How to Nose Cognac Like a Pro

A guide for the curious and those who like their senses stirred.

Before the first sip reaches your lips, take a moment to pause. You raise the glass, bring it just beneath your nose, and take a slow, deliberate breath. That’s where the experience begins.

Cognac isn’t something you rush. It invites you to slow down and pay attention. The aroma rising in the glass speaks volumes before your sense of taste even gets involved. Notes of fruit, spice, wood, and warmth come together like an old record with familiarity and texture.

People have always known the power of scent. The way Sunday dinners linger in the air. Collards simmering, cornbread in the oven. Or even the smell of shea butter on the skin, of wood floors after a deep clean, incense drifting down the hallway. You already have the nose. Scent holds memory. It brings the past into the air.

So when we talk about nosing cognac, we’re talking about more than technique. We’re talking about presence. Awareness. The kind you can’t fake and you can’t rush.

Before you taste, take a breath and let the spirit speak.

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The Right Glass for the Experience

Now, you can nose cognac from just about anything. A rocks glass, a red wine glass, even a clean mason jar if that’s what you got. But if you really want to catch the full nuance and layers of the spirit, you need the right shape.

Traditionally, folks reach for the snifter. It has a wide bowl and a narrow mouth. It’s the classic and it does the job well, capturing aromas and funneling them straight into your nose. But cognac houses prefer the tulip glass to help you get the full experience.

The tulip glass concentrates the scent the spirit in a way that opens up the spirit slowly, almost unfolding. The tulip is slimmer at the base and more tapered at the top. It doesn’t rush the process. It lets each note step forward in its own time.

But don’t get it twisted. This isn’t about being overly fancy. It’s about respect. We gotta use the right tools to honor the experience. A good glass isn’t about being pretentious. It’s about intention.

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Let’s Take it Step by Step

Go at your own pace and let your own senses come alive. Here’s how to lean in and let the cognac reveal itself to you.

1. Warm it with your hand.

Start by just cradling the glass in your palm. Let the heat of your hand warm and awaken the aromas in the glass. No need to swirl. Just hold it. Let the warmth bring spirit to the surface.

2. Approach the glass, don’t nose dive.

Bring the glass up to your nose slowly. Hold it just beneath, not directly under your nostrils. You’re not inhaling. You’re observing.

3. Take short, gentle sniffs.

Skip the deep inhale. Take a few short, delicate breaths in through your nose. You’re sampling, not searching for truffles. Let the notes come to you.

4. Identify the notes, no pressure though.

Close your eyes, if you wanna vibe like that. What do you pick up? Dried fruit? Vanilla? Maybe a little honey, leather, oak? There’s no wrong answer. It’s just what you sense. Trust your nose. Trust your memory.

5. The First Sip

Now that you’ve taken in the aromas, it’s time to taste. Take a small sip—just enough to coat your tongue. Let it sit there for a moment, allowing the flavors to unfold. You might notice some flavors that match the scent or even something you didn’t pick up. Let the cognac tell its story, one sip at a time.

6. Rest. Then return to the glass.

Pull the glass away. Give it a moment. Take a sip of air, reset your senses. When you come back to it, you might notice something new. New layers that didn’t come through the first time. Cognac evolves in the glass, and the second visit goes deeper.

7. Now give it a slow swirl

Now, if you like, give the glass a slow, thoughtful swirl. This releases new aromatic compounds, especially in older expressions. Bring it back to your nose. Notice how the bouquet has opened up—bolder, rounder, more expressive.

That’s it. No tricks or pretentiousness. Just being present with your senses.

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Scent and Memory

When you nose cognac, you’re not just smelling what’s in the glass. You’re tapping into something only made by time. But even more than that, you’re engaging your own story. Because smell is personal. It’s powerful. It pulls us into moments we didn’t know we remembered.

You might catch the sweetness of ripe peach and think of summers down South. Or the smell brown sugar caramelizing on your favorite desert. You might even smell the leather of an old coat your grandfather wore. That’s the beauty of it. Cognac doesn’t just smell like something. It smells like somewhere. It’s time, place, occasion or person.

This is why we nose the spirit before we sip. To give it the attention it deserves. To let it speak. To let it remind us of who we are, where we’ve been, and the stories that are still unfolding.

The Second Distillation

When I was growing up, cognac marked moments of celebration and togetherness. I can still picture my pops and uncles swirling their glasses, cracking jokes, and sharing stories I was too young to fully grasp. They sipped Martell or Rémy in rooms filled with laughter and the smooth rhythms of old-school music. Back in the day, I didn’t realize those pours exemplifed a connetion of French legacy and vibrant bond with our culture.

This idea was born from my journey from curious consumer to passionate creator. What started with simply enjoying cognac grew into my desire to uncover and share the incredible stories hidden behind the bottles. These aren’t just stories of tradition and history; they’re an opportunity to build something fresh and new. I want to build a community where we can come together and share our own stories and dig into experiences that bring the spirit of cognac, the eau-de-vie, to life.

I named this space Twice Distilled as a nod to the signature process that defines cognac. Cognac is distilled not once but twice, refining and layering flavors with each pass. In the same way, our history is rich, layered and complex. That’s the first distillation. But the second distillation is up to us. The second distillation is our opportunity to write new chapters in this evolving legacy.

My vision for Twice Distilled is a comfortable place to explore the culture around cognac, deepen your appreciation, and connect through shared experiences. Consider it your go-to spot for discovering legendary Cognac Houses, mastering your own taste and connecting at memorable tasting events. Whether you’re new to cognac or a seasoned connoisseur, come on in.

Welcome to Twice Distilled. I’m honored to be your host. Let’s pour up and create something special together.

— heypaxton