Sipping history: Cognac gets better with age, but how old can you go?

Some things just get better with age: leather boots, Bordeaux, and, yes, the right kind of brandy. But when it comes to cognac, how old is too old? Can you actually sip something distilled when Napoleon was still striding through Europe? And is a 100-year-old bottle something you can buy, or just admire in a museum?

Let’s pour a glass and find out…

Cognac 101: a spirit with a regal pedigree

First things first. Cognac is a type of brandy, but not all brandy is cognac. Much like champagne, which must come from Champagne, cognac hails exclusively from a specific region in France – the rolling countryside and historic villages of Charente and the coastal destination of Charente-Maritime. It’s distilled from white wine, usually made from the Ugni Blanc grape, and then aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two years. But the real magic happens well beyond that baseline.

Brandy, cognac’s broader category cousin, is made around the world, South Africa, the UK, the US, and of course, other parts of France. But cognac has that polished, aristocratic edge: all the tradition and regulation you’d expect from a spirit with centuries under its belt.

And that brings us neatly to age…

What Is the oldest Cognac you can buy?

Let’s cut to the chase. The oldest cognacs on the market today can date back over 200 years. A few rare examples, typically housed in prestigious crystal decanters and accompanied by even more prestigious price tags, come from the early 1800s.

Take Gautier’s 1762 vintage, for instance. Bottled over 250 years ago, one of the last remaining examples fetched over £118,000 at auction in 2020. It was technically drinkable, but let’s be honest: if you’re spending six figures on a bottle, it’s not ending up in a highball glass.

More likely, you’ll find pre-phylloxera cognacs, spirits distilled before the devastating vine disease of the 1870s, offered by specialist houses or collectors. Hardy, Maison A.E. Dor, and Cognac Frapin all occasionally offer very old vintages, some dating back to the late 19th century. These are rare and often sold through auction or by appointment. 

Can you actually drink 200 year old Cognac?

The short answer? Technically, yes.

Unlike wine, which continues to evolve (and sometimes degrade) in the bottle, cognac is bottled at peak maturity. Once sealed, it doesn’t age further or spoil, assuming the cork holds and it’s been stored properly.

So if you were lucky enough to acquire a well-preserved bottle from the 1800s, it’s possible to drink it. But again, whether you should is another matter.

Most ultra-aged cognacs are prized for their historical value rather than their flavour profile. That said, many 80- or 100-year-old expressions, particularly those aged in demijohns and sealed until bottling, can offer astonishing depth and complexity. You’ll find tobacco, rancio, dried fig, leather, cedar; all the things that make an old cognac sing.

If your goal is to experience something rare but still balanced, the sweet spot tends to be 30 to 60 years old. At that age, a cognac still carries the brightness of fruit and the elegance of oak, without tipping into the overly tannic or earthy.

Is there such a thing as 100 year old Cognac?

Absolutely. Some of the most revered bottlings are blends that include eau-de-vie over a century old.

Hennessy’s Timeless and Rémy Martin’s Louis XIII Rare Cask series, for instance, are crafted from a blend of extremely old cognacs, some well over the century mark. Camus, Delamain, and Tesseron also offer expressions with century-old spirit components. These aren’t labelled with specific ages the way whisky sometimes is, but the distillers are usually more than happy to confirm the pedigree.

The Luxe Review Editor Steve May was invited to taste a 100 year old independent premium cognac house Hermitage has released Siècle d’Or, at 100 years old, it’s described as the world’s oldest barrel-aged cognac.

In a few rare cases, you’ll even find single-harvest cognacs from the 1920s or earlier vintages, aged in oak and then transferred to glass demijohns to rest until bottling. These tend to be expensive but not always unattainable, depending on the house.

The antique cognac takeaway

So, can you drink 100-year-old cognac? Yes. Can you buy 200-year-old cognac? Sometimes. And is it worth it? That depends on your palate – and your wallet.

The beauty of cognac lies in its balance of tradition, patience, and craft. Whether you’re sipping something with the youthful spark of a VSOP or the contemplative weight of a century-old pour, it’s all about appreciation. Like the best luxuries in life, cognac rewards curiosity and a touch of indulgence.

And if you do happen to land a bottle from the 1800s – call us. We’ll bring the glasses.