For drinking straight cognac isn’t a bad choice for someone who likes sweet. That was what I started drinking straight. Tequila - a good sipping tequila might be another one (not fond of it myself). But a cheap liquor is going to taste more like lighter fluid straight than something expensive (except vodka, where I don’t think there is much difference in taste for a lot of difference in price, and its usually drunk so cold you can’t taste it anyway).
Personally, I think there is no shame in drinking your drinks mixed and girly - then I have a husband who will buy an expensive bourbon and mix it with coke. If anyone drinks hard liquor straight in this house, it will be me, and I prefer sweet girly drinks.
Though I’m sure most of you know, it may be worth pointing out that cognac is just a particular variety of brandy from a region of France. I’m sure there are equally good American brandies, though I don’t know what they would be.
Strangely, until you get into the equivlent of the rarer single malts, such as Germain- Robin, not so much. Mexico makes an excellent brandy for the price, however. Presidente. I’d say as far as price goes Presidente is the best value and can be drank straight or mixed.
America has E&J and Paul Masson which, even in their premium blends are more for mixing.
Although that is a little like saying champagne is just sparkling wine. The nice thing about the French when it comes to cognac and champagne is that the terms are specific to the region, grape and production method - you pretty much know what you are getting.
Or for that matter, that a single malt scotch is just a whiskey.
I don’t know too much about cognac, but the Claude Chatelier VS and VSOP are pretty good as mixed drink cognacs / brandies go, and not terribly expensive.
They’re the value brand from Pierre Ferrand, FWIW.
