Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Leah Hall
This Cognac Old Fashioned is a great twist on the classic cocktail. Discover the complexity that cognac gives, plus lovely warmth.
We decided to incorporate cognac, a high quality brandy produced from distilled white wine into this twist on the classic Old Fashioned (which is usually made with whiskey).
This post contains sponsored content brought to you by Marussia Beverages. We received compensation to create this post. But, all opinions and views presented here are 100% our own. This post contains affiliate links for products that we think you as readers might find useful, and we make commission off of these! For more details about our affiliates, click our Disclosure and Contacts Page.
You may be thinking this cocktail sounds more on the wintery side of things, but au contraire, cognac is a all year round spirit. Cognac is a fruit based spirit produced from fermented and distilled white wine, so it is lighter than most grain based spirits like bourbon or whiskey.
Cognac Old Fashioned
Using cognac lightens up a classic old fashioned, and makes it perfect for the summer, or all year round. But, since Father’s Day is coming up, Jay thought this combo made for a great sipper on his day, and I couldn’t agree more!
We used white creme de cocoa as the sweetener in this cocktail, and it adds a bit of sweetness and caramel chocolate flavor to the mix. Instead of bitters, we used some of our Black Pepper Tincture, which adds a bit of spiciness to the drink, but just a dash more of booze. Then garnish with a brandied cherry or orange peel for a dash of citrus nose when sipping.
A Cognac Old Fashioned is a lighter version of the classic, and we hope you try this one out, and learn some about cognac below!
Cognac
Cognac is a type of brandy. It is usually made from Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the Cognac region of France. Because Cognac is more exclusive and rare, because of the grapes used, it is usually more expensive.
Cognac is very versatile for mixing, and it is great in this Old Fashioned. It does taste similar to Brandy, but there may be some spiciness or depth to it that brandy doesn’t have. Cognac is twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels. In this way, it ages the same way that whiskey or wine does, and most cognacs stay in the barrels longer than the minimum requirement.
Larsen Aqua Ignis Cognac
Larsen Aqua Ignis is the first cognac in the world aged in steam-toasted barrels. Maison Larsen is using each cask made of traditional French oak plunged into hot water then toasted over hot fire, three times. This technique releases complex and fine aromas from the wood while keeping out not wanted smoky notes, tannins and acidity. The result gives intense aromas of vanilla, toasted brioche, mocha with a long and soft finish.
First, the cognac is aged in traditional oak barrels. Once extracted, they are blended and taken into “Aqua Ignis III” barrels where they will continue their ageing at an alcohol degree of 50%.
This second ageing step is what makes the difference. Aqua Ignis III barrels are a small batch of fine grain French oak barrels that have been exposed to the triple steam toasting. The steam-fire process used to create Aqua Ignis Cognac is proprietary.
This process makes Larsen Aqua Ignis Cognac like no other. It is also what gives it its name: “water” (aqua) and “fire” (ignis) in Latin.
The nose on the Aqua Ignis Cognac is full of chocolate and coffee notes right away. Those show up on the tongue, as well as raisin and plum notes, it also ends with a rich and nutty milk chocolate flavor. It ends with almond and more baking spice.
Maison Larsen
The Larsen firm was founded in 1926 by Jens Reidar Larsen, a Norwegian. Having become an connoisseur and driven by business sense, he bought and developed the small Cognac company of Joseph Gautier before uccessfully launching his own Larsen brand which became quickly appreciated in Norway.
He married a Frenchwoman and had two children. The eldest, Jean, took over the family business in the 1960’s and built up the Larsen brand. The third generation, Frédéric, Nicolas and Anne have now taken the reins of the family business. They have made Larsen and its trademark “Drakkar” a symbol of sophistication and quality, rooted in ancestral tradition.
In October of 2012, Rémy Cointreau announced that it signed an agreement to acquire the entire share capital of Larsen, the Vikings’ Cognac.
What is a Tincture?
A tincture is a concentrated alcohol infusion made by steeping things such as herbs and spices, fruit, flower or even vegetable in high proof alcohol (we use Everclear a lot). Tinctures can enhance the flavor of a cocktail and can also be used as an aromatic spray to add scent to the glass or top of the cocktail.
Difference between a Tincture and Bitters
A tincture is a concentrated alcohol infusion, a flavor added to a cocktail, such as black pepper tincture. And in this case a Cognac Old Fashioned. Bitters have multiple ingredients, and hence the name are bitter. Usually because of this, they have different flavors. Such as orange bitters can contain a citrus peel, spices and roots. They both add flavor, but in different ways and are both fun to play with.
Make sure to try out our Cognac French 75, too!
Cheers!
Other Old Fashioned Recipes
- Winter Rye Old Fashioned
- Stroopwafle S’mores Old Fashioned
- Maple Old Fashioned
- Christmas Old Fashioned
- Spiced Old Fashioned
- Lavender Old Fashioned
- Fired Peach Old Fashioned
- Cranberry Rosemary Old Fashioned
Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and tag #gastronomcocktails so we can see all the wonderful recipes YOU recreate from this site!
You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a delicious recipe again!
Like this recipe? Try these below, too!
Peanut Butter & Jelly Old Fashioned
Other Cognac Cocktails
- Cognac Iced Tea – Honest Cooking
- The Popinjay – Blossom to Stem
- Cognac French 75 – Garlic and Zest
- Cognac & Tonic – Beautiful Booze
Cognac Old Fashioned Recipe
This Cognac Old Fashione is a twist on the classic Old Fashioned. Lighter than the original, we sweetened it up slightly with some chocolate liqueur and black pepper tincture. A tast treat!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Aqua Ignis Cognac
- .50 ounces white creme de cocoa
- 3 drops black pepper tincture
- brandied cherry or orange peel for garnish
Instructions
- Combine Aqua Ignis cognac, creme de cocoa and tincture in mixing glass with ice. Stir for 20 seconds.
- Strain over ice in a rocks glass.
- Garnish with cherry or orange peel.
- Cheers!
Notes
Tinctures are easy to make, and we usually use Everclear to make ours. Combine 1 Tbsp black peppercorns with 1/4 cup Everclear and let sit for at least 3 days. Strain out peppercorns, and you have a tincture.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 2.4gCarbohydrates: 8.5gProtein: .6g
Interested in stocking your own home bar? Make sure to see our favorites at our Amazon Store!
If you liked this post, don’t forget to subscribe for new (and of course free) recipes by entering your email address on the side bar (and get all the recipes delivered to your inbox when we post), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Gastronomblog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com