Nowhere is Cognac enjoyed more than in the United States. In 2021, sales of Cognac to the United States, the spirit’s largest market, increased by 11 percent, according to the Bureau National Interprofessional du Cognac.
If that surprises you, it should. Cognac, after all, is from a specific region in France with the town of Cognac at its heart. As such, it’s a protected product, meaning that only aged grape brandies from this part of the world can be called Cognac, says H. Joseph Ehrmann, proprietor of Elixir in San Francisco, Calif., and a certified Cognac educator for the BNIC. So why are Americans so gaga over this particular spirit?
Credit should go to African-Americans who got their first taste of Cognac while serving in the World Wars. Decades later, rap musicians and hip-hop artists latched onto Cognac, and today, African-Americans represent the largest segment of Cognac drinkers in the United States.
The Wars That Brought Cognac and Black Americans Together
Cognacs are blends of aged brandies made primarily from one grape varietal, the Ugni Blanc, and its history is long. “There’s evidence of wine production in the (Cognac) region as early as the first century,” Ehrmann says. The first registered brand, Augier, was launched in 1643 and still exists today.
Yet Cognac’s relationship with African-Americans didn’t start until the first World War. “African-American soldiers who were stationed in France during the world wars were able to sip and indulge in Cognac,” says Kursten Berry, co-owner and beverage director for Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours in Atlanta and owner of Dulcet, which is set to open in 2023.
“These soldiers, who were mistreated in their home country, found somewhere where they were given more access to things that had been kept away from them, including fine spirits, clubs, and lounges.” It’s also been noted that Black performers like Josephine Baker — who performed in Paris clubs between wars — helped fuel the connection.
When soldiers came home, they not only returned with the scars of war but also their love for Cognac. As a result, they began seeking it out in this country, and savvy marketers turned their attention to the United States, targeting African-Americans, says Ms. Franky Marshall, bartender and Cognac educator in New York City. Targeted ads to this population date back to the 1950s. Hennessey, in fact, has been credited for being the first Cognac brand to advertise in magazines designed for a Black readership.
All of this ignited a new passion among Blacks, which has since become embedded in their culture. “We are a people of traditions, and I think of drinking Cognac as a cultural tradition for us,” Berry says.
How Black Musicians Became Ambassadors for Cognac
While the wars certainly laid the foundation for the relationship between Cognac and African Americans, Black musicians took it to the next level.
“The surging popularity of Cognac consumption among African-Americans owes its success to hip-hop singers,” according to a study in the journal Wine Economics and Policy. The authors point to a 2001 song titled “Pass the Courvoisier” by rappers Busta Rhymes and P. Diddy as the turning point in the relationship between Cognac and African-American consumers. The reason? That year, sales of Courvoisier increased by as much as 30 percent, and since then, Cognac has been the alcohol of choice for American rap musicians and their fans.
That sales boost didn’t go unnoticed in the Cognac industry, and other brands soon began collaborating with rappers and hip-hop artists. Martell, for instance, named Quavo, a member of the hip-hop group Migos, its brand ambassador. Later, it teamed with Janelle Monae and other prominent Black female influencers to promote its Cognac.
Meanwhile, D’USSÉ regularly collaborates with several of the world’s pre-eminent entertainers and culture creators, such as A$AP Ferg and Drink Champs, while activating at culturally relevant events such as Made in America.
None of this surprises Berry.
“Music is a powerful marketing tool, especially within the African-American community,” she says. “Hip-hop is often built around luxury and flexing your access to this luxury, and rappers have the influence to determine what’s hot and what’s not.” Plus, rap music frequently focuses on the finer things in life, and Cognac's expensive, upscale reputation certainly fits that category.
Enjoying Cognac for the First Time
There are many ways to serve Cognac, neat being the most traditional. In fact, that’s Berry’s favorite way of enjoying it, citing the complex flavors and sweetness as reasons to sip it as is. “If you’re trying Cognac for the first time, I recommend it neat, as it’s important to understand a spirit for exactly what it is before mixing it,” she adds.
Or take Marshall’s suggestion and try Cognac as a highball. Pour about one to 1 ½ ounces over ice, top with good quality ginger ale, tonic, or sparkling water, and garnish with a slice of lemon. Another way first-timers can make it easier is to freeze a younger Cognac, which will make the perception of alcohol lower, she adds.
Yet don’t shy away from sipping it in cocktails, which is how most of the volume of Cognac is drunk, especially in clubs, Ehrmann says. Popular cocktails incorporating Cognac include Sidecars and French Connections, but Berry says you should also consider a Vieux Carre, French 75, or an Old-Fashioned with Cognac. Her favorite cocktail with Cognac? A Cognac Espresso Martini.
Whether Black Americans continue to be Cognac’s top fans in the United States is anybody’s guess. But one thing is certain: Americans who enjoy Cognac have African-Americans to thank for putting this country on the map of French Cognac makers.
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