Cognac, traditionally known as eau-de-vie, is a fine brandy distilled from wine and blended through an aging process lasting up to 50 years. Such an artfully cultivated liquor deserves careful handling, especially when it comes to storage. Unlike wines and ports, cognac can be stored for quite a while under the right conditions, allowing you enjoy its unique and robust flavor for years to come.
Find a dark, dry area where you can keep your cognac bottles at room temperature, and place each bottle upright in order to prevent the cognac’s flavor from being tainted by the cork.
Feel free to store unopened cognac bottles in a dry, dark space at room temperature for years at a time, as the cognac will not age in glass bottles. Meanwhile, opened bottles of cognac should ideally be stored no longer than six months, as the alcohol may oxidize and begin to lose its flavor.
Place the cork back in the bottle as soon as possible after pouring cognac, since an open bottle will lead to the cognac’s evaporation over time.
Tip
Serve your cognac in normal wine glasses or in tulip-shaped glasses rather than the typical balloon-shaped variety in order to enjoy the full bouquet of the brandy without losing any of the flavor preserved during storage.
Get the most out of your cognac by testing out cocktail recipes that require it.
Warning
Never store a cognac bottle horizontally.
