COGNAC 09/06/09 On the brandy trail today, following the…read morefootsteps of Richard Hennessy from Killavullen. First though we needed lunch on arrival in Cognac. Called to a small cafe near the Martell distillery. For EUR16.00, we got one plate each, one packed with shredded kebab meat plus chips and salad, one packed with Merguez sausages plus chips and salad, along with 2 waters. Quite a feed. Then walked down to the banks of the Charente to pick up our reserved tickets for the Hennessey tour. Crossed the river by Hennessy boat to a storage area to begin tour and then back again to the main admin. area, all the time accompanied by an English speaking guide. Finished up in the shop (Boutique) of course for a tasting. The amount of tastes you had depended on how much you paid for your tour. The plebs got just the ordinary Hennessey available in Ireland but we paid EUR12 instead of EUR9 and got two tastings, the second a Fine de Cognac. The Fine was really much better and we ended up buying a bottle for about EUR38.00 the ordinaire cost EUR30.00. Interesting tour, though we felt that the one we made a few years back to Henri Martin was the better of the two. Being a Corkman, I'm letting the side down but at the Martin distillery, you get a tour on a little train and you also see the barrels being made on site.

Wherever you turn in France, you are confronted by history, legends, and beautiful architecture…read more Here in Cognac, the eau de vie houses are even more interesting. This chateau was built as a fortress in the end of the 11th century to resist invasions from the English and Vikings. In 1494, King Francois ! was born here and he became a patron of Cognac bringing art and literature. Because of the thickness of the walls and the adjoining Charente River, it was recognized that this was a perfect place to make cognac because of the constant temperatures and ideal humidity. Baron Otard saved the property from destruction during the French Revolution. A visit includes the great halls, courtyards, cellars, staterooms, and vaults. What is interesting about visiting the different cognac houses is that they are all very different and informative. Make sure to make a reservation for a tour in the language you understand. The tour guides are first class and very knowledgeable not only about the history, but about the cognac making process. There are exhibits and demonstrations throughout the tour. Your lodging place may have a discount voucher. After your exploration of the chateau and the lessons in the different cognacs, you'll enjoy a tasting of the cognacs at the end. You'll be sure to buy a few bottles. This was our favorite Maison de Cognac!

What a great way to spend an afternoon! We had lunch here first. A salad with blue cheese and ham,…read moreyum. Then leg of duck with mashed potatoes and a crusted tomato. Dessert was an interesting apple pie. Then we learned about cognac. We had 4 different cognac's form different areas around Cognac. We got to try and smell each and decide our favorite blend. Then we made a 500 ml bottle of our mix, corked and then sealed. It's a big recommend!