VINTAGE

A vintage cognac is a cognac from a single year and harvest. It’s not a blend of different spirits like an XO or a VSOP. A vintage cognac is also known as a millésime cognac. The difference between cognac and whiskey is that with cognac the art lies in the blending. So that a cognac house can bottle a vintage, there is legal obligations that must be complied with. The National Cognac Bureau (BNIC) must verify that the procedure is being followed. Once the cognac producer has decided to provide a selection of casks for vintage designation, an official from the BNIC comes and seals the casks. This ensures that these casks are sealed for the vintage cognacs. It is important that the bottling date is noted on the label as this indicates how long the cognac was actually aged in the cask.