The great thing about making Cognac is that it teaches you above everything  else to wait – man proposes but time and God and the seasons have  got to be on your side. Jean Monnet. Cognac is always made in the Charente region of Western France and never anywhere else. They are always pure with the exception of the Fine Champagne which is the most exclusive and most expensive Cognac –  it’s always blended from both Grande and Petite Champagne Cognac containing a minimum of 50% Grande Champagne Cognac.

We listed the different kinds of Cognac available –  below for ease of reference.

• Fine Cognac (ordinary cognac).
• Eau-de-vie des Charente (cognac).
• Borderies or Fines Borderies (pure Borderies cognac).
• Bins Borderies or Fine Fins Borderies (pure Fins Bois cognac).
• Bons Bois or Fine Bons Bois (pure Bons Bois cognac).
• Petit Champagne or Petite Fine Champagne (pure Petite Champagne cognac).
• Grande Champagne or Grande Fine Champagne (pure Grande Champagne cognac).
• Fine Champagne is the most exclusive, the most expensive and is a blend of half Grande Champagne and half Petite Champagne cognac.

And here are a few things to know when searching for really good cognac.

• Brandewijn – an old Dutch name, translated into brandy by the English, that means burnt wine – in other words, distilled wine.
• Brouillis – the colourless spirit produced after the first distillation.
• Bon chauffe - the liquid produced after the second distillation.
• Lees – the sediment that consists of dead yeast cells left in a wine vat after fermentation.
• Chauffe – the heating process used in cognac production (there are two la première and la bonne).
• Chai – not the tea this time, the warehouse in which the cognac in casks are stored.
• Comptes – the age of the cognac.
• Paradis – a special cellar used for storing the old cognacs.
• Queues – the last cognac to run through the stills.
• The tête – the first spirit to emerge from distillation.
• Limousin and Tronçais – the two kinds of oaks from which the casks are made.
• Cru – is the area, usually one of the six regions in the cognac appellation.

Naturally there are many other terms but these should help to start things off.