Everyone knows that cognac is one of the best gifts for a man. But before you make a present, there is always a difficult choice. Indeed, among the huge range of cognacs and their analogues, it is difficult to immediately decide.
Well, if you need to make a gift to a random acquaintance with whom you are not going to keep in touch. And you will never know his impression of cognac. Another thing is if you need to make a present to a friend or person, further communication and cooperation with which is very important.
Many will ask: “What is so difficult? If you want to leave a pleasant impression of a gift, you need to take any cognac, which is more expensive and in a bright box. Such an opinion is erroneous. Beautiful packaging is not a sign of good quality.
Signs of a good cognac
Today, there are a lot of alcoholic drinks on sale, all of them from different manufacturers. Some release admirable products for sale, others copy the design of bottles and gift wrapping and then pour in mixtures of incomprehensible colors that are impossible to drink, others do not bother to spend on a beautiful box, while the quality of the product remains terrible.
To figure out where which brandy is, you should remember the following rules:
- Beautiful gift packaging significantly increases the price of these products, but does not add quality to them.
- Cognac at a price of 3 euros per 500 milliliters cannot belong to five-star representatives of well-known brands, unless it was stolen from a store or factory and sold for half the price.
- The composition of a good cognac should include cognac spirit.
- All cognacs that contain ethyl alcohol and flavors are analogues.
- The label should indicate: composition of the drink, date of manufacture, volume, manufacturer.
- The label must be glued evenly, its curvature in any direction is a reason to refuse to purchase this product.
- The color of the liquid can range from light to dark shades of brown.
- No matter how dark the color of the liquid, the reflection of the palm should be visible through the glass container.
- Dark color indicates a long exposure of the drink.
Where to buy real cognac?
Of course, it is best to go to France for such a present and purchase it directly in the Grand Champagne region. But not everyone can do this, and therefore people prefer to buy cognac in stores and supermarkets.
It is best to prefer specialized stores and supermarkets that do not sell anything except alcohol. This must be done at least for the reason that there will be more choice than in any other store. And the more choice, the more chances to choose a good cognac at an affordable price.
Which brand do you prefer?
The main thing here is not to believe advertising, as there is a saying: “Good products do not need advertising,” but you should not give preference to little-known manufacturers. It is best to choose cognac that you have already tried.
But what if you don’t understand alcohol (allergy), but you still need to give a gift? Then you can rely on the composition, the number of stars and the consistency of the liquid. To check the quality of the contents, simply turn the bottle upside down. Equally important is the color of the liquid, which was written above.
It is also worth paying attention to gift packaging, although it does not add quality, nevertheless, the present will be remembered if it is beautiful, and even in the set with glasses. Well proven:
And Armenian cognacs such as:
- Ararat.
- Aradis.
- Tigranakert.
All of them meet quality requirements. Such a bottle can be handed without shame to any person, no matter what social class he belongs to.
Deciphering the stars and inscriptions:
- VS - exposure 2-3 years;
- VSO.P. – exposure 4-6 years;
- VVSO.P. - from seven years and more;
- XO - exposure for more than six years;
- Three stars - shelf life of 3 years;
- Four stars - 4 years;
- Five stars - 5 years.
Focus on circumstances
Not everyone wants to shell out large sums for such gifts, or vice versa, they want to show their respect. Perhaps that is why it is worth focusing on the event or the occasion for which a person will receive a present. So, for example, if you are going to drink cognac with a friend to whom you gave it, then you can purchase a gift set with glasses inside.
If you need to present a gift to your boss, then it is better to pay attention to the quality of the product and beautiful packaging. You can also add related products to the presentation: cigars or an original lighter with an ashtray if the person smokes.
When you want to thank someone for any services rendered, you can do without gift wrapping, and the aging and the price of a bottle can equal the quality of the help (suddenly you are unhappy). Cognac is often given to doctors, in such cases, a package of good coffee should be added to the gift.
