Updated April 2026.
Sealed cognac does not spoil like table wine. It is delimited grape brandy under Official open-bottle months unused. Keep it sealed, cool, and dark. Flavor can fade after air hits the neck — that is not a BNIC clock. Typical US 40%. A 1.5-ounce 40% pour is one drink. No invented year count.
Related: how long vodka lasts, whiskey unopened, is Hennessy brandy.
Seal vs clock
| Language | Drinks |
|---|---|
| Cognac | Read the neck |
| Sealed | — |
| Open-bottle months | Neck |
| Typical 40% | 1.00 / 1.5 oz |
Count pours, not folklore months. Pour math: cognac drinks.
Sources
- 27 CFR 5.145. BNIC. Official open-bottle months unused.
- Typical US 40% NIAAA December 2025. No invented year count.
- 27 CFR 5.145 / BNIC