Cognac

Considered to be one of the most valued grape-based spirits in the world. Ugni Blanc grapes from the town of Cognac, in the Charentes region, are made into a light white wine and then distilled twice to create eau de vie ("water of life"), a brandy aged in oak casks, becoming more concentrated from natural evaporation, for as long as 80 years. These oak casks are still made entirely by hand: works of art that have been cautiously cut and fitted without nails, so that the cognac never has contact with metal.

In the 12th century, the invading Moors introduced the pot still, in which cognac is still distilled today. Paradoxically, centuries ago, the grapes were boiled down or distilled as a means to save space on ships as well as taxes, since wine was taxed by volume. The thought was to reconstitute the concentrated wine by adding water. Little did these frugal souls know that they were generating the prototype of what we know today as cognac. Quite a few countries make brandy, but only the French can call it cognac. There are diverse and distinctive ranks of cognac, from the most basic VS (Very Special), to VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), where minimum aging standards are used. Then, there are the superior grades, such as Napoleon, Extra and XO, and vintage cognacs that separate the ordinary from the extraordinary. In addition, producers permit their cognac to age longer in wooden casks for the ultimate in smoothness, since once the cognac is bottled, it won't age further.

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