Expensive | Cheap | French | Black-Owned | Armenian

What comes to mind when you think of the best Cognac brands.? You may know a few popular brands that make frequent appearances in the media, however, you’d be surprised to learn there are far better Cognac brands out there. Cognacs are known for their smooth, refined, and classy taste worldwide and enjoys a seat in many boardrooms. Before you dive into our extensively researched lists of the best Cognac brands, let’s take a brief look at what Cognacs are.

Cognac is a variety of brandy distilled in the Cognac region of France. The region comprises six smaller regions (or cru’s) that make up the Cognac region and are responsible for many of the finest distilled brandies that exist in the world. Cognac is made via a complex process by distilling and blending several varieties of white wine made from locally grown grapes twice. Next, the distilled spirits are aged for at least two years in only French Oak casks. This revered drink is subject to several French appellations and so the distilling process is quite regulated and rigorous. distillers follow a strict process to ensure that only the best of the best carry the esteemed ‘Cognac’ name.

Fun fact: Brandy made outside of the Cognac region cannot be called Cognac! Just like the rule where sparkling wines not made in the Champagne district of France cannot be called Champagnes.

So, whether you are a seasoned drinker of Cognac out to grow your collection or a newbie in the world of this smooth spirit, this list contains a fine variety of the top brands you should have your eyes on.

Top Most Expensive Cognac Brands

#1 Courvoisier

The Brand: Courvoisier was founded in 1809 by Emmanuel Courvoisier and Louis Gallois, the mayor of Bercy, France. A few decades after its creation, Courvoisier Cognac had such a great reputation that it was served in royal courts around the world. Legend has it that during his exile, Napoleon Bonaparte chose flasks of Courvoisier Cognac as his one luxury item.

Need to know: Courvoisier Cognac was used in the grand opening of the Eiffel tower. It was also the first Cognac brand to be shown on TV.

#2 Remy Martin

The Brand: The Cognac brand was founded in 1724 in France by Remy Martin. He named the brand after himself, and grounded it in tradition, family values and innovation. Paul Emile Remy Martin went on to introduce the brand to new countries and invented its now iconic centaur logo based on his star sign, Sagittarius.

Need to know: Remy Martin is the one of the Cognac houses for Fine Cognac Champagne. It was launched in 1927 and is a unique blend of Petite and Grande champagne.

#3 Hennesy

The Brand: Hennessy Cognac was founded by Richard Henessy, in 1765. He was an Irish citizenship and a former member of Louis XV army in France. He learned the ropes of the spirits business from his uncle. The Hennesy logo called the ‘Bras Arme’ is a representation of the family’s coat of arms. Hennessy is currently the largest Cognac brand in the world accounting for a sizable percentage of the Cognacs in production today.

Need to know: The Hennesy brand contributed to creating the XO (eXtra Old) classification which is now an internationally recognized category for Cognacs.

#4 Martell

The Brand: The house of Martell is 300 years old and is the oldest of the Cognac houses. It was founded in 1715 by Jean Martell, a native of Jersey, an island off the coast of France. Jean Martell eventually moved to France after visiting a few times to learn about the art of creating fine Cognacs.

Need to know: Martell has an interactive photo/video tour that allows you to tour its cellars and grounds from wherever you are in the world!

#5 Camus

The Brand: John Baptiste Camus founded the Cognac brand in 1863. With over 5 generations of experience, the house has years of excellence, and expertise in creating balanced, gentle, and classy Cognac flavors.

Need to Know: Camus is one of the few houses that still make single-cru varietals of Cognac.

Top Cheap Cognac Brands

#1 Brugerolle

The Brand: The house of Brugerolle was founded in 1847 by brothers, Etienne, and Jean Brugerolle. This Cognac brand is known for its artisanal spin on the traditional Cognac profile. The house has also won several awards and medals for its Cognacs. A 6-liter hand-blown bottle of Brugerolle Cognac is also part of the oldest collection of liquor in the world.

Need to know: Although the house is run by a descendant of the Brugerolle house today, it is under the Cie de Guyenne corporate family.

#2 Merlet

The Brand: The house of Merlet is a family run brand. It was founded in 1850 and produces a variety of other products. In its infancy, the brand would mostly produce Cognac for other houses, however, they have now become a recognized Cognac brand of repute.

Need to know: The Merlet house uses only old barrels to distill their Cognacs as they produce a less woody flavor.

#3 Drouet

The Brand: The Drouet Cognac brand was founded from humble backgrounds. The brand grew from descendants of housekeepers of Jeane L’Homme, a recognized distiller. Their children learned the craft from the head of the estate and acquired neighboring vineyards in a few years. Today, it is still run by the same family producing an impressive range of Cognacs.

Need to know: Drouet produces its own range of unique Cognacs that bear the stamps of the barrels they were aged in.

#4 Daniel Bouju

The Brand: This Cognac brand is a small family run business. It is located on 14 hectares and is known for sticking to old methods of distilling Cognac. The artisanal Cognac brand was founded in 1805 and is among the younger Cognac brands of renown today.

Need to know: Vintage Cognacs are uncommon and Daniel Bouju Cognac reserves portions of their production each year for vintage Cognacs.

#5 Francois Peyrot

The Brand: The brand began in 1893 with winemaking but it was not until 1956 that they would delve into the world of Cognacs. This family run brand prefers to put out small quantities of their product. They believe in the philosophy of quality over quantity

Need to Know: The brand heavily embraces green and sustainable means of production in their vineyards and distilleries.

