🥃 Courvoisier
A cognac house in Jarnac on the Charente; it began as a wine merchant in Bercy, Paris; since 2024 it has belonged to Campari Group.
Courvoisier is a cognac house in Jarnac on the Charente river, one of the best known in the world. It began as a wine business in Bercy, near Paris, and today the cognac is made in France under the AOC Cognac rules. Since 30 April 2024 the house has belonged to the Italian Campari Group.
The roots lie in the wine trade in Bercy: Emmanuel Courvoisier and Louis Gallois. According to several sources, Napoleon visited their warehouses in 1811. The move to Jarnac is dated differently: 1828, 1834, 1835 or 1843, so it is fairer to say it happened in the first half of the 19th century. In 1869 Napoleon III granted the house the title of supplier to the imperial court.
Ownership changed over time: in 1909 the English Simon family bought the house, followed by Allied Domecq, Beam (now Suntory Global Spirits) and finally Campari Group.
The house does not distil itself: it buys cognac eaux-de-vie from several areas, Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois, and blends them. According to available data the barrels are made of oak from the Tronçais forest; this claim needs one more source. The range: V.S, V.S.O.P, X.O, Initiale Extra and L'Essence.
Why this matters to you. The "Napoleon's cognac" story is an advertising legend: all that is reliably known is a visit in 1811 and a title in 1869. V.S, V.S.O.P and X.O are the general age marks for cognac, counted by the youngest eau-de-vie. The word "Cognac" guarantees origin and double distillation. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe dose of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | early 19th century, Bercy (Paris); Jarnac in the first half of the 19th century (sources give different years) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | cognac eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois |
| Cask type | oak from the Tronçais forest (according to available data) |
| Minimum maturation | V.S: 2 years, V.S.O.P: 4, X.O: 10 (by the youngest eau-de-vie) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 40% ABV (the minimum for cognac) |
| Legal basis | AOC Cognac (cahier des charges); EU GI Cognac |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Courvoisier → kind of → 🍇 Grape brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🥃 VS, VSOP, XO
- Previous step
- 🥃 Campari Group
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 French
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape brandies, 🥃 Cognac
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Hennessy, 🥃 Rémy Martin, 🥃 Rémy Martin, 🥃 Martell, 🥃 Martell, 🥃 Hennessy, 🥃 Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
- In other topics
- 🍷 Blend
Frequently asked questions
Is Courvoisier really "Napoleon's cognac"?
It is more of a legend. Sources mention Napoleon's visit to the house's warehouses in 1811 and the title of supplier to Napoleon III's court in 1869, but not that the emperor himself drank this cognac.
When did Courvoisier move to Jarnac?
Sources give 1828, 1834, 1835 and 1843, so we do not state an exact date: it happened in the first half of the 19th century.
Does Courvoisier distil its own cognac?
No. The house buys cognac eaux-de-vie from Grande and Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois and blends them.
What is the Courvoisier range?
V.S, V.S.O.P, X.O, Initiale Extra and L'Essence. The first three are ordinary cognac age marks: at least 2, 4 and 10 years for the youngest eau-de-vie.
Who owns Courvoisier?
Campari Group, since 30 April 2024. Before that the house was part of Beam (now Suntory Global Spirits), earlier Allied Domecq, and in 1909 the Simon family bought it.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🧑🤝🧑 French — The French are the main population of France, known for the festive meal and baguette on UNESCO's list, for wine and for cheese.
- 🥃 VS, VSOP, XO — Cognac age statements, based on the youngest spirit in the blend.
Similar
🥃 Rémy Martin · 🥃 Hennessy · 🥃 Martell · 🥃 Christian Brothers Brandy · 🥃 Stock · 🥃 Macieira
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Cahier des charges de l'AOC «Cognac», arrêté du 10 juin 2026, BO Agri 18.06.2026 (comptes d'âge, mentions de vieillissement)
- Courvoisier — official site
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)