Anaïs Brisson has Cognac running through her veins, literally and figuratively. She was born and bred in the region, her family is in the business, and she’s spent her career working with everyone in the area – from the large, multinational brands to the small, family-owned producers. She’s now working as U.S. Sales Manager for Cognac Park. So who better than to give us a rundown of what makes a Cognac so special?

Cognac Park makes some very interesting expressions from four of the sub-regions, called crus, within the larger region of Cognac (Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, and Fins Bois). They’ve recently added a Borderies bottling that is finished in Japanese oak casks (a new favorite for me), and they have some other adventurous projects in the works. The ink isn’t yet dry on Cognac Park’s new import deal for the United States, and they already are looking at some serious expansion in 2020.

A lot of Anaïs’ time is spent is educating. To truly understand Cognac, you must understand terroir. Today we’re spending some time talking about the regulations, the fruit, the production, and what the future holds for Cognac. She’s also tasked herself with bringing the tradition and quality of Cognac into the 21st century by teaching how to integrate this historic spirit into cocktails. This is our first episode that concentrates solely on Cognac, so expect a return of Anaïs in the coming year. Santé