# Recommend me a good cognac or brandy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-cognac-or-brandy/259319 "2004-08-11T04:28:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-cognac-or-brandy/259319/1 "2004-08-11T04:28:25Z")
Can anyone recommend a good cognac or brandy? A friend of mine is having a birthday/housewarming party and I want to get him something nice. I personally can spend $20 give or take, but if I chip in with a friend, then double that. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-cognac-or-brandy/259319/2 "2004-08-11T04:38:44Z")
Get him some Hennessy or Martel. Or better yet, ask the person at the liquor store for some good **armagnac** in that price range. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-cognac-or-brandy/259319/3 "2004-08-11T04:40:06Z")
It’s all about the Courvosier! Classy stuff, popular right now due to a lot of hip-hop lyrics, smooth, and oh so tasty. Pass the Courvosier! ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-cognac-or-brandy/259319/4 "2004-08-11T04:43:23Z")
I’m not a huge fan of cognac, but I have a bottle of Pierre Ferrand cognac that I think is pretty tasty. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-cognac-or-brandy/259319/5 "2004-08-11T07:17:54Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > It’s all about the Courvosier! Classy stuff, **popular right now due to a lot of hip-hop lyrics** , smooth, and oh so tasty. > > Pass the Courvosier! The absolute worst reason to buy anything. :smack: Go with Hennessy ---
**Author:** ![Powers106](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@Powers106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers106)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-cognac-or-brandy/259319/6 "2004-08-11T07:38:49Z")
Go with the Hennessy V.S.O.P. - this one is the bottom of the Hennessy line in France (I appears that the USA has one rung lower in Hennessy V.S., but I’ve never tasted it, nor have I seen it for sale in France. ) and sells here (in France) for about $32, depending on where you shop. I absolutely love cognac and usually drink the Hennessy X.O., but of the “entry level” cognacs I think by far the best tasting is the VSOP. I am NOT a fan of the Martel or the Courvoisier, but if that’s all you can find it is better than nothing! Cheers, Powers ---
**Author:** ![Daylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/45deac/32.png) [@Daylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylon)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-cognac-or-brandy/259319/7 "2004-08-16T11:27:09Z")
> [@Powers106](#): > > Go with the Hennessy V.S.O.P. - this one is the bottom of the Hennessy line in France (I appears that the USA has one rung lower in Hennessy V.S., but I’ve never tasted it, nor have I seen it for sale in France. ) and sells here (in France) for about $32, depending on where you shop. I absolutely love cognac and usually drink the Hennessy X.O., but of the “entry level” cognacs I think by far the best tasting is the VSOP. I am NOT a fan of the Martel or the Courvoisier, but if that’s all you can find it is better than nothing! > > Cheers, > Powers My personal favorite is Remy Martin XO…very smooth and warm - but I think the bottle runs a bit pricey… $140 maybe… Remy makes Louis XIII - $100 a glass, and $1600 for a crystal cut bottle… personally I think XO tastes better… D\>