Delicious Cognac to Drink and Gift this Christmas

Cognac is back with a bang and it’s not just for cocktails, my friends. Cognac is a spirit made with grapes, which is then aged in oak and it can be a great place to ease yourself into the spirits world. Often, it can be a little softer than whisky, with mellow flavours of candied orange peel, fudge and cinnamon spice. Like whisky, it has many levels of quality from the entry-level VS style all the way up to XO (extra old) and vintage cognacs (There’s our little video here with some basics if you want to know more.) In the meantime, here are some special cognacs that are perfect for gifting and sipping this festive season.

Camus Cognac VS Elegance

The Camus family has always been deeply involved in winemaking and distilling and make a wide range of Cognacs at differing quality levels and styles. This is their gentle, easy-going entry-level Cognac which boasts aromas and flavours of blossom, dried apricot, vanilla pod and spice. A brilliantly accessible introduction to Cognac. 

Size: 1l
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £32.96 // US $30.99 (70cl)

Courvoisier Fine VSOP

This classic VSOP, a quality step up from VS, is made by one of the best known producers of the region: Courvoisier. With its incredibly rich history, especially as the producer of cognac for the Napoleonic wars, Courvoisier has had a long time to perfect its style and this is an absolute benchmark for VSOP. Think of a silky smooth spirit, with notes of baked pear, red apples and hints of cinnamon spice, coffee bean and toast. 

Size: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £34.95 // US $42.99

Rémy Martin Royal Accord Cognac

Powerful, smooth and rich with notes of toffee and cherry wood, this cognac sits between a VSOP and XO style. It was named in honour of King Louis XV granting the ‘Accord Royal’ to Rémy Martin in 1738, which allowed them to plant vines on royal land. This is a rich and robust Cognac. Given its age and pedigree, this cognac is an absolute steal!

Size: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £42.45 // US $53.99

Delamain Pale & Dry

This exceptionally elegant and delicate ’Grande Champagne’ cognac is the flagship spirit of the historic house of Delamain and it is celebrating its 100th year this year. Grande Champagne is the premium grape growing area of the region and it produces the finest eaux-de-vie to make cognac. As the label states, this extra old cognac is pale and dry, with a subtle, floral perfume, a hint of leather and a complex, yet round, fruited finish. 

Size: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £97.45 // US: $135.54

Frapin Vintage 1990 Cognac

With cognac, the quality of the grapes matters, even though they are being distilled and in a fantastic year, the base for some exceptional cognacs are produced, such as this one from 1990. Made with grapes from one single vineyard, this is a concentrated and powerful, yet elegant cognac with a perfume of jasmine and apricot blossom along with some darker notes of nuts and star anise. 

Size: 70cl
ABV: 41.3%
Find here: £140

Courvoisier XO Initiale

This bottling is relatively new for Courvoisier and yet is another timeless, beautifully blended spirit where its complexity comes from very old eaux-di-vie from all over the Cognac region. Think of dried peach, red fruits, cocoa powder and a touch of worn leather. Delicious. A great one for dark chocolate too. 

Size: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £86.95 // US $99.99

And in case you were feeling flush…

Rome de Belleguard Cognac XO Limited Edition

Rome de Belleguard is home to the most expensive Cognac in the world and no this isn’t it. Made with grapes grown exclusively in the Grand Champagne appellations in Cognac, the spirit is stored in new casks for 3-5 years before being matured in oak barrels for up to 30 years. Ethereal and perfumed, this is a very elegant spirit with vanilla cream, citrus peel and woody spice. 

Size: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Find here: £3000

Have you checked out our wine, no-low and cocktail gift guides yet?

One Drink, Three Ways: Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

Originally used as a tonic for medical purposes, a vermouth is wine that has been infused by botanicals and fortified with spirit. It can be dry or sweet, red or white and currently, most vermouth comes from France and Italy, though we are starting to see other brands appear globally. Noilly Prat is the original French vermouth and their dry white is the benchmark. Created in the fishing village of Marseillan in the south of France using local grapes high in acidity such as Picpoul, grape juice is part-fermented, then fortified to 18% to keep the sweetness. After that, some of the liquid is aged in casks inside and some outside in the elements, allowing a slow oxidation to take place. The two are blended, then macerated with a herbs and spices for several weeks before resting and bottling.

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Helena’s Choice: The Original Apéro

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The Original Apéro

Ingredients

Tumbler or wine glass

50ml Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth

Lemon or lime slice and /or rosemary sprig

Ice

Perrier water to taste

In the heat of the south of France, simplicity is king and it's easy to forget that with Noilly Prat Original Dry, you don’t actually need anything at all other than a large chunk of ice, a twist of lemon and if you can rustle one up, a lovely view. If you’re particularly thirsty, you could spritz it up with some Perrier water. Serve as an aperitif before any meal or more drinks and it’s the ideal way to cleanse the palate. I like mine with a sprig of rosemary too for that extra southern French je ne sais quoi.

