Salt put Cognac on the world map, brandy kept it there.  That’s the short version of history, but true nonetheless.

Before cognac conquered the world drinks market, the quaint French village of the same name owed its existence to its lucrative trade in salt, courtesy of King Francois I granting it royal license to sell the key commodity.

That was before refrigeration, of course.

Nowadays, with the celebration of ‘World Cognac Day’ approaching this week (June 4), it is the global branding of brandies that have created the region’s enduring success.

Situated on both sides of the Charente river in western France between Angouleme and Saintes, the cognac region blends ocean, marshland and countryside and hosts 600 vineyards, around 150 privately-owned cellars and multiple cooperatives.