Next Time You're Sipping Cognac, Pair It With These Chocolates

When you are looking for a cocktail and dessert pairing to impress your dinner party guests, ditch the typical wine and cheese in favor of something far more sophisticated — Cognac and chocolate. Cognac is a type of brandy made from the juice of fermented grapes that offers a complex flavor profile that can range from extra sweet to bitter and spicy depending on the type you are sipping on. To ensure that we get the most out of our chocolate and Cognac pairings, Food Republic spoke to Molly Horn, the Chief Mixologist and Spirits Educator at Total Wine & More. "Similar to pairing with cheese, different age statements in Cognac work better with different types of chocolate," Horn told Food Republic. 

"You want to ensure the nuances and complexities of the spirit are enhanced by the chocolate." She recommended chocolates with a higher percentage of cocoa when enjoying Very Special (VS) Cognac. This younger type of Cognac is only aged within two years of being bottled, thus offering a slightly sweeter flavor profile. The expert mixologist advised balancing the spirit's inherent sweetness with chocolates that contain fruit-forward flavors and slightly bitter undertones. Dark chocolate and types of milk chocolate with cacao nibs or dried fruits, like these Crunchies milk chocolate-covered freeze-dried strawberries on Amazon, are great pairings with VS Cognac. 

Cognac grows drier and spicier in flavor over time, so the best chocolate pairing will change depending on how long your Cognac has been aged. Very Special Old Pale Cognac, also known as VSOP, is the second youngest type of Cognac with a minimum of four years aged. Molly Horn recommends pairing dark chocolate with the rich flavors in VSOP Cognac. "The complexity [in dark chocolate] enhances the oak notes in the Cognac," she told Food Republic. 

Those who prefer a sweeter pairing can also try nibbling on white chocolate with this style of spirit. We know that white chocolate isn't really chocolate, but it still pairs very well with VSOP Cognac. Keeping its oaky notes in mind, the expert recommended, "Look for a white chocolate that has a sprinkling of sea salt or perhaps salted caramel." Similarly, these Sanders milk chocolates with sea salt caramel from Amazon would be a great choice. Those who love extra sweet milk chocolate should consider sipping on a glass of Extra Old (XO) Cognac. 

This extra dry, spicy spirit requires at least 10 years of aging, and offers complex notes of sweet spice and nuttiness. According to Horn, "the creamy, rich, smooth cocoa flavors [in milk chocolate] enhance the full-bodied sweet and smooth character of XO." To get the most out of your Cognac and chocolate pairing experience, be sure to enjoy both items at a leisurely pace. Chocolate tastes the best when you savor it and allow it to melt inside your mouth, and Cognac is a spirit that calls for slow, even sips.