, “The wines of Aunis was once highly regarded, if in time it has lost its former reputation, this misfortune must be attributed to the poor choice of varieties used”, these plants have impaired the quality of the fruit whilst increasing the yield. It was largely the Balzac and the Folle Blanche which provided the quantity but not the quality. Of course the remark was directed towards the wines which were regarded more favourably than the distilled or condensed wines, later to be cut with water for drinking at… Read more

From around 1600 many Irish traders and settlers became interested in the brandy business. These were settlers and the potential to condense wines by boiling them had a number of attractions, not least their greatly improved longevity, ease of handling and of course, their greater strength. This last benefit was a useful motivator and anaesthetic in times of war, and barrels of brandy which were in plentiful supply during the wars were kept on ships for this very purpose. During the next century The Dutch, who had been distilling their own gins and selling them in France, imported the wines… Read more