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Aidy’s Choice: The Vodka Martini

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The Vodka Martini

Ingredients

Martini Glass

25ml Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth

25ml Grey Goose Vodka

Dash of orange bitters

Twist of lemon

No vermouth, no Martini. It really is such a key player in this classic cocktail and Noilly Prat is the go-to. My recommendation is to have 50% vodka (I like Grey Goose) to 50% vermouth, stirred together simply in a mixing glass over ice, then poured into a cool glass. Add a dash of orange bitters if you’re feeling a bit crazy and garnish with lemon. It’s simple and super elegant.

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Colin’s Choice: The Pink Daisy

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The Yellow Daisy

Ingredients

Nick & Nora glass

30ml Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth

30ml Gin

5ml Triple Sec

5ml Pastis

Maraschino cherry or Rosemary to garnish

Ice cubes

Going a little left-field with the vermouth cocktail here, there’s a surprising combination we discovered recently that just works and will appease those Martini drinkers who prefer gin to vodka. The Pink Daisy is an explosion of French flavours from the vermouth to the pastis and the triple sec and it looks rather glamorous too. Combine the wet ingredients in a mixing glass over ice, stir, strain and pour. The cherry gives it extra retro pizazz though if you’re not into that, rosemary works too!

If you like this, check out our other One Drink, Three Ways pieces on Macallan Whisky, Tanqueray Gin or Rémy Martin Cognac.

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One Drink, Three Ways: London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

April 9th is Gin & Tonic Day for some parts of the world, the US especially, but to us in the UK, it’s another great excuse to bust out some of our favourite gins! With lockdown due to the coronavirus, the drinks cabinet may be either running low or feeling a little samey, so we thought we’d share another One Drink, Three Ways to help you spice up your sipping. In this version, we’re going for a London Dry style of gin and there is no better, classic choice than Tanqueray.

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Helena’s Choice: The Negroni

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The Negroni

Ingredients

Rocks Glass or Tumbler

35ml (.75 oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

35ml (.75 oz) Red Vermouth

35ml (.75 oz) Campari

Ice

Orange wheel or twist garnish

A cheeky Negroni, though so simple to make, feels deliciously indulgent as the sun goes down and the kids pop off to bed. A classic recipe is to use the rule of thirds and take one part gin to one part vermouth and Campari. Simply pour over ice, stir and garnish with your orange wheel or orange twist to taste. Turns the lights low and the music up. Who needs to go out anyway?

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Aidy’s Choice: The Strawberry Sour

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The Strawberry Sour

Ingredients

50ml (1.75ml oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

25ml (0.9 oz) Lemon Juice

15ml (0.5 oz) Strawberry Syrup (we like Monin)

1 Egg white

One of my all time favourite cocktails is a Strawberry Gin Sour. The perfect amount of sweetness and acidity intertwine with this great quality gin and the smoothness from the egg white brings everything together. The best part is, they’re super easy to create but make you look like a total pro (it’s that egg white foam!). I’ll never get bored of these beauties. Whether rain, sun or snow, you can drink one whenever the hell you want! Add everything to shaker with ice, mix vigorously with your shake face, strain out the ice and shake one more time to emulsify. Fine strain into a cocktail glass.

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Colin’s Choice: Raspberry Lemon G&T

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Raspberry Lemon G&T

Ingredients

Copa glass

35ml (1.25 oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

85ml (3 oz) Mediterranean tonic

Ice

2 Lemon wedges

6 Fresh Raspberries

The whiff of spring we saw recently had many of us reaching for a Gin and Tonic. It’s the ultimate springtime sip and there are so many ways to change it up, often just by adding different garnishes. My current go-to version has a hefty chunk of lemon and a small handful of raspberries. Served in a large copa glass, you can keep the berries on the top, giving the drink an irresistible springtime aroma.

4 Things you need to know about Cognac

In this video, Helena gives us 4 things we need to know about the wonderful spirit that is cognac!

