A snifter glass filled with a beautifully complex and delicious brandy has long been associated with luxury and decadence, however, the spirit offers plenty across all price points.
Brandy is a spirit of distilled wine or fermented fruit juice but usually refers to grape juice. Other mash recipes reference the fruit that they’ve been made from, such as peach, apricot, or apple brandy.
The most recognizable brands come from the Cognac and Armagnac regions of France and offer terroir similar to wine, with the brandy price tag to match.
Brandy from other European countries, the United States, and South Africa, along with Pisco from South America, are now increasingly popular and accessible, with a range of flavor and regional signatures.
The collection below of the 15 best brandy and Cognac to try features a mix of the most famous expressions sprinkled in with a range of other bottles from across the globe.
If you’d like to learn more about brandy and the regions it’s grown in, click here.
Best Buy I first learned about Courvoisier from a Busta Rhymes song many years ago. I’m positive this is the bottle he was talking about. After distillation, this young brandy offers the flavor of vanilla and caramel, however, over decades of maturation in barrels, the flavor softens to create a crème brûlée dessert taste in the liquor. Courvoisier XO is the go-to Cognac for a luxurious expression, with the Eaux De Vie (the pre-blended base brandy spirit which translates to “water of life”) having been aged between 11 and 25 years before blending and final bottling.1. Courvoisier XO Cognac
Hennessy accounts for nearly 50% of Cognac brandy sales worldwide. The spirit is crafted to exacting standards set by Hennessy’s Master Distiller and seven-member tasting committee, with distilling instructions being passed down from generation to generation. The oak used to make the cognac holding barrels comes exclusively from the Limousin forest in France, which provides the correct maturation. This Cognac offers the aroma and flavors of vanilla, almonds, and a nice hint of the French oak cask. If you are new to drinking brandy or require a reasonably well-priced but top-quality bottle of Cognac for a social situation or gift, Hennessy V.S is a top bottle.2. Hennessy V.S Cognac
Martell is the oldest of the famed French Cognac Houses, having been in operation since 1715. This bottle is their X.O expression, which means that it has been aged for a minimum of six years. Martell XO is a beautifully rich amber color and begins with a nose of ground black pepper and coriander, a palate of fresh fruit accented by figs and walnuts. As is the case for a well-aged Cognac, a feature of the Martell XO is the delightfully smooth and deep finish. If you are an experienced brandy lover with a taste for the finest quality, then this Martell XO will certainly be enjoyable, especially if you like a top drawer sipping brandy.3. Martell X.O
This family-owned and estate-grown Armagnac is a truly authentic spirit and one of the most delicious brandies in France, winning the Prix d’Excellence from the French Ministry of Agriculture in 2017. Distilled by husband and wife team Patrick de Montal and Victoire de Montesquiou – whose presence in the Lectoure region goes back as far as eight centuries, Château Arton’s mission is to be “grown, not produced.” Chateau Arton La Réserve is composed of a blend of four to 11 year aged estate-grown Haut Armagnacs. Its flavor profile features figs, dried fruit, and spices along with the complexity of woody oak, caramel, and vanilla. With a tremendously deep and wonderfully artisanal spirit, this is a great sipping brandy for those looking to capture the best of the Armagnac region.4. Château Arton La Reserve Haut Armagnac
Created by cellar master Michel Casavecchia and now part-owned by rapper/entrepreneur Jay Z, D’Ussé is a full-bodied French Cognac that’s versatile for use as a sipper or Cognac co*cktail. It’s easy to spot as well. D’Ussé carries the famous “Cross of Lorraine” on its logo and the liquid comes in a distinctively shaped bottle, even by brandy standards. D’Ussé VSOP is a nifty copper brown shade that looks brilliant in the glass, with an aroma of dried fruit and figs. On the tongue, there are hints of oak from its maturation, well balanced by dates, more fig, caramel notes, and spices. If you like to be across the latest brands with a flair for decadence, D’Ussé VSOP is a great entry point to the Cognac market.5. D’Ussé VSOP Cognac
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This bottle of Rémy Martin is a standout VSOP Cognac fine Champagne brandy aged longer than required by French law. The Rémy Martin VSOP blends four times the amount of different Eaux De Vie from the company’s vineyards in the Cognac region to create a brilliant grape brandy with notes of vanilla, stone fruit, and licorice. Rémy Martin is the only major cognac house specializing exclusively in Cognac Fine Champagne and is crafted for versatility. It can be delicious when enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or mixed with ginger ale, but is notable when used to make a brilliant Brandy Alexander.6. Rémy Martin VSOP Cognac Fine Champagne
Hors D’Age usually describes the oldest varieties of Cognac, however, Torres 20 is a bottling that combines the best of Spanish brandy grapes with the techniques of France. Described in the tasting notes as a “symbol of both age-old tradition and innovation,” Torres 20 was among the first Spanish brandy distillers to combine Ugni Blanc with the pale, fruity wines of the Parellada variety, grown on the hillsides near Barcelona. Torres 20 is dark amber in color with notable nutty aromas and the taste of dried fruit, vanilla, and spices, including cinnamon and nutmeg. If you are a brandy lover happy to look outside the confines of the Cognac region for a quality grape brandy, Torres 20 is a quality older bottle at an inexpensive price.7. Torres 20 Hors D'Age
Armagnac brandy differs from Cognac in distillation by using a single column distillation process to ferment the grape juice, rather than twice through a pot still. It’s also crafted through a series of smaller operations than the big business Cognac distillers. De Montal has beautiful bottles and labeling with a fantastic mix of honey orange on the palate. On the nose and palate, this VSOP offers sweet stone fruit, apple, orange peel, and brown sugar that emphasizes warm baking spices and brown butter as it lingers on the tongue. If you’re looking to take your grape brandy experience out of the locale of Cognac, then this bottle of Armagnac VSOP is balanced enough to offer you a quality drink with unique characteristics.8. De Montal Armagnac VSOP
Calvados is an apple brandy specifically from the Normandy region of France. Distillers can combine as many as 100 different apple varieties in production, ranging from sweet to sharp and tart to bitter. The longer that Calvados is aged in oak barrels (minimum two years) the more well-rounded and smoother it tastes. This bottle from Le Compte in the Lower Normandy is matured for 12 years prior to bottling to create a sweet apple brandy with hints of spices such as nutmeg and licorice. If you are looking to taste a brandy bottle varying in taste and terroir to traditional grape brandies, then Le Compte is certainly an option worth putting to the test.9. Lecompte 12 Year Old Calvados
While more well known for its vodka contributions, Ciroc produces other quality spirits from luxurious French grapes. Because its production comes from outside of the Cognac region, you’ll find that this Ciroc French brandy is well priced while still having a delicious taste in comparison to other more notable brands. Much like their more famous liquor, Ciroc creates a smooth and complex flavor made with a commitment to quality ingredients. If you are looking for a great tasting, non-Cognac French brandy, then at its price point Ciroc is difficult to go past for use in a brandy co*cktail.10. Ciroc VS Brandy
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American brandy is developing rapidly – much like a fermented fruit juice version of craft beer – with some quality expressions ranging from VS to XO on offer at affordable prices. There’s a roadmap to local brandy becoming a bigger part of the US liquor landscape, and from a taste perspective, American brandy is growing in leaps and bounds. Perhaps the most well-known American brand is E&J, and the enjoyable flavor of their XO expression belies its cheaper price. Distilled in Sonoma County California – part of America’s wine-growing heartland – this handy brandy is aged in toasted oak barrels, crafting vanilla notes with toffee, along with brown sugar and maple syrup on the tongue. E&J Brandy XO is a complex and enjoyable American-made grape brandy and is great for when the whole party wants to enjoy a Brandy Alexander.11. E&J Brandy XO
Check Price Chilean Pisco is an extremely enjoyable brandy (Peruvian Pisco is also a lot of fun yet the two styles never cross borders), but a long way from the heralded European versions of the spirit. Being matured either in glass bottles or stainless steel means there’s more heat and less overall depth to Pisco, however, there is tremendous power. Pisco uses up to eight varieties of grape and is a much sweeter product than the sherry or oak cask softened European brandies. El Gobernador is a tribute to Felipe Margutt Donaire, a much-loved governor who participated in The Battle of Maipú in 1818, helping Chile’s independence. It’s certainly lively, utilizing two types of muscatel grape to create the sweet liquor. If you’re looking for a unique global brandy that offers the power and punch of tequila, then El Gobernador Pisco will be the life of your party.12. Pisco El Gobernador
Made with California grapes and distilled exclusively in Pruhlo Charentais pot stills and aged in Limousin oak barrels, Germain-Robin highlights the flavors that make California brandy such a sought-after product in the growing US-made spirits market. On the nose, Germain-Robin is rich with apricot, dried pear, and apple, giving way to a rich fruit flavor balanced by the notes of oak and spice, and a long yet powerfully smooth finish. If you are looking for a premium American-made brandy with the craftsmanship of a fine cognac, then you’ll enjoy and appreciate the rich flavor of Germain-Robin.13. Germain-Robin Brandy
Spanish brandy production is centered in the regions of Jerez and Andalucia, where production was learned from the 8th century Moors. To be called Brandy de Jerez the alcohol must be sherry cask aged and matured through a solera process (aged over time by fractional increments of blending). Felipe II is rich and vibrant in color and flavor and is recommended for drinking neat, in a brandy co*cktail, or as a mixer with fruit juice, soft drink, or soda water.14. Felipe II Brandy de Jerez
Distilled in New Jersey, Laird’s Applejack is a blend of 35% apple brandy and 65% neutral spirits that possess a hint of the original apple flavor and aroma. By federal law, only whole apples may be used in its production, and during the distillation process, there are no additives, starters, or yeast cultures employed. If you’re looking for an American-made but smooth and powerful fruit brandy, then Laird’s Applejack Brandy offers a great blend of craftsmanship and flavor.15. Laird's Applejack Brandy
Conclusion
Brandy is now truly a global liquor, not just the domain of French regional producers. By embracing the idiosyncrasies and variety of flavor types from within the spirit’s production, you’ll be able to gain and display a rich knowledge of what attributes make quality brandy expressions.
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Jono Elderton
Jono writes about booze and tattoos for Next Luxury, having spent nearly two decades experiencing both in a variety of situations around the globe.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) from the University of Canberra and a Graduate Diploma of Professional Writing from Deakin University.
Jono writes about booze and tattoos for Next Luxury, having spent nearly two decades experiencing both in a variety of situations around the globe.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) from the University of Canberra and a Graduate Diploma of Professional Writing from Deakin University.
