Distinctive aromas and colours are the key points to identify a Cognac. Only by aging in oak barrels can it obtain these characteristics. A step you can’t miss for it to be named a Cognac. The spirit is an Appellation d’Origine, regulated by rules.

How do oak barrels make the distilled spirit into the well appreciated Cognac? Why Cognac has to be aged in oak barrels?

Copyright BNIC / Jonathan BRUNETEAU

As the spirit absorbs the wood's soluble components, it goes from colorless to slowly golden. The toasted notes of the oak disappear and the floral and light vanilla aromas intensify, inducing flavors such as clove, cinnamon , making the Cognac full-bodied and attractive in color.


Copyright BNIC / Aurelien TERRADE

The maturation of some Cognacs may take several years. During this time, many small holes on the oak play an important role, indirectly isolating the air from contact and giving the spirit a safer and more balanced maturation environment, allowing the Cognac to develop the flavors in oak barrels.

Wood and time, creating a "taste of paradise."

A perfect oak barrel needs to be composed of wood of the same age, carefully selected from woods of different hardness, porosity, and extraction characteristics, leaving only high-density, firm-textured, long, and knot-free wood.

After the wood is split, it also needs to be dried for 2 to 3 years outside to eliminate the moisture and bitterness in the wood, and the next step is to process and make the barrel.

Copyright BNIC / Stephane CHARBEAU

The barrel hoopers build a fire with oak shavings and oak blocks while baking the wood to make it bend into shape and give off an aroma like fresh bread.

Copyright BNIC / Jonathan BRUNETEAU

Generally speaking, the oldest Cognacs are stored in barrels far from the rest of the cellar, this is what we call "Paradise".

The Cognac in oak barrels, which draws the essence of the wood, naturally evaporates some of its liquor in the slightest contact with the air, a process known as "angel sharing". In this step, the volumes of Cognac that evaporate back into the air exceeds 38 million bottles per year.


Copyright BNIC / Aurelien TERRADE

From the grape growing area, to the distillation room
Cultivated in the cellars of paradise and time
makes Cognac a work of time and art