One Drink, Three Ways: Remy Martin VSOP Cognac

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

Many people may still be of the impression that cognac is just for old men playing Boules in the south of France, but they would be wrong. Cognac is having a comeback. This grape spirit made by twice-distilling wine is finding favour with a younger audience thanks to its soft, citrus and fudge notes and its incredible versatility. You can use any cognac for these recipes especially if it's a VSOP, but for these drinks, I’ve chosen Remy Martin as I find it particularly soft and fruity, with a delightful, orange citrus kick, making it perfect for cocktails or sipping alone. Here are three ways to drink it:

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Helena’s Choice: The Highball

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The Highball

Ingredients

Highball glass
25ml (.75 oz) Remy Martin VSOP cognac
50ml (2 oz) Ginger ale
Ice
Orange wheel or twist garnish (optional)

I discovered cognac and ginger as a simple, refreshing sip while on a recent trip out to the region. It’s ideal for when you want something more substantial than a Gin & Tonic with a richer, spicier flavour. My tip would be to use ginger ale rather than ginger beer or else it can be too sweet. Simply pour one part cognac and two parts mixer over ice and stir. Garnish with an orange wheel or twist to pep it up a bit.

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Aidy’s Choice: The SideCar

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The Sidecar

Ingredients

Coup or Nick & Nora glass
50ml (2 oz) Remy Martin VSOP cognac
25ml (.75 oz) Lemon juice
25ml (.75 oz) ) Orange liqueur (triple sec)

For me, there’s nothing quite like a SideCar to brighten up the day. It’s one of those cocktails that you can sip anytime of the year and never fails to bring excitement to my tastebuds! A great quality cognac can make or break this drink, so it’s important to choose wisely, in this case Remy’s VSOP. The orange liqueur (Triple Sec) is equally as important as it becomes the backing vocals of the song, so make sure to choose something with vibrant flavour. Play around with few different liqueurs as each brings something totally different to the party! Finally, I love nothing more than to serve these beauties to people who claim not to like cognac; you’d be surprised how many people I’ve converted! Add all items into a Boston glass or cocktail shaker with ice and shake well before straining into your cocktail glass.

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Colin’s Choice: French 75

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French 75

Ingredients

Champagne flute or coup
25ml (1.25 oz) Remy Martin VSOP cognac
10ml (.25 oz) Fresh lemon or orange juice
10ml (.25 oz) Simple syrup
Brut (dry) Champagne to taste
Shaker & ice
Lemon peel twist to garnish

This classic, aperitif recipe has an elegant, Parisian feel thanks to the bubbles. Be careful though; the combination of sugar and champagne will start your evening with a bang! If the lemon is a bit acidic  for you, you could try freshly squeezed orange juice, which works just as well. Combine all the ingredients bar the champagne into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a champagne flute or coup, then top up with the bubbles. Garnish with a twist of your lemon or orange peel. 

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This article was created in partnership with Remy Martin.

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Luxury Cognacs You Need to Try

When was the last time you sipped a cognac? More opulent, viscous and citrus-scented than its whisky cousins made from grain, cognac is finding new favour on the global cocktail scene, yet it still delights spirits aficionados with its epic, long-aged, special bottlings. If you’ve neglected this spirit in the past, now is the time to try it again.

Written originally for Luxurious Magazine, February 4th 2020

The 12 days of Giftmas - Huge giveway!

To celebrate the launch of Part Two of The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky, we’re giving away 12 drinky prizes to 12 winners, picked each day from 1st December. To enter and for all T&Cs, head over to our competition page here!

The Prizes

1st December: Uncle Nearest Bourbon Pair

Two very special Bourbon whiskies from exciting brand Uncle Nearest. The whiskey honours a former slave called Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green who was the first premium distiller in Tennessee and even taught a certain Mr Jack Daniels. These whiskies by Nearest Green Distillery honour ‘‘the best whiskey maker the world never knew... until now’. The 1856 RRP £55 & the 1884 small batch whiskey is RRP £45 but not yet available in the UK. Find out more here.

2nd December Old Bakery Gin & Rum

We’re loving this brand new, yet super old, small batch distillery gin that has made a big splash on the likes of Dragon’s Den. When owner Ian Puddick bought an old bakery in London’s Palmers Green, he discovered a centuries old illicit distillery on the premises and set about sourcing original recipes. They now have three gins and a rum, which has just been released. Yum! Gin RRP £38 Rum. RRP £43. Find out more here.

3rd December Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2015 MAGNUM

Our friends at Armit Wines have offered a magnum of red wine from one of Italy’s most famous Tuscan wine estates: Ornellaia. Le Serre Nuove is an elegant, silky blend of Bordeaux varietals. Drinking now but will keep! See more here.

4th December: Coravin Model One Black

The original Coravin gadget that allows you to have a glass of wine without pulling the cork! It works by sending a needle through the cork and replacing the wine with inert argon gas. Genius! RRP £199 See more here.

5th December Giant Glencairn Glass

Remember the oversized glass from our Loch Ness episode? Well, award-winning family business Glencairn Crystal - creators of the whisky industry’s favourite glass - is offering you the opportunity to win a limited-edition giant Glencairn Glass. The oversized version is 12 inches tall and can hold just over three bottles, or nearly 100 drams! Collectable, with only a small number made each year. This glass is worth is worth over £150.  See more here.

