Cognac and Food Pairings



Cognac and Food Pairings
2 mins readMay 4, 2020

Is it possible to enjoy Cognac with food? Of course! And the knowledgeable experts at Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits can give you some terrific suggestions!

Cognac and Food Pairings

Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits is well-known for our huge selection of popular international name brand and hard-to-find wines, beers and spirits. The most convenient way to get everything you need quickly is to order online.

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What is Cognac?

Cognac is technically a type of brandy. It is made by distilling wine, primarily from Ugni Blanc grapes, and the resulting spirit (the French call it eau-de-vie) is then aged at least two years in French Limousin oak barrels.

It cannot be labelled Cognac unless the spirit was produced in a specific region—the Cognac region of western France —which is a few hundred miles southwest of Paris, and a bit north of Bordeaux.

If you are not a cognac connoisseur, you may not know the meaning of the most common cognac categories – VS, VSOP, Napoleon and XO. VS means “Very Special” and is applied when the youngest cognac in the blend is at least 2 years old. VSOP means “Very Superior Old Pale” and is applied when the youngest cognac in the blend is at least 4 years old. Napoleon is used to designate cognac that is 4 years old. And XO, which means “Extra Old,” means that the blend is a minimum of 10 years old.

Tickle Your Taste Buds: Cognac and Food

Like a fine wine, cognac pairs well with many different dishes. This is not really surprising since we now know that it originates from French grapes. The best food pairings for cognac include:

Cheese: Younger cognacs are full of sweet, fruity flavors and go nicely with creamy cheeses and soft bleu cheeses, while an XO (extra old) cognac is wonderful when paired with aged cheeses like parmesan.

Seafood: Serve chilled cognac with fresh crab meat and oysters. A cognac with herbaceous notes will also complement the richness of salmon and lobster it perfectly.

Game meats: Cognac cuts through intense flavors and is a fantastic partner for game dishes such as venison and spicy duck with honey or sweet orange sauce.

Sushi: Believe it or not, cognac works very well with raw foods like sushi. It features a precise balance of acidity and fruitiness that brings out the best characteristics of the sushi.

Chocolate: Many people have only tried cognac with dessert. The gingery, peppery notes in cognac are an excellent accompaniment to sweet, spicy cakes like gingerbread, coffee, dried fruit, and soufflés.

When you are ready to buy cognac on Grand Cayman, visit Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits where you’ll enjoy an unparalleled selection and exceptional customer service. We can also help you come up with more food pairings!