"Composing a Cognac is a delicate exercise," explains Hennessy master blender Yann Fillioux. The key word is blending. Many vintages, many vineyard sites, and most importantly, many tested and combined ratios resulting in the most perfect blend of Cognac, which is the most perfect brandy. Cognac is a grape-derived brandy from the Cognac region of France.
It comes from fruit and should retain complexity of fruit, something grain-based spirits can't do.

In this writer's humble opinion, Hennessy may be the finest Cognac because they remember to capture that fruit. Being the oldest producer, they've also learned to capture the floral resulting in true elegance. Fillioux's family has provided master blenders to house of Hennessy since 1800. In 1873, Emile Fillioux created a special blend, a bit more floral, for the private enjoyment of the Hennessy family. Occasionally, over decades, other private blends were created, inaccessible to the public. After re-examining their remarkable reserve library of extraordinarily old and diverse Cognac within the walls of Hennessy, they have recreated the formula of the 1873. It is in limited availability and called Private Reserve.

A sniff of Hennessy Private Reserve leads with dried orange and roasted almond complexities. "There is vanilla which is a powerful aphrodisiac,"
says New York master sommelier and beverage consultant Steve Olsen, "along with dried roses and other floral mystique." Within this blend is an actual portion of Cognac form the 1870's, along with a heavenly host of other precisely selected vintages. The Hennessy Private Reserve is in very limited release and is a true value at $150 the bottle.

The Hennessy X.O. is more available and affordable. "This is the benchmark for all cognacs produced," proclaims Olsen while smelling the X.O., "Cognac is about soil, grapes, pot stills two times...though French law merely dictates that an X.O. be six years old, the Hennessy X.O. is, on average, 30 years old. Like I said, this is the benchmark." Aromas of mocha or maybe coffee, dried fruits like fig and prunes, musty apricot, marzipan/roasted almonds, with lusty, grapy elements are all there. The Hennessy X.O. can be found in any fine shop, retailing for $80.

Olsen debunks one more Cognac myth, that being it is only for after the meal. "Serve straight Cognac during dinner, with the food, and with certain levels of Cognac, mix it like a cocktail," reveals Olsen. "The truth is that all spirits taste better with food, with fruit and acid as keys, just like wine," explains Olsen, "Tequila, Scotch and Cognac are the highest in acid,"
therefore working best with food. "Choose foods rich in dairy, egg, pan roast drippings, even blood such as in very rare goose liver, burnt sugar, caramel (plays with the aromatics), and chocolate, which is tough with wine, but works well with Cognac."

"The purpose of a Cognac cocktail is not to dilute but to soften the rough edges of the higher alcohol," adds Olsen, "and we are not going to put fine Cognac in a cocktail, such as mixed with club soda." Opt then for a V.S.
level Cognac that would be both more sensible and affordable.

The top of the top options from Hennessy, definately not intended for a highball, are the Paradis Extra (pronounced para-dee) at $350 and the Richard (ree-char) Hennessy, in a fabulous Baccarat decanter, at $1500. Even if the bottle price is dear, splurge perhaps for a glass. Many upper tier restaurants offer one or both of these remarkable tastes of history by the single portion..

In fairness to the fine industry, other Cognac houses to consider would include Delamain, Ferrand, Frapin, Hine and Martell.