10 Cognac Brands To Try

Companies and Brands

Two glass of Cognac and old oak barrel defocussed — Vania Zhukevych / Shutterstock.com

Published: March 9, 2024 11:30 am

Cognac feels like a celebratory drink, and it really has become that in the United States. Hailing from the wine-producing regions of France, Cognac is essentially a double-distilled wine that often tastes like nuts, fruits, and caramel. People love it, and it has become a pop icon in music and television. Today, we’ve listed some of the cognac brands that you need to try—no birthday or celebration required. Let’s get started.

To compile this list, 24/7 Wall Street used information from crowd-sourced websites like Reddit’s r/cognac, along with expert opinion. There isn’t a specific order (although #1 is super popular and almost expected). Additionally, we took steps to include pricey options mixed in with some cheaper ones, so everyone has an opportunity to try a fantastic cognac wherever they are.

10. Rémy Martin

Rémy Martin is a popular, well-known brand of cognac.

Location: Cognac, France
Founding: 1724
Notable Spirits: Rémy Martin VSOP, Louis VIII

Popular for a Reason

Louis VIII is often displayed in upscale liquor stores in the United States.

Rémy Martin has a lot to offer, even at the highest end of cognacs. This cognac family has been around for hundreds of years, making fantastic products, many of which have reached “icon status” around the world. For example, the Louis VIII is a real splurge, but its crystal decanter with 18K gold engravings is pretty unreal. You can see Louis VIII in many liquor stores, usually hidden behind a glass display case for some added theatricality. While Louis is well-known and expensive, the brand still has plenty of regular offerings, including the VSOP.

9. Delamain

White wine: Vine with grapes just before harvest, Sauvignon Blanc grapevine — Delamain’s “Pale and Dry” is one of the brand’s best offerings and refers to the color and taste of the cognac itself.

Location: Jarnac, France
Founding: 1763
Notable Spirits: Pale and Dry

Pale and Dry

Napa Valley Winery Crushes Harvested Grapes One Year After Glass Fire Burns Through Region — There are three well-known “levels” of cognac.

Generally, Pale and Dry aren’t things you want unless, of course, you are talking about Delamain cognacs. The brand has been around for over 200 years and has been making quality cognac for that time. The Pale and Dry is highly regarded, although it isn’t the cheapest cognac on the market.

8. Grönstedts

Grönstedts was once headquartered in Stockholm but moved to Cognac for most bottling and mixing.

Location: Stockholm, Sweden, then Cognac, France
Founding: 1846
Notable Spirits: Grönstedts XO

A Swedish Outlier

Almost all major cognac brands are produced in Cognac, France.

Grönstedts is a Swedish brand that makes cognac, which is quite interesting. Almost all of the world’s finest cognacs are made in France, but Grönstedts sourced ingredients from France and then mixed and bottled everything in Sweden. After some designation of origin disputes, however, they moved most of the production to Cognac, France. The brand is known for Grönstedts XO, with XO meaning Extra Old, and generally regarded as one of the highest ratings for a cognac.

7. D’Usse

D’Usse is a brand stemming from a collaboration between Jay-Z and Bacardi.

Location: Cognac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Founding: 2012
Notable Spirits: D’USSÉ VSOP and D’USSÉ XO

Jay-Z Doesn’t Miss

D’Usse is a luxury brand that operates out of a 200-year-old cognac house, although the original owners still retain some rights.

When Jay-Z does something or enters a market, he almost always goes for extreme quality. Champagne, music streaming, and now, cognac. D’Usse is a brand that was created through a partnership between Jay-Z and Bacardi through the buying of the 200-year-old Cognac Houses, Château du Cognac. The brand only produces two styles, a VSOP (four years aged) and an XO (Extra Old, usually around 10 years aged).

6. Pierre Ferrand

Most of the French chateaus where cognac is made are located within Cognac, France.

Location: Chateau de Bonbonnet, France
Founding: 1702
Notable Spirits: 1840 Original Formula, 10 Generations

If It Ain’t Broke

Pierre Ferrand is considered a cognac “gold standard” brand and is highly regarded.

Pierre Ferrand has been making cognac for a long time. In fact, they are regarded as one of the cognac “gold standards” due to their extensive processing and meticulous approach. Also, they use some very fancy grapes, known as Angeac-Champagne grapes, to add a specific taste to the final product. The grapes are grown in chalky soil, which impacts the development and flavor of the grapes, therefore impacting the cognac. For something less than $100, try the 10 Generations.

5. Monnet

Monnet is another example of a really popular cognac brand that can be found around the world.

Location: Jarnac, France
Founding: 1838
Notable Spirits: VSOP

Light, Bright, and Sunny

The production process results in a very bright and sunny flavor profile.

Monnet has a unique take on cognac, offering a product that is known for its light, bright characteristics. In fact, it’s often described as “sunny” with lots of fruity, floral notes. They offer three primary cognacs, but the brand’s VSOP is among the most awarded and is relatively well-priced at around $55.

4. François Voyer

The three “levels” of cognac are VS, VSOP, and XO, and each is a specific designation regarding the quality and aging of the cognac.

Location: Verrières, Cognac, France
Founding: 1870
Notable Spirits: Napoleon, VSOP

Napoleon Complex (as a Good Thing)

One of the brand’s best products is named after Napoleon, a French historical figure.

François Voyer is a well-known producer in the Grande Champagne region of France. It’s family-owned and has been passed down for something like five generations. Today, the brand has plenty of fantastic cognacs, but the Napoleon and VSOP are well-regarded.

3. Camus

XO, a designation of cognac, means Extra Old and is aged for at least ten years. VSOP is the second-most sought after designation, following by VS.

Location: Cognac, France
Founding: 1863
Notable Spirits: Intensely Aromatic VS, Borderies XO

Jean-Baptiste Camu

Borderies XO, for example, is a cognac from Camus that meets the XO requirements.

Camus offers some fantastic cognacs for really reasonable prices. The brand has been passed down multiple generations, all the way from Jean-Baptiste Camus to Cyril Camus, who is the president today. The brand’s flagship product was the Borderies XO, and it’s still a great option, just on the pricier side.

2. Jean-Luc Pasquet

Jean-Luc Pasquet uses no added sugars or colorings, resulting in a very traditional and “pure” approach to cognac.

Location: Chez Ferchauds, France
Founding: 1730
Notable Spirits: Pasquet L’Organic 10 Grande Champagne Cognac

Unique Processes, Renowned Results

Due to the special care taken during the processing, the brand earned the lofty Agriculture Biologique status.

Jean-Luc Pasquet’s origins come from the 1700s, but the brand really started to take off when Jean-Luc got involved. They are known for their specialty processes, which include using native yeasts during fermentation processes, single-vineyard cognacs, and no added sugars or caramels. This approach earned the group special agricultural awards, along with a highly-regarded lineup of cognac.

1. Hennessy

Three glasses with cognac on a dark tray, close-up, service, nightclub. — Hennessy is, without a doubt, the largest and most popular brand of cognac in the world, selling 4.1 million 9-liter cases in the US in 2022.

Location: Cognac, France
Founding: 1765
Notable Spirits: XO, Paradis

The Biggest in the Game

Glasses with alcohol on a tray — While the basic products Hennessy offers aren’t renowned in the world of cognac, they do have some specialty offerings that can compete with the other brands.

You can’t have a cognac list without having Hennesy on it. We aren’t going to say run-of-the-mill Henessy is the best brand on this list, or even a really great cognac, but they sure are the most popular. In fact, most people couldn’t name a cognac brand other than Hennessy. The VS is pretty standard stuff and probably doesn’t need a ton of attention. Instead, try some XO or Paradis, two surprisingly great cognacs that can easily hold their own against some other more notable brands.