The Best Cheeses To Snack On While Enjoying Cognac

Nothing pairs with a cheese board or cheesy dish quite like a good wine or spirit — and cognac is both! Cognac is made from grapes and then distilled and turned into a fruity yet earthy alcoholic delight. Its flavors make it ideal for pairing with cheeses, especially those with a similar taste profile, so it's a perfect drink to accompany your next charcuterie board. (Note, however, the difference between Cognac and brandy.) In an exclusive Food Republic interview, we talked to Molly Horn, Chief Mixologist and Spirits Educator at Total Wine & More, to learn about which cheeses are best paired with Cognac.

"Different age statements of Cognac match best with different styles of cheese," Horn says. The basics of this are fairly simple: the older the Cognac, the bolder the cheese. In the Cognac world, V.S. means "Very Special" and refers to the youngest bottles. Horn recommends "creamy cheeses such as Brie and camembert." If you want to eat brie like a pro, not only will you serve it warm and with the rind on, but with a glass of young Cognac. 

Meanwhile, V.S.O.P. stands for "very superior old pale" Cognac, also known as Reserve, which is the middle age group. According to Horn, V.S.O.P. bottles pair best with "aged cheddars, mature goudas, and mixed milk cheeses." Finally, X.O. cognacs, meaning "Extra Old," are often the richest blends that pair well with equally rich cheeses. Horn recommends a Comté or aged Gruyère for this deep and earthy variety of the drink, both of which are French cheeses you need to seek out for your next charcuterie board.

Knowing the qualities of the Cognac you're drinking is the first step to success when pairing this iconic spirit with the perfect cheese. Molly Horn describes V.S. Cognac as "Fruity and bright with a touch of acid." They're aged for at least two years in oak barrels, and their relatively straightforward flavor makes them good for mixed drinks. If you love to sip on a sidecar or Sazerac, Horn's recommendations of creamy cheeses with bloomy rinds also go great with those.

As Cognac bottles move up in age, they spend more time fermenting in their oak barrels, so V.S.O.P. varieties have "more pronounced oak notes of vanilla and kitchen spices," says Horn. She adds that this is why they "pair nicely with stronger cheeses, since the Cognac needs a cheese that can stand up to it. Think firmer cheeses with more complex, bolder flavors." Mixed milk cheeses, one of her recommendations, are simply made with milk from multiple different animals, such as cow plus goat. This makes them very complex and the perfect pairing.

Finally, we have the X.O. Cognacs. These prized varieties are aged for at least 10 years with richer, darker notes of dried fruit, spices, and even leather. They pair best with "rich, nutty cheeses that highlight similar notes in the spirit," says Horn. She specifically mentions an A de Fussigny bottle as a prime cheese-pairing candidate, with its "rich body full of stewed and roasted fruit notes and hint of spiced nuts."