The Regions Behind the Cognac Bottles

Grande Champagne, Cognac

Grande Champagne is the most prestigious of the six Cognac crus, and the one most associated with the finest grower-producer expressions. The name has nothing to do with the sparkling wine region — it refers to the particular composition of the soil here: deep, chalky, and extraordinarily well-drained, producing grapes with a natural acidity and aromatic precision that translate directly into the spirit. Eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne are known for their elegance, their floral lift, and their capacity to age — the chalky mineral character that comes through in the vineyard continues to define the spirit long after it enters the barrel. Jean-Luc Pasquet and Méry Melrose both farm in Grande Champagne, and both carry that terroir signature clearly in the glass.

Gascony, Armagnac

Armagnac is produced in the Gascony region of southwestern France and is, in many ways, the less polished, more characterful sibling of cognac. Where cognac is double-distilled for refinement and smoothness, Armagnac is typically distilled once through a continuous still, which preserves more of the raw material's personality — earthier, more intense, with deep notes of plum, prune, dried fig, and walnut. It is a spirit with genuine regional identity and a long tradition of small-estate production that makes it a natural fit for the FAB ethos.

Understanding the Styles

VS (Very Special)
VS cognac must spend a minimum of two years ageing in French oak. It is the youngest and most fruit-forward expression in the category — lighter in body, vibrant, and built for drinking rather than contemplation. VS is excellent neat with a few drops of water, over ice, or as the backbone of a Sidecar or cognac Sazerac. The Grands Domaines VS and Méry Melrose VS both sit in this category and represent two distinct approaches to what a VS can be: the Grands Domaines leans floral and silky, the Méry Melrose brings more vivid fruit and a chalky mineral edge from its Grande Champagne terroir.

VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale)
VSOP requires a minimum of four years in barrel, which translates to noticeably more complexity on the palate — longer finish, more developed secondary notes, a weight and roundness that VS cannot yet offer. The Méry Melrose VSOP is the range's mid-point expression and delivers exactly that step up: spice, fruit, and an elegance that reflects the estate's organic viticulture and the quality of its raw material.

XO (Extra Old)
XO is the deepest end of the category, requiring a minimum of ten years in French oak. The Distillerie du Peyrat XO is the range's statement bottle — vanilla, dried fruit, toasted wood, and a warmth that settles and lingers in a way that younger expressions simply cannot replicate. This is the bottle for a serious occasion, a considered gift, or for anyone who wants to understand what time in barrel actually does to a great organic spirit.

Vintage Cognac
Vintage cognac carries a specific harvest year on the label rather than a classification, meaning every drop in the bottle comes from a single distillation year. The Jean-Luc Pasquet vintage expressions are a rare opportunity to taste the character of a specific season in a specific place — Grande Champagne, farmed organically by a family with generations of knowledge behind them. These are for the curious drinker who wants to move beyond categories and into the detail of what a year, a terroir, and a family's craft can produce together.

Taste Before You Buy — Visit Us in Surry Hills

If you are not sure which bottle is right for you, come and find us. Our Surry Hills store runs daily tastings, and while the cognac selection on the tasting bar rotates and is not always available on a given day, our team of spirits experts is there every day and knows this range inside out. Whether you are buying for yourself or choosing a gift for someone else, we will ask the right questions and point you in exactly the right direction. There is no pressure and no script — just honest recommendations from people who have tasted every bottle we sell.

We are at Shop1/ 202 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, Sydney. Walk-ins welcome.

Why Buy Your Cognac From Drink FAB

Every bottle in this collection is 100% certified organic — ECOCERT or equivalent — which means no synthetic pesticides, no herbicides, and no shortcuts in the vineyard. Organic certification in this range is not a label applied at the end of the process. It reflects how these producers farm, how they think about their land, and why the spirits taste the way they do.

The selection has been built by a sommelier team that has tasted widely and chosen carefully. We work directly with small, family-run estates whose spirits are not widely available in Australia — grower-producers who made their names through quality, not marketing spend. When you buy from FAB, you are buying something that was chosen because it is genuinely good, not because it was easy to source.

Free Australia-wide delivery on orders over $200. Two bottles gets you there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between cognac and Armagnac?
Both are French grape brandies with protected appellations, but they come from different regions and are made differently. Cognac is produced in the Charente region and double-distilled in copper pot stills for a lighter, more refined spirit. Armagnac comes from Gascony and is typically distilled once through a continuous still, which produces a fuller, earthier character with more pronounced dried fruit and spice. Both reward attention, and both are well represented in this collection.

What do the VS, VSOP, and XO classifications mean?
They indicate minimum ageing periods. VS means at least two years in barrel, VSOP means at least four, and XO means at least ten. These are legal minimums — many producers age their spirits longer than required. Older does not always mean better for every drinker or every occasion, but it does mean more time, more complexity, and usually more depth on the finish.

Which bottle is right for someone new to cognac?
The Grands Domaines VS at $80.00 is the cleanest entry point — floral, elegant, and easy to enjoy without needing prior experience with the category. If you want something with a bit more character and are willing to spend slightly more, the Méry Melrose VS at $91.00 brings a vivid, fruit-forward style that is hard not to like.

Which bottle makes the best gift?
The Distillerie du Peyrat XO at $125.00 is the most impressive bottle to give — ten-plus years in barrel, beautifully structured, and a style that communicates genuine thought and quality. The Pasquet L'Organic 04 is a strong alternative for someone who appreciates grower-producer spirits and would value knowing the story behind the estate. If you are unsure, come into the Surry Hills store and we will help you choose.

Can I use cognac in cocktails?
Absolutely. VS expressions are the most versatile — the Grands Domaines and Méry Melrose VS both work well in a Sidecar, a cognac Sazerac, or simply over ice with a twist of orange. The VSOP and XO expressions are better suited to drinking neat or with a splash of water, where the complexity built over years in barrel can actually be appreciated.

Does organic certification affect the flavour?
Not directly — certification is a farming standard, not a flavour additive. What organic viticulture tends to produce is a more attentive approach to the land, which tends to translate into grapes with better natural character and more site-specificity. The cognacs in this range taste the way they do because of the care that goes into every stage of production, and the organic certification is part of the same picture.

Do you offer free shipping?
Yes. Free Australia-wide delivery on all orders over $200. Most expressions in this range are priced between $80.00 and $125.00, so two bottles brings you to the threshold.