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High Spirits: Cognac
HIGH SPIRITS
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AUDARSHIA TOWNSEND
According to cognac expert David Chhay, during the 19th century, the exquisite spirit was regularly consumed mixed with seltzer water. It was also a widely used spirit base for cocktails.
Today, cognac—in all its pure glory—serves as a pop-culture status symbol. In A-List circles, the likes of Robin Thicke and Paula Patton are regularly spotted indulging in late-night snifters at the club of the moment.
The truly dedicated connoisseurs take their collections seriously with not only more expensive cognacs, but also limited-edition and rare selections such as L’Essence de Courvoisier ($3,500) and Remy Martin Louis XIII ($3,100). They’re aged longer than the usual 20 years to 50 years required of other cognacs, and they are also encased in more dramatic packaging. The longer the aging process, the more likely you’ll get to experience those rich nuances of vanilla, caramel and chocolate on your tongue.
“The best way to experience cognac for me is drinking it neat as you can fully enjoy the aromas,” advises Chhay, who serves as the prestige business ambassador for the House of Remy Martin. “I approach the tasting process with what I call ‘restrained desire.’”
Chhay adds that similar to wine, cognac should be consumed when the imbiber has set aside time to really enjoy it. “The best occasion for me is when you have the time to share it,” he says. “I would share it with my friends, but also with anybody interested in wines.”
While he prefers to drink it neat, he will occasionally order cognac in a Sazerac or Manhattan, replacing the usual rye whiskey. The spirit adds richer, deeper and complex flavors to the cocktails. Bartenders at Sophie’s, the fashionable new restaurant in Chicago’s Saks Fifth Avenue, also prefer to use cognac in the following classic French sparkling cocktail:
french 76
