Remy Martin VSOP Cognac. I bought this in the early days of the homebar while searching for a cognac to fill the collection and admittedly haven’t ventured away (though I really want to get my hands on another bottle given how much I enjoy brandies!). Cognac is basically a grape-based brandy (which is any spirit made from fruit) produced by specific types of grapes in the Cognac region of France. Think of it conceptually as a barrel-aged distilled wine.

Gently swirling it and smelling it in the glass, to me it’s super fruity and almost gives off a grape juice scent (in a good way). The taste is somewhat light and fruity, but still has the amazing complex flavors of an aged spirit. If you like aged spirits like whiskey, and have never tried cognac, it’s time to get a bottle! The VSOP designation simply refers to the age classification, where VS = 2 years minimum, VSOP/Reserve = 4 years min, and XO = 6 years min.

Find more recipes with cognac here.