Courvoisier 12 is blended from components that are at least 12 years old. The grapes come from three areas within the Cognac region (primarily The Borderies, with a sprinkling from Grande Champagnes and Fins Bois). The Courvoisier 21 is a blend of components entirely from Grande Champagne and was distilled in the year when Solidarity overthrew the communist regime in Poland and Gladys Knight and the Pips were officially disbanded.
Technical Notes Cognac is a living, breathing product. Over the years, the eaux-de-vie is in permanent contact with the oak casks, a natural interaction that gives our cognac its rich colour and complex bouquet. To be legally called cognac, eaux-de-vie must be aged for at least two and half years. Every additional years adds richness and smoother flavours, so even our youngest cognac, Courvoisier VS, uses eaux-de-vie that has been aged for up to eight years.
After being pressed, our Ugni Blanc grape juice naturally ferments for seven days, the fruit sugars transforming it into a sumptuous wine ready for distillation. The clear wine is fruity, dry, slighltly acidic and about 9% by volume. We insist on Micro distilling, where our wine growers ferment their wine in small batches before we select only the very best to go forward for distillation.