Home > De l’Eau-de-Vie au Cognac : Le Vieillissement > Les Assemblages
Les Assemblages
All Cognacs are different.
They all age naturally in oak barrels but not at the same rate. <I don’t know.
The cellar master’s talent lies in finding the perfect alliance between his different cognacs in order to obtain the best possible combination of aromas, flavours and overall perception.
Once the assembly is finalized (between 55% and 65% alc.), gradually add
distilled water to lower the alcohol level to the desired level (min. 40% for Forgeron cognacs). A good Assemblage can take up to 3 years.
By mixing too quickly a too big quantity of eau-de-vie, cognac or water, the product is rushed and the marriage is not made.
Cognac Categories
Our bottled cognac is divided into 3 main categories:
V.S. (Very Special) :
The youngest Cognac. 4 years minimum in casks. Most often served as a long drink.
V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale) :
10 years minimum.
X.O. (Extra Old) :
20 years minimum. Considered the jewel of every home.
The other appellations (Napoleon, Réserve, Hors d’Age) fall into one of these 3 categories.