Interest in pre-phylloxera Cognac rises

Demand for very rare Cognac, especially pre-phylloxera examples, has risen sharply of late according to one specialist.

Interest from Asia and the US in very old and rare Cognacs has been rising recently according to David Baker, managing director of Hermitage Cognacs, a leading UK supplier of old Cognacs.

Baker said: “As well as our established market in single-estate cognacs of the late 20^th and early 21^st centuries, we’re now seeing a real surge in demand for Cognacs from the mid and early 20^th century, even some from the 19^th century before phylloxera.”

The rising tariffs on European wines and Scotch whisky in the US is reportedly driving buyers there to seek out other drinks and Cognac remains, so far, untouched by the recent tax hikes.

Meanwhile, much the same as Scotch, interest in old Cognac is boosted by spirits from closed distilleries which are incredibly scarce and in turn are very sought after and with rising prices to match.

“The interest and historic value they hold is driving demand, and we are having to scour the cellars of the region for more rare bottles,” said Baker.

“Moreover, modern cognacs are made on bigger stills where volume is important, some of the finest cognacs come from the last half of the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries where family producers had little pressure to produce high cognac volumes.”