6th December: 30 year old ‘Blue Flower’ Baijiu

Photo credit: Cheng International Co. Limited

Baijiu is the world’s most popular spirit but have you heard of it? This stunning, grain spirit from China has many guises, but we love this elegant, 30 year old ‘blue flower’ Baijiu from Fenjiu. It’s pretty rare and has an RRP of £150. See more @fenjiu_london

7th December: Ice Cool Luxury Wine Cooler

These compact Ice Cool Wine Coolers are beautiful and practical. They maintain the temperature of a wide range of bottles yet take up less space than an ice bucket and don’t get the label wet! Available in a variety of finishes and with a personal engraving. See more here.

8th December: Master of Malt 6 Month Whisky Dram Club Subscription

Our friends at Master of Malt are offering six months worth of their Dram Club subscription to one lucky winner! You’ll receive five carefully selected whiskies worth up to £100 a bottle, right to your door. Read more about them here.

9th December: Eto wine decanter

The decanter reinvented, Eto is a work of art that works as a decanter and a wine preserver at the same time. It works by displacing air thus not allowing wine to spoil for up to 2 weeks. Perfect for that one (!) glass in the evening and keeping the rest. RRP £125-145. See more here.

10th December:  Frapin 1270 Cognac and Cocktail Kit

Frapin 1270 is a versatile cognac which can be enjoyed neat or mixed, thanks to its great aromatic richness. Win a full size 70cl bottle, two cocktail glasses and a cocktail mixing kit with all the essentials you need to start mixing like a pro and impress your friends with classic Cognac cocktails such as Mint Julep, Side Car and Old Fashioned. Prize worth over £100. See more at @cognacfrapinofficial

11th December:  Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Champagne

Gold Brut is the most iconic cuvée in the Champagne Armand de Brignac range and is created using the old world traditions of champagne blending. This prestige cuvée is a trio of vintages from some of the most highly-praised terroirs in the region and expresses vibrant fresh fruit character, and layers of complexity. RRP £300. See more here.

12th December: Personalised bottle of 18 year old Highland Park

A rich and fruity 18 year old Highland single malt bottled in 2019, this whisky from The Whisky Exchange is limited edition (only 276 bottles) and will arrive personalised with a message of your choice. Prize worth £99.95. See more at @whiskyexchange

Rediscovering Cognac: Focus on Tercet by Remy Martin

For so many people in the drinks world, the new decade ahead will be all about rediscovering spirits that have been maligned or ignored for too long. Cognac is one of these; a brown spirit with a lot of history that we at The Three Drinkers have fallen head over heels back in love with in recent times. 

Made with distilled fine wine (rather than grain as whisky is), cognac has a soft, velvety texture with warming notes of citrus peel, fudge and marmalade. A great introduction is to try it with tonic in a simple highball as a much more interesting G&T alternative or in a classic cognac cocktail like a Sidecar or in an Old Fashioned (Go for the VS or VSOP quality levels if mixing). Cognac tasted by itself however or over a simple chunk of ice, is a truly indulgent treat. This is when you will reach for the XO styles that have more age or special bottlings that beg you to appreciate every nuance. 

One cognac we’ve tried recently is brand new to the market and a little bit different. Tercet by the famous, much-loved house Rémy Martin is a bit of a departure from their normal range of classic cognacs. 

Tercet is the story of a trio of experts who came together to create this blend over ten years of dedicated research. The first was Baptiste Loiseau, current Cellar Master at Rémy Martin who discovered that certain eaux-de-vie (the spirits that are blended together to make cognac) had a particular, unique character that while it was fabulous, was not technically in line with the house style. These spirits were particularly pure and elegant with expressive, exotic fruit aromas. 

Baptsite kept these special eaux-de-vie aside while he decided what to do with them and finally, called in the expertise of two other men: Francis Nadeau, a wine producer, and Jean-Marie Bernard, a master distiller with forty years of experience. Together, these three men would combine their individual expertise to work out which terroirs the eaux-de-vies came from and how they should use them to create something special. Over the years, they tested the oak barrels, yeast strains used for fermentation, the methods of pressing, the grapes themselves from different terroirs and more. Finally, they began to unravel the secret and were able to recreate it. The result was Tercet: a premium cognac that is also the ideal place to start anyone’s cognac journey thanks to its exotic, lychee, pineapple and apricot aromas, gentle sweet spice and long, complex length. Soft enough to have alone and ridiculously good with hazelnut macaroons and a slice of dried pineapple. 

See more about Tercet cognac here.

Buy it here. RRP circa  $100 / £78