"Courvoisier" - cognac from France for connoisseurs of tradition and quality

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Cognac is perhaps one of the most favorite “male” alcoholic drinks. Usually, it is not mixed in cocktails, enjoyed on its own, not chilled, but drunk warm. In our article we will talk about the elite drink "Courvoisier". This cognac, its taste and nobility was once appreciated by Napoleon Bonaparte himself.

Brand history

More than 200 years ago in France, in the Charente region, the cognac house Courvoisier (correct French spelling) was opened. Since then, the tradition of making an elite drink at this alcohol company has changed little. After all, real cognac does not require haste, almost the entire process takes place as it was 200 years ago.

First, a special 9% ABV wine is distilled, which is made from grapes grown in the Charente region. After that, "Courvoisier" is aged in huge oak barrels. Their volume reaches 450 liters. At the same time, the oak, which was honored to become a container for aging the drink, must be at least 80 years old. That is why "Courvoisier" is a cognac for respectable people who value traditions and the highest quality, and it is not so cheap. By the way, as with champagne, a real Courvoisier is only onea drink that is produced from start to finish in the Charente region.

Types of cognac "Courvoisier": VSOP and VS

Depending on aging and other technological nuances, the alcoholic drink in question can be of two varieties: VSOP and VS. So, cognac "Courvoisier VSOP" has a minimum age of 10 years, a fortress - 40 degrees. It is aged in classic oak barrels. According to expert sommeliers, the aroma of VSOP cognac contains notes of honey plants, as well as the smell of meadow herbs. Specialists and connoisseurs also catch the aromas of cinnamon, vanilla and cardamom, as well as fruity notes of dried apples and dried apricots. Cognac "Courvoisier VSOP" (0, 5), the price of which starts from 2500 rubles (bottles of a larger volume are even more expensive), justifies such, say, a decent price. After all, we have already described how complex the technology of its manufacture is in detail.

“Courvoisier VS” - the choice of connoisseurs of noble drinks

So, if VSOP is aged in barrels for at least 10 years, then its “younger brother”, Courvoisier VS cognac, is stored in cellars for up to 4 years, but this does not mean that the VS brand is much worse than VSOP. It should be noted that the drink in question is made from a mixture of alcohols, and its taste is at least a little “poorer” than in VSOP, but be sure: this is noticeable only to experts and true connoisseurs. It is nevertheless distinguished by oak notes, fruit aromas - the same dried apples and pears, as well as a slight smell of wildflowers. The price of the smallest bottle of "Courvoisier VS"(0.5 liters) starts from 1500 rubles, large volumes (there are also liter containers) are, respectively, more expensive - up to 3000 rubles. Such prices are relevant for Russia. In France, the noble "Courvoisier" - cognac, loved by many celebrities, is much cheaper. For example, in a Duty-free shop, its price starts from 25-30 euros.

How to drink brandy

There is a whole art that tells how to properly enjoy this noble drink. Firstly, cognac is drunk after a meal - this is the so-called "digestive". It is usually enjoyed during small talk or sitting alone smoking a cigar. There is even a rule of three "C" - coffee, cognac, cigar (in French it's Cafe, Cognac, Cigare). That is, after a feast you drink a cup of coffee, then a glass of cognac, and after that you smoke a cigar with pleasure.

Usually, cognac is served in special “cognac” glasses, which need to be filled no more than one third. Also, the noble drink is not cooled before serving. You need to drink it in very, very small sips, as if savoring it on your tongue, trying to enjoy the taste and understand all the nuances of the drink. Cognac is traditionally eaten with dark chocolate, but not with lemon - this “barbaric”, according to the French, tradition came from Russia.

Why do Russians like to eat cognac with lemon

It is not known for certain whether this is true or fiction, but the custom of eating cognac with a slice of lemon became popular during the reign of Nicholas II. ToFortunately, this story does not apply to the noble cognac Courvosier. They say that when a certain Armenian cognac was brought to the court of the emperor for testing, its taste was so unpleasant that the king, in order not to offend his subjects, bit him with a slice of lemon, saying that he wrinkled from the acid of the fruit, and not from the taste and smell of the fruit itself. drink.

According to another version, again connected with Nicholas II, the empress already forced her husband to eat strong alcohol with a slice of lemon, as the latter interrupted the smell of alcohol she hated. One way or another, since those times in Russia it has become a kind of tradition to eat cognac with citrus slices. But in our article, we examined the noble "Courvoisier" - cognac, which must be drunk in accordance with all the rules, enjoying its delicate taste and aroma. After all, the French, who know a lot about wines, are also experts in cognacs, so they definitely won’t advise bad things.