Don’t Know Jack About Cognac?
From The Eagle come a few basic cognac terms that everyone should know lest they wish to look foolish when ordering off of a posh dessert menu:
- VS: “very special”; aged 2 1/2 years
- VSOP: “very superior old pale”; aged 4 1/2 years
- XO: “extra old”; aged 6 1/2 years
- Long Drinks: mixed drinks made from cognac and water, tonic, seltzer, or ginger ale or served on the rocks
- Neat: straight or with a bit of water
- Brandy: superset of cognac; cognac is only from Cognac in France
- Borderies, Grand Champagne, Petit Champagne: the most famous/best cognac regions
