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Why Cognac, aka 'water of life', is worthy of attention: An introduction

Not 'uisce beathe', Gaelic for whisky. Veer Arjun Singh on why you should give Cognac a try instead

Agnieszka Rozenska is the head bartender at  the Hong Kong Club in Delhi’s Andaz Hotel
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Agnieszka Rozenska is the head bartender at the Hong Kong Club in Delhi’s Andaz Hotel

Veer Arjun Singh
Blues legend Buddy Guy calls it liquid gold in his song “Cognac”. Rappers Drake and Snoop Dogg often just call it Hennessy, the world’s best-selling brand of cognac. In his Grammy-winning song, “Humble”, Kendrick Lamar namechecks D’USSÉ, a Cognac brand part-owned by his fellow rapper Jay-Z. And singer Rihanna is just gaga about what I am delicately sipping on. 

LOUIS XIII (pronounced tres) is the Holy Grail of Cognac for many. Or so I am told by my companion for the afternoon, South African sommelier Jörg Pfützner, who is in India to talk about his favourite spirit. 

It would appear that we