How to drink cognac: the subtleties of drinking cognac

Do people know that cognac should be drunk by the rules? Previously, such a drink was poured into a stack, snacked with any food and food. Today, true connoisseurs of high-quality alcohol know a lot about drinks and carefully treat cognac of long-term exposure. They follow all the canons in order to enjoy the smell, as well as taste.

Fans of cognac create a suitable setting, choose the appropriate glasses, present a drink at a certain temperature, conduct a tasting and do not forget about the right choice of snacks. And some lovers manage to make cognac-based cocktails in order to feel new smells and tastes.

Creating the right environment

Significance of the choice of glasses

The next step is not to pick up glasses, but classic wide glasses narrowed at the top. They are also called “snifters”, which is translated from English as “sniffing”. Recently, glasses have been replaced with similar tulip-shaped options. Professionals are confident that such a vessel is better able to convey the aroma of the drink. Although fans of alcohol do not see much of a difference between a snifter and a tulip-shaped glass.

Temperature matters

It is important to drink the drink slowly, with a sense of the charm of each sip. To achieve this, when serving cognac must be a certain temperature. It must not be stored in the refrigerator or any other cold place. The best choice is a cupboard, a bar where the bottle will be constantly located.

Alcohol is served at an ideal temperature of 20-25 degrees. It is opened half an hour before use. Do not completely fill the snifter. The drink should occupy the fourth part of the glass and be served after the second dish or simultaneously with a cigar and coffee.

The important role of tasting

The tasting process begins with determining the quality of alcohol. To do this, take a glass in hand. From the outside of the snifter, they leave a fingerprint and look at it through the poured cognac. A drink is considered to be of high quality if the print is clearly visible. Otherwise, it’s a fake. Then the glass is slowly rotated in the hand around its own axis. Traces (“legs”) are formed on the walls of the snifter. They take a closer look at them to determine what kind of aging is the alcohol.

• If traces remain for 5 seconds, then the drink is 5-8 years old.
• If the “legs” remain on the walls of the glass for up to 15 seconds, then cognac is 20 years old.

The color of the drink may be different. It's all about aging, as well as the amount of caramel used. There is cognac of a light yellow, brown hue. It is believed that a more seasoned alcoholic drink has a dark color, but not in all cases.

Having studied the external data, they begin to evaluate the aroma. Three waves of the smell of such a drink were adopted.

1. At a distance of 5-10 cm from the edge of the snifter, the first wave is felt. Man picks up the faint smell of vanilla.
2. Near the edges of the glass you can feel the aroma of fruits and flowers. This is where the second wave begins. Moreover, in a good drink, the smell of violets, linden, as well as apricot and roses is especially captured.
3. Immediately in the sniffer itself, a complex combination of smells is felt, close to the aroma of port. This is the third wave, allowing you to enjoy a bouquet of smells.

The rules of proper drinking

After the tasting, it is worth moving on to the drinking process itself. It is carried out slowly, with the sensation and appreciation of all qualities, taste. Cognac is drunk in small sips. Hold him in the mouth for a couple of seconds. This allows you to catch the effect, called the "peacock tail."

The drink should slowly spread over the tongue, throat, so that an aftertaste remains. Clear alcohol tones should not be felt. Alcohol is considered good quality if the pleasant aftertaste lasts a long time. You can warm the snifter with the palms of your hands for a couple of minutes, then swallow the cognac. The taste will be a little different.

The combination of brandy with food

The classic serving of such alcohol is without a snack. This drink does not go well with a heavy meal. It is presented at the end of the meal, served for dessert, observing the relevant canons. They are most adhered to by the French, who first drink coffee, then enjoy and enjoy the cognac, and then smoke a cigar.

Some connoisseurs of such a drink as a snack choose fruits, chocolate, hard cheeses, as well as seafood, lean meat or pastes. An important point here is the lack of lemon. This citrus dulls the taste of an expensive drink.

Often, cognac acts as a component of various cocktails. It goes well with liquor, rum or syrup, juices, martini, including milk. For such cases, it is better to choose cognac with three stars. In some establishments, the drink is served with ice on an aperitif.

According to the rules, long-aging cognac is not customary to mix with other drinks, both alcoholic and ordinary.

Recommendation
The drink bottle should always be upright. If the drink is not finished, then it is poured into another smaller glass container and tightly closed. Do not allow unfinished cognac to come into contact with the cork. Otherwise, he will gradually lose his qualities.

The combination of cognac with coffee

Thanks to the taste and aroma indicators of cognac, it recharges a person with energy, raises his mood and warms. Can it be combined with coffee and how to do it right?

There are certain rules according to which you can feel the pleasant smell and taste of both drinks.

Classic version

1. Pour one teaspoon of ground coffee into a fine strainer. Tamp the powder well.
2. One teaspoon of cognac is poured onto coffee in a strainer, on top of which again a teaspoon of ground coffee is laid out.
3. The strainer with the contents is kept over the mug, 100 ml of cognac is slowly poured through it.
4. Cover the top of the cup with a small plate, set aside for a few minutes.
5. After the specified time, sugar is added to the drink and instantly drunk.

African method

1. Take one and a half teaspoons of ground coffee, half an spoon of cocoa, a little cinnamon powder.
2. The listed ingredients are mixed, pour 100 ml of boiling water, put on fire, boil for up to three minutes. The liquid should not boil.
3. After cooking, the hot drink is poured into a cup, granulated sugar is poured, if desired, and a half teaspoon of cognac is poured.

Vienna method

1. To a teaspoon of ground coffee add 100 ml of hot boiled water. The liquid is put on a slow fire, boiled, brought to a boil.
2. Take another dish in which a little cinnamon is mixed, a couple of spicy cloves, a few pieces of sugar cubes, and lemon zest is added. Cognac is poured into the resulting mixture and set on fire.
3. Coffee is added to the composition, left aside for several minutes. The mixture is filtered, the remaining liquid is poured into a cup.

The combination of cognac with cola

Mix brandy with cola is considered inappropriate and even harmful. But today it is popular and enjoys success with many people. The main thing is to maintain the proportion and know how to properly prepare such a drink. You can try it not only in a restaurant or bar, but also at home, cooked with your own hands.

Classic version

1. A glass is filled with ice, cognac and cola are poured on top of it in the same ratio.
2. If guests drink this drink throughout the evening, then it is worth lowering the degree. At the same time maintain the proportion of cognac and cola, as 1: 3.

Cocktail "Brave Macho"

1. A glass filled with 350 ml of cola and 35 ml of cognac, pour a little instant coffee.
2. The resulting composition is well mixed and drunk.

Cuban Brandy Cocktail

• Mix 20 ml of lemon juice, 50 ml of brandy, 4 pieces of ice.
• The liquid is poured into a glass, 30 ml of cola is added to it.
• The cocktail is ready to drink.

For every connoisseur of cognac, it is important to follow the rules of drinking it. The main thing is to enjoy the taste and aroma of the drink.

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