Esprit de Cognac is the protected appellation for the very strongest of Cognac spirits, produced from a third distillation of this world-famous brandy. This takes place in an alembic still, where the spirit is subject to at least 30 hours of continuous distillation. During this process the already-fine alcohol is further developed, ultimately reaching a strength of 80–85%. (© Proprietary Content, Wine-Searcher.)
The Esprit de Cognac title was introduced by the INAO in March 1938. However, few outside the wine trade will have encountered the spirit because it has a very restricted use. Esprit de Cognac is now used only as a strengthening addition for sparkling wines such as Champagne. Just as a sugary dosage can be used to adjust the sweetness of a Champagne cuvee, so a highly purified spirit can be used to adjust its final alcohol content.
It should be noted that some Cognac producers (for example, Courvoisier) use the term L'Esprit to denote their finest products.
