cognac is a versatile spirit, a perfect pair to a wide range of occasions. Whether by yourself or in company; before, during or after dinner; or mixed into cocktails, the act of enjoying cognac can take form in many different ways.

The good news is that Cognac is a very versatile liquor for mixing, and you can certainly use it to create an Old-Fashioned. Cognac tastes very similar to Brandy, although you can taste a hint of bitterness or even spiciness. If you enjoy a whiskey sour, why not replace whiskey with cognac to make a deeply flavorful cognac mixed drink? The cognac adds richness, while the lemon and lime keep it from becoming cloying. If you’re coming from a whisky background, this will seem fairly familiar: you should drink your Cognac from a tasting glass at room temperature. Our classic Perfect Measure Glass is perfect for the job, and will be the glass that guests to The Cognac Show will receive this weekend. All you need to do for a delectable drink is to pour a couple of ounces of the cognac over rocks. Yet, with a little more effort, you can create something different and delicious. Champagne, soda water, citrus juices, gin, rye whiskey, madeira, sweet and dry vermouth, strawberry syrup and Peychaud’s, orange and Angostura bitters all.

During the aperitif, the cognac is usually consumed neat, but adding a drop of water reveals more fruity, floral and spicy aromas and makes the tasting experience smoother. Similarly, adding two ice cubes will dilute the cognac and reduce the alcohol percentage, which reveals these aromas while making the taste more refreshing. The goal is that the ice cubes melt slowly, revealing new aromas at each step.

Cognac can even be consumed frozen, which makes the liquid very viscous (it does not freeze due to the high alcohol level), and gives an experience that is almost velvety in the mouth. This pairs particularly well with sea food: oysters, lobster, or sushi.

For a simple long drink as an aperitif, the cognac can be consumed with tonic or ginger ale. This brings out notes of fresh fruit, even liquorice, in a Rémy Martin VSOP. This is how cognac is normally enjoyed by the locals in the Cognac area as an apéritif.

The type of glass affects the tasting experience. To enjoy cognac neat, a ‘taster’s glass’ is suggested, as its long and narrow shape helps capture the richness of the cognac and less the alcohol. When adding a drop of water, the taster’s glass is also recommended. Cognac on ice is served in a large tumbler glass, with room for two ice cubes. This allows it to be held in the hand, aiding the melting process of the ice cubes and making it easier to smell and drink. As a simple mixer with ice, use a long drink glass with many ice cubes. The more ice cubes, the colder the liquid remains as the ice melts more slowly. The cognac snifter glass is suggested for a traditional tasting moment, after dinner as a digestive, where it is served neat and you hold the glass to warm the cognac by hand. During dinner, drinking cognac neat is recommended.

Roquefort and aged parmesan cheeses, with their spicy or full-bodied flavors, pair very well with cognac. The fatty flavors of a Roquefort especially, while the aged parmesan has an aromatic strength that matches the cognac. Chocolates also make a good pairing. A pure, black chocolate, with its fatty and bitter flavors, combines well with the floral, spicy notes found in a cognac. Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal pairs best with chocolate. Rémy Martin VSOP pairs best with fatty cheese, dried apricot, and liquorice. Rémy Martin XO pairs best with figs and candied fruits. Rémy Martin CLUB has more spicy notes and matches well with ginger, which reveals notes of pepper and a hint of lemon.

Cognac cocktails are a growing trend in cocktail bars worldwide. Cognac has a rich aromatic profile that is very fruity and floral, yet spicy, which lets you play with a variety of options on the ‘cocktail wheel’, revealing more of one particular aroma or another. It can easily replace other base ingredients in classic cocktails such as the Manhattan, Tom Collins, a mint julep or even a Mojito. Cocktails such as the Sidecar, Sazerac – dry cocktails – are best enjoyed after dinner. An Old Fashioned with XO is rich and full of flavor, and can be a perfect pairing with a dessert.

Even infusions, such as with ginger, vanilla, or jasmine, can be made for a more extensive mixology experience. To change things up, the Hot Toddy – a warm cocktail with cognac, simple syrup, lemon and cinnamon, with hot water – is the perfect accompaniment on a cold winter afternoon. To find out more about ways of making cocktails with Rémy Martin for every occasion, visit our Cocktails section.

Intro: The Old-Fashioned Cognac Vs Bourbon

Although many people prefer to drink whiskey straight or on the rocks, others enjoy mixing their spirits to create various cocktails. No matter what kind of spirit you’ve chosen, mixing up a fine cocktail can be a real treat.

And in the world of cocktails, not many have stood the test of time quite like the “Old-Fashioned.” The name fits the bill nicely, and this cocktail dates all the way back to the early 1800s. In fact, the Old-Fashioned was probably around before the word “cocktail” was even popularized! In 1806, an editor of a New York newspaper was asked to describe what a “cocktail” actually was. This was the first-ever mention of the word “cocktail” in print. The editor describes a few basic ingredients, and as we look back it’s easy to see that what he was really describing was an Old-Fashioned.

Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

The Ingredients of the Old-Fashioned

The ingredients of the Old-Fashioned haven’t changed over hundreds of years – even if this humble cocktail was the spark that inspired many more liquor-based creations ever since. As we’re sure many of you already know, the ingredients of an Old-Fashioned are:

• 45 mL of Rye Whiskey or Bourbon
• 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
• 1 Cube of Sugar
• A touch of plain water

Simple… But more than enough for most whiskey lovers out there. After all, if you’re drinking a fine whiskey, there’s no need to hide the taste with all kinds of unnecessary ingredients. If you were paying attention, you would have noticed that there are two possible liquors you can use to make a “proper” Old-Fashioned: Rye Whiskey or Bourbon. This gives you a little bit of freedom when you’re mixing your drink, but back in the day, people were using pretty much any liquor they could get their hands on.

The History of the Old-Fashioned

Before the cocktail was popularized and made official, you could use rum, gin, brandy, and other similar liquors to make your Old-Fashioned. As time went on and the different cocktail variations started to branch out a little, people once again returned to the “basics” of the Old-Fashioned and decided that only whiskey should be used to make this time-honored drink.

Although the drink has its roots back in the early 1800s, the first ever mention of an Old-Fashioned actually comes from around 1880. That being said, a prominent Gentleman’s club claims to have invented the drink in honor of a well-known Colonel and Bourbon distiller who brought the Old-Fashioned to New York City back in the late 1800s. Even though the drink was probably being made for decades before it was officially recognized, we can safely say that it became common knowledge all over America by 1881.

What Type of Liquor Should You Use To Make Your Old-Fashioned?

As you can see, there are a few options if you want to make this drink at home. Brandy, Whiskey, Bourbon, and Cognac are all acceptable liquors for this well-known cocktail.

So which one should you use? In the end, it’s all about taste… That being said, there are a few qualities of each liquor you might want to consider.

Brandy

Brandy is made from fermented grapes, and it has its origin in Europe. The aging process typically lasts from 2 to 3 years, and the liquor is stored in wooden barrels. In some cases, caramel is added to the liquor during or after the aging process.

So can you use Brandy for an Old-Fashioned? Of course! In fact, it’s a traditional cocktail over in Wisconsin, where the drink is sometimes known as the “Wisconsin Old-Fashioned.” The taste of brandy varies greatly depending on what type of fruit has been fermented to create the liquor. Generally, brandy is sweeter and more fruity compared to whiskey.

Cognac

Cognac is a type of brandy, but it’s very special and very much its own flavor. Cognac must be made from Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the Cognac region of France, and is subject to strict examinations to ensure it’s the “real deal.” Because Cognac is more exclusive and rare, it’s typically more expensive.

The good news is that Cognac is a very versatile liquor for mixing, and you can certainly use it to create an Old-Fashioned. Cognac tastes very similar to Brandy, although you can taste a hint of bitterness or even spiciness.

Whiskey

As we’re sure all of you know, it is made from fermented grains. Wheat, Rye, Barley, and even corn are all acceptable grains to use to make your whiskey. Aged in wooden barrels, you can find people distilling whiskey all over the world.

Whiskey is the traditional liquor to use for an Old-Fashioned. Even though Brandy can taste quite similar to whiskey, it’s important to remember that they come from completely different fermented bases, and the taste of the grain can be quite different compared to that of fruit once fermented.

Bourbon

It is a type of whiskey. Specifically, Bourbon is made in the United States from fermented corn. Most of the time, Bourbon comes from Kentucky.

You can definitely use Bourbon to make your Old-Fashioned, and some connoisseurs say that using this liquor results in a mellower, “rounder” taste.

So… Which Liquor Should I Use to Make My Old-Fashioned?

As you can see, there are many options for making your Old-Fashioned. We’ve only mentioned four very broad types of liquor, and even these four options can make it hard to decide.

Whiskey Vs Cognac

We haven’t even talked about the different brands of Brandy, Whiskey, Cognac and Bourbon you might want to try when making your Old-Fashioned! Try it out for yourself, and you’ll discover that an Old-Fashioned can taste very different even if you’re using two different brands of Cognac!

Courvoisier Cognac Mix Drinks

Brandy Vs Cognac Vs Whiskey

In the end, it all comes down to personal taste. So don’t be afraid to experiment! This cocktail has been around for over 200 years, and it’s definitely not going anywhere. So take your time, pick out some of your favorite spirits, and find out for yourself what makes for the perfect Old-Fashioned!

Can You Mix Cognac And Whiskey Cocktails

Can You Mix Cognac And Whiskey Cocktail

Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: