As luxury spirits confront a changing marketplace defined by younger drinkers and global competition, heritage houses are reimagining their approach to desirability.

Made from l’eau de vie (the water of life), cognac is arguably one of France’s greatest offerings in the world of liquor. However, in recent years it has been somewhat eclipsed by its distant cousin champagne. Here, we hope to change that. We explore the basics of this historical beverage, covering the geography of cognacs and its different grades.