Cognac
The biggest difference is that Cognac is made from grapes and Whiskey from grain, most usually barley. This grain is mixed with yeast and water, distilled, and then aged in oak barrels. Cognac begins life as fermented grape juice that first turns into wine.
Cognac production falls under French AOC designation, with production methods and naming required to meet certain legal requirements. The brandy must be twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais.
Cognac matures in the same way as whiskies and wines barrel age, and most cognacs spend considerably longer "on the wood" than the minimum legal requirement.
Cognac is also great with
Between the Sheets
The Sidecar is a classic drink that features cognac, orange liqueur, and fresh lemon juice. If you enjoy the Sidecar, you should meet its less known cousin, the Between the Sheets. The cocktail first appeared in New York Bar in Paris, where the acclaimed bartender Harry MacElhone, apparently made it in the 1920s. He has also contributed several other classics to the boozy realm, including the White Lady and the Old Pal, so drinkers are forever in his debt. Most people name this cocktail Between the Sheets, though you may hear it referred to as a Maiden's Prayer (when made with gin instead of rum) as well. By either name, it's a cool drink in which rum and brandy get together for some fun. If you enjoy the notorious Sidecar, be sure to give this one a try. The brandy and rum blend is often seen in classics such as the Boston Sidecar and Embassy cocktails. The Between the Sheets is a cocktail consisting of white rum, cognac, triple sec, and lemon juice. The Between the Sheets starts as a Sidecar but diverges with a measure of light rum and skips the custom sugared rim.
Alexander
The Brandy Alexander was a famous drink during the '70s, and when carefully prepared, it can be a blast. Its origin came from the classic version, but mostly forgotten, of the Alexander cocktail and combines brandy instead of gin with creme de cacao and cream. The recipe appeared first in Hugo Ensslin's 1916 book called "Recipes for Mixed Drinks." But, the cocktail was likely born at Hotel Rector, New York City's premier pre-Prohibition lobster chateau. The authentic Alexander cocktail consisted of equal parts gin, crème de cacao liqueur, and cream. Over time, other spirits are used, as a replacement for the gin, brandy being most popular. The recipe has also slowly become boozier, with modern recipes usually calling for one-and-a-half times as much base spirit. Other liqueurs in place of crème de cacao are used in modern Alexander riffs. If the egg is used as a garnish, it's important to obtain an emulsion by shaking it hard. It then generates a smooth mouthfeel and frothy head. The Alexander (or Brandy Alexander) prepared below is a cocktail consisting of cognac, cocoa liqueur (crème de cacao), and cream.
Savoy Corpse Reviver
The Corpse Reviver family of named cocktails are occasionally drunk as alcoholic hangover cures of potency to be able to revitalize even a dead person. This recipe is a variation created by Gilmore in 1954.
French Connection
A French Connection is a cocktail made with equal parts Cognac and Amaretto liqueur, a sweet Italian liqueur made from almonds and stone-fruit pits. The French Connection is a two-part drink that first appeared in the early 1970s and was titled for the 1971 Gene Hackman film of the same name. The cocktail’s creator is unknown, so it’s unclear who to thank for this tasty concoction.
Incredible Hulk
An Incredible Hulk is a vivid green-colored cocktail made in equal parts of the fruit liqueur Hpnotiq and Hennessy brand cognac poured over ice. It is called after the green comic book superhero, the Hulk. The drink was created during a Hpnotiq launch event in New York City. A Hpnotiq worker saw many women but few men drinking his company's liquor because of the blue color. Victor Alvarez, a bartender at the restaurant, mixed Hennessy with Hpnotiq to cut the fruity flavor, resulting in a green drink that quickly became a hit.
Brandy Alexander
A Brandy Alexander is a brandy-based dessert cocktail made of cognac, crème de cacao, and cream. It is a deviation from an earlier, gin-based cocktail called the Alexander. The cocktail known as Alexander today can contain gin or brandy. Ice cream can be added for a frozen Brandy Alexander. It's not too sweet, although it is indulgent, and the simple recipe finds a perfect balance between just three ingredients. The recipe is found in Hugo Ensslin’s 1916 book Recipes for Mixed Drinks but was likely born at Hotel Rector, New York City’s premier pre-Prohibition lobster palace.
Champagne Cocktail
A champagne cocktail is an alcoholic cocktail made with sugar, Angostura bitters, Champagne, brandy and a maraschino cherry as a garnish. A recipe for the cocktail appears as early as "Professor" Jerry Thomas' Bon Vivant's Companion (1862), which omits the brandy or cognac and is considered to be the "classic" American version. It is also one of the IBA official cocktails.
Hennchata
The Hennchata is a cocktail made from Hennessy cognac and Mexican rice horchata agua fresca. The Hennchata consists of 4 oz horchata plus 1.5 oz of Hennessy V.S. served with a straw in a thick-walled. The drink was invested by Jorge Sánchez of Gilroy, and served in a Mexican restaurant in downtown San Jose. Since its debut in 2013, an average of 85 a day have been sold, with more than 17,000 in a year. Thus the restaurant has become the biggest seller of Hennessy bottles in Northern California. LVMH managers have visited and invited Sanchez to red-carpet events.