What is the difference between cognac and brandy?
Brandy is named after the Dutch term ‘brandjiwin’: It defines a spirit distilled from wine or fermented juice and aged for at least six months in oak casks. Technically, therefore, all Cognacs are brandies. But while the brandy may be made anywhere in the world, Cognac can only be produced in the Cognac region. A decree passed in 1909 delimits the boundaries of the Cognac production area; later decrees define the laws to follow in order to merit the controlled appellation: Other laws cover topics including the two stage distillation, the maturing in oak casks in warehouses called “jaune d’or” (or golden yellow), reserved specifically for Cognac, the minimum period of aging of approximately 30 months. The Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac (BNIC) is responsible for ensuring that all Cognacs sold adhere to these laws.
