The story
The history of a passion
How the French refined a Dutch idea
Merchants from the Low Countries have been importing wine from France for centuries, including those from the Cognac district. In the past, this wine had all too often acidified once it had reached the Netherlands after so long a journey. Seeking an alternative that would keep for longer, a number of Dutchmen came up with the idea of distilling the wine (in Dutch brandewijn: literally ‘burnt wine’). So it was that brandy was invented or, as the French say, eau-de-vie (which translates as ‘the water of life’). In the seventeenth century, the Dutch brought the first distillery stills to France so that the wine could be distilled there on site. Since then, the French have refined the (originally Dutch) distillation and maturation process and, as a result, now produce the most appetising of cognacs adored the world over.
How the Dutch came to embrace a French cognac
Cognac grew to become an increasingly popular but also increasingly expensive beverage. That was until half way through the twentieth century when an enterprising, Dutch cognac aficionado decided to investigate whether the price could not be ameliorated (i.e. made more agreeable). After much searching, he found the answer through collaborating with a renowned French cognac house. This produced the necessary compromise in terms of price, while still guaranteeing consistently high quality. They were to be jointly responsible for a cognac that was as affordable as it was distinguished: Joseph Guy. The first tangible result saw the light of day in 1965. The new brand found favour in every possible respect. After no more than ten years, Joseph Guy was able to call itself the market leader in the Netherlands. The first Joseph Guy V.S.O.P. was released at around the same time. The range is now complete with an X.O. of the highest standing. And Joseph Guy remains to this day the Netherlands’ favourite cognac.