Pass The Courvoisier: The Decades-Long Love Affair Between French Cognac Producers And African-American Consumers

The Decades-Long Love Affair Between French Cognac Producers And African-American Consumers
two half full glasses of cognac ...
two half full glasses of cognac ...

Cognac is almost as much a French cliché as stinky cheese and horizontally striped shirts. French labeling regulations play a role in perpetuating the spirit’s image: Production is limited to a specific region (Cognac, located in southwestern France), which helps define its terroir and protects its inherent French-ness. And cognac producers often play up their national character, festooning their labels with the fleur de lis and channeling French icons like Louis XIII and Napoleon. (The museum at Courvoisier’s headquarters, which I visited in September during a trip organized by an industry trade group, actually displays a lock of Napoleon Bonaparte’s hair.)

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