Drinking culture

 

Cognac drinking culture:

Color. First stage of the process – is visual. Fill in the standing (this is the obligatory condition for the cognac) on the table glass with the drink for about one fourth. Take the glass by its leg and look at the drink. The cognac color fascinates, it can tell You much about the ripening: young cognacs have more light tinge, aged – dark one. Now estimate the transparency of the drink. The cognac glass itself is perfectly transparent, that is why You should clearly see the print of your finger on the opposite side through the liquid, filled the glass. After that bend the glass carefully for about 45 degrees and turn it around. After returning the glass to the vertical position pay attention to the fact, how the drops swell and flow down along the walls of a glass. The more are the drops and thicker the trace, which is called "cognac leg ", the older is the cognac.

 

Aroma. Here comes the second stage of the process – stage, where the main role will be played by Your nose. First impression about the drink’s aroma is given by its most flying components, which spread in the air also in the moment, when cognac fills Your glass. To understand all the components of the cognac bouquet, slightly rotate the glass around, and then put your nose in it and make a deep breath. You did not expected? If you do it for the first time, remember: the bouquet of good cognac can be composed by the fruit aromas (pear, cherry, apricot, plum, fig, apple-quince, orange, grape-fruit), flower aromas (violet, linden, lavender), tree aromas (oak, pine, cedar), spices (vanilla, pepper, cloves, ginger), animal world aromas (fur, leather, musk), walnut aromas (filbert, peanut, almond) and such aromas as aroma of toast, smoke, fried coffee, gun flint.

 

Taste. At last the time came for the most responsible stage – it is time to put the cognac to lips. First small swallow should prepare your mouth for the quite high alcohol concentration in the drink. After waiting a little, make the second swallow – approximately the same by volume as the first one, but do not swallow the cognac at the same time, give it a possibility "to open" in Your mouth, to show everything it can. It seems that without special comments you’ll understand, what is velvetiness, plumpness, delicacy and aftertaste. Even after your glass becomes empty, the drink’s aroma will stay for quite a long time more. If you will at least once reproduce the said above ceremony, then, most likely, you’ll understand many of the conventionalities, which accompany the enjoyment by the cognac. The sensations you’ll experience will surely prompt You that the cognac is the intimate drink. You may and should enjoy it in the quiet atmosphere, in the bosom of best friends, person you love.