Rémy Martin VSOP 70cl

This is the Cognac you reach for when you want your drink to taste a little more grown-up, without getting all serious about it. Rémy Martin VSOP has that Fine Champagne DNA (made from eaux-de-vie from Grande and Petite Champagne in the Cognac region), which is a fancy way of saying it leans into layered fruit, soft spice, and a long, cosy finish.

If you’ve ever mixed a Cognac cocktail and thought, “Why does this taste kind of flat?”, this bottle is the fix. VSOP means it’s built from well-aged eaux-de-vie, so when you shake it into a Sidecar or stir it into a Vieux Carré, the flavours don’t disappear, they stack. Fruit, spice, oak, the whole thing.

• Nose: Ripe apricot, baked apple, vanilla, toasted oak, a little raisin and cinnamon.
• Taste: Orchard fruit up front, then honeyed sweetness, warm spice (think nutmeg and clove), and a gentle oak grip that keeps it from feeling sugary.
• Finish: Lingering vanilla and spice, with dried fruit and a light toasted note that hangs around.

What makes it special is the balance. It’s fruit-forward, but not candy. It’s oaky, but not dry and bitter. It’s got enough richness to stand up in classic Cognac cocktails, yet it stays friendly for casual sipping moments. This is why it’s a go-to in so many serious bars, it behaves in a mix and still tastes like Cognac.

Use it anywhere you’d normally reach for Cognac or brandy when you want a little more flavour payoff. Sidecar, classic. Vieux Carré, a total banger. Even a Cognac Old Fashioned works because the vanilla and spice already feel like they belong with bitters and sugar.

Rémy Martin is also known for focusing on Cognac made only from grapes grown in the Cognac region’s top crus, and this VSOP leans into that house style, generous fruit, soft spice, and that elegant Fine Champagne backbone.

Fun Fact: Rémy Martin is one of the few major Cognac houses that specializes in Fine Champagne Cognac, meaning it’s built from Grande and Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie (with at least half from Grande Champagne).