Top French Cognac Brands

#1 Tesseron

The Brand: The house Tesseron was founded by Abel Tesseron in 1905. He built it up on his collection of Cognacs grown in two estates. They pride themselves on curating carefully selected and stored stocks of Cognac. Their reserve is sought after by many houses for use in their own blends.

Need to know:Tesserons’ Cellars were once part of a local church’s crypts.

#2 Hine

The Brand: Hine is an old and respected Cognac brand. It was founded in 1763 by Thomas Hine, an Englishman who came to France seeking knowledge in Cognac production. Their focus is on vintages over blends, preferring to highlight the uniqueness of each growing year.

Need to know: Hine Cognacs send some of its casks to mature in the United Kingdom giving them a unique patina.

#3 Hardy

The Brand: The house was founded in 1863 by Anthony Hardy, an Englishman with a passion for Cognacs. He eventually moved to the Charente region and began to produce his own Cognacs. The brand’s logo is the French cockerel.

Need to know: Hardy Cognacs are called ‘Haute Couture’ Cognacs for their impressive and artistic bottles.

#4 Gautier

The Brand: Gautier Cognacs was founded by Louis Gautier in 1755, whose family lived near the Troncais forests. They pride themselves on their knowledge of the right oak trees for creating Cognac that is beautiful, well rounded, and smooth. This belief is reflected in their motto which means ‘I am the lord of the forest’ Their cellars are located above an old watermill. The Brand attests to the humidity from this watermill being a key ingredient in the quality of their Cognacs.

Need to know: The brand was acquired by Marie Brizard & Roger International in 1995 who were later acquired by the Belvedere group in 2006.

#5 Frapin

The Brand: The Frapin brand has existed for centuries. The family has been in the wine growing industry since the 12th century. It is still owned and managed by the same family, passing down generations’ worth of skill and knowledge in Cognac production. Frapin Cognacs have won several awards including the award for ‘Best Cognac in the World.’

Need to know: Frapin is the only Cognac brand whose estate is called a Chateau in the Grand Champagne region.

Top Black Owned Cognac Brands

#1 Riventes

The Brand: Rivente is owned by Rivent, a company founded by Algen Albritten in 2017. They partner with the Raclie family to create fine Cognac blends. The Raclie family has centuries worth of Cognac making knowledge and Rivente leverages their traditional Charentais copper still in distilling their Cognacs. Their blends are created to be enjoyed as part of a cocktail or straight.

Need to know: Profits from Riventes bottles that have the #blackdollar logo on it are donated to the Black Dollar Foundation.

#2 Branson

The Brand: Branson Cognac is owned by world famous rapper and entrepreneur Curtis Jackson aka ‘50 Cent.’ The Brand prides itself on aging its Cognacs for longer than the required time to give it more character and higher quality.

Need to know: Branson is part of the Sire Spirits group founded in 2018 by Curtis Jackson.

#3 D’usse

The Brand: The brand was founded by rapper Shawn Carter aka ‘JAY-Z’ in 2014. D’usse is created and housed in cellars located in the Chateau de Cognac along the Charente River in France. The humidity from the river enables them to create Cognacs with a bold flavor profile.

Need to know: D’Usse Cognac is partly owned by the Bacardi Brand.

#4 Rayon

The Brand: Rayon Cognac is owned by Ray Lowe who founded the brand in 2009. Production is carried out in LaRochelle, France. They have partnered with the Godet family who have a stellar reputation and years of experience distilling Cognacs. Lowe founded the band out of his desire to bring high quality Cognac to US consumers. Its logo is a camel depicting endurance.

Need to know: Rayon Cognac is the only fully black owned Cognac brand in the United States.

#5 Conjure

The Brand: Conjure Cognac is a full-bodied spirit founded by Chris Bridges aka ‘Ludacris’ and Kim Birkedal Hartmann. It is manufactured in France by a family-run firm. Although independent, they are among the oldest and most experienced Cognac houses in the Broderies region.

Need to know: The sensually shaped bottle was created to help attract younger audiences.

Top Armenian Cognac Brands

Armenian Brandies are called Konyak. They technically cannot be called Cognac since they are not grown in the Cognac region of France. In 1990, an Armenian blend, ‘Shustov & sons’ was bestowed the privilege of being called a Cognac for a few years after secretly winning a Brandy competition. However, after the second world war, these naming rights were revoked.

Here are some of the top Armenian ‘Cognac’ brands

#1 Ararat

The Brand: Ararat brandy is named after the biblical mountain where Noah’s ark came to rest after the floods. The brand was founded by Pernod Ricard in 1887 and is the most popular Armenian Cognac’. They have a century-long experience in creating some of the finest spirits enjoyed around the world.

Need to know: Ararat is owned by the Yerevan Brandy Company.

#2 Mane (no website)

The Brand: Mane Brandy is owned by Proshyan Brandy Factory. The company was founded in 1885 and it produces a variety of spirits. It is in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.

Need to know: Mane Cognac is highly sought after because of its very limited outputs.

#3 Great valley (no website)

The Brand: The Great Valley wine and Cognac company was founded in 1998 by Tigran Arzakantsyan and Robert Azaryan.

Need to Know: The brand acquired one of the Hine Cognac factories in 2003.

#4 Shakmat

The Brand: The brand was founded by Alexis Ohanian. He announced the brand in 2018 with its flagship bottle, a 23-year-old Blend. The brand aims to bring the world’s attention once again to Armenian spirits.

Need to know: Shakmat is the Armenian word for chess.

#5 Kilikia (no website)

The Brand: Kilikia is among the most popular blends to come out of Armenia. Kilikia blends 20 spirits to achieve its fine refined state.

Need to know: The oldest spirit in a Kilikia blend can be up to 100 years old.

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