In Cognac, the longest-aged (and often fanciest-looking and most expensive) expressions tend to get the most attention. Yet, the youngest versions of France’s signature brandy deserve some love, too.
VS Cognac—aka “Very Special” Cognac—must be aged for a minimum of two years, according to the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), which represents the Cognac appellation. The label may also say “Selection,” “De Luxe,” or may simply have three stars (***) to designate the VS category. Specifically, that means the youngest eau-de-vie (distillate) used to create the blend was aged in oak barrels for at least two
