10 Cheap Cognac Brands Under $20 (2023 Updated)
Last Updated on December 29, 2022 by Lydia Martin
The most expensive cognac bottles scream quality, but it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, you don’t need to be rich and famous to enjoy a nice bottle of cognac.
There is cheap cognac under $20 that you can enjoy without breaking the bank. Here’s a cheat sheet of budget-friendly cognacs you can get right now.
Top 10 Budget-Friendly Cognacs For You (Under $20)
10. Classic Club Brandy VSOP
Average Price: Around $7.99/750 ml (Total Wine)
Distillery: Undisclosed but owned by Sazerac Company
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Aside from its price point, what we like about the Classic Club Brandy VSOP is its medium-bodied and soft flavor profile.
The cognac was aged in oak barrels, and by this, the vanilla notes and fruitiness of the brandy go great in brandy-based cocktails like Metropolitan and Sidecar.
9. St-Rémy VSOP
Average Price: Around $15.60/750 ml (Drizly)
Distillery: St-Rémy Distillery
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
St-Rémy VSOP has a great authentic taste of freshly picked berries, vanilla, and oak.
It is round, well-balanced, and easy to drink cognac with a light flavor profile. It is excellent to drink neat or on the rocks, but others drink it with a simple mixer.
8. Raynal VSOP
Average Price: Around $15.49/750 ml (Total Wine)
Distillery: Undisclosed but ownership acquired by William Grant & Sons
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Raynal VSOP combines three Eaux-de-vie sourced from famous regions in France. It is carefully handcrafted and aged in oak barrels for a smooth and velvety taste.
What we like the most about the Raynal VSOP is the long finish and hints of ginger and candied fruit with some notes of walnut and almond.
7. Paul Masson Brandy Grande Amber VS
Average Price: Around $6.99/375 ml (Total Wine)
Distillery: Undisclosed but bottled and owned by Sazerac Company
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Paul Masson Brandy Grande Amber VS is crafted using the European tradition. The sophisticated brandy [1] has a rich amber glow and a bit of sweetness with notes of caramel and vanilla.
You can enjoy it neat because of its smoothness, but it is also great as a cocktail base because of its nice flavor profile.
6. Odessa VSOP Brandy
Average Price: Around $10.49/750ml (Total Wine)
Distillery: Shustov Distillery
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Odessa VSOP Brandy is a world-class spirit crafted using the traditional copper pot stills distillation.
It is made from high-quality, estate-grown grapes and matured for a minimum of four years in French oak barrels.
The rich flavor profile and hints of honey, raisin, fig, and vanilla of Odessa VSOP brandy are pleasing on the palate and work well as a cocktail base.
5. Blansac Brandy VSOP
Average Price: Around $17.59/1L (Drizly)
Distillery: Undisclosed but owned by Sazerac Company
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Blansac Brandy is a premium brandy twice distilled to enhance the delicate aroma of grapes. It is matured in oak barrels for a unique, great, and well-balanced flavor profile.
We like the strength and finesse of Blansac Brandy VSOP. It has a distinguished amber color, and its woody bouquet and aroma reflect a great reputation that is worth appreciating.
4. A.E. Dor Cognac Rodell Napoleon
Average Price: Around $13.91/ 750ml (Drizly)
Distillery: Undisclosed but owned by AE Dor
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
The AE Dor Cognac Rodell Napoleon has a deep amber color, medium body, and unique flavor profile. We like the cognac’s old brown sugar, dusty raisins, and mineral aromas.
We like the golden raisin flavors and medium body of buttery caramel corn. Moreso, we appreciate the hot white pepper finish and mineral fade.
3. ABK6 VSOP Cognac
Average Price: Around $12.99/200ml (Total Wine)
Distillery: Francis Abécassis
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
ABK6 VSOP cognac is an award-winning cognac brand, and it is family owned by Francis Abécassis. We like the attention to quality and bottled offering of the ABK6.
You don’t need to buy their expensive selection to taste their award-winning cognac, as they produce 200ml bottles for mass consumption.
It is best served neat or on the rocks to truly taste the wonderful flavor of the spirit.
2. A De Fussigny Selection Cognac
Average Price: Around $11.99/200ml (Total Wine)
Distillery: A De Fussigny Distillery
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
The award-winning A De Fussigny Selection Cognac is known for its elegant character and subtle notes of florals, spices, vanilla, and pepper. We appreciate the smooth finish and slight touch of oak in the cognac.
Moreso, it is offered in 200ml bottles, so if you want to taste it but on a tight budget, A De Fussigny Selection can be a good option.
1. Hennessy VS Cognac
Average Price: Around $14.99/200 ml (Total Wine)
Distillery: Hennessy
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Hennessy VS Cognac is a classic favorite cognac and is well known for its great reputation in the brandy world.
Hennessy VS Cognac is a combination of over 40 eaux de vie from different locations in Cognac, France.
We like that Hennessy offers a 200ml bottle to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to taste their award-winning spirit. It has a beautiful golden hue with fruity sweetness and hints of vanilla.
FAQs
Are cognac and brandy the same thing?
Cognac and brandy are not the same thing. All cognacs are brandy, but not every brandy is cognac.
Cognacs have a strict production law to be labeled as one [2], which helps cognac have its own identity.
Is there a cheap cognac under $20 best for cooking?
Yes, there is a cheap cognac under $20 best for cooking. Hennessy VS cognac (200 ml) can be a culinary staple in both savory and sweet dishes. It can enhance your dishes’ sauces and blend well with meats. But how do you make cognac at home?
Final Thoughts
Cognac has a complex, rich, deep flavor profile with hints of sweetness, and it is no wonder that people find it incredible and delicious.
Good thing you don’t need to spend too much because distilleries offer cheap cognac under $20 without sacrificing the quality of the spirit.
Brands like Hennessy, A De Fussigny, and ABK6 offer cognac in smaller bottles, so you can enjoy their premium cognac without breaking your bank.
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/brandy
- https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/15-things-you-didnt-know-about-cognac
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
