The 11 Best Cognac Substitutes

Cognac can be used for various things. When a recipe calls for cognac or you fancy a drink but don’t have it, what could you use instead?

Nor does it make sense to buy a whole bottle of cognac for a specific recipe, especially if you are not going to use it later.

In order not to waste money in this way, and to help you when you can’t get a bottle of cognac, it helps to know the best substitutes.

What are the best substitutes for cognac? You can choose between cognac substitutes with or without alcohol. Brandy, whiskey, rum, bourbon, and sherry are best, and non-alcoholic substitutes include fruit juice and soy sauce.

Which brandy substitute you use will depend on what you need the brandy for, so having a few substitute options should have that sorted.

What is cognac?

In order to know the best cognac substitute, you first have to know what exactly cognac is.

Named after the place where it is made, in Cognac, France, cognac is a type of brandy that is processed using a unique method.

The cognac is distilled twice and aged for a period of time. There are certain requirements necessary for this alcohol to be considered true cognac.

To pass from being considered a brandy to a cognac, it has to have a minimum aging period of two years, in oak barrels in a registered storage facility, and it has to have a minimum alcohol content of 40%.

All cognac bottles have to also disclose where the grapes used to make the cognac were harvested, as well as where it was produced.

There are also different ways to distinguish cognac, and this has to do with how long the cognac has been left to age. The VS standard is Very Special, which means it has been aged a minimum of two years.

VSOP is Very Superior Old Pale, which is a cognac that has been aged for a minimum of four years, and XO, which is Extra Old, which is a cognac that has been aged for a minimum of six years.

A longer aged cognac is considered to have a deeper flavor and higher quality, but this also depends on your own preferences.

What can cognac be used for?

Cognac is usually consumed as an alcoholic beverage, either neat or with a little water or ice.

When used in the kitchen, a splash of cognac can give different dishes a rich flavor and can be used in both savory and sweet dishes.

Having a bottle of cognac in the liquor cabinet or pantry at home will certainly come in handy from time to time, but if it’s not something you use often, it’s a bit of an expensive item to have lying around!

The 11 Best Cognac Substitutes

There are substitutes for cognac, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, that can be used in cooking as well as in drinking and making beverages.

Here are the 11 best substitutes that you can use, and the list includes those that contain alcohol and those that do not.

1.Brandy

Brandy is the closest substitute for cognac. After all, cognac is a type of brandy! Whether enjoyed as a drink or used in a recipe, brandy replicates the taste of cognac well.

Brandy is a delicate spirit that is aged in a similar way to cognac and also has some similar notes. It is sweet, slightly oaky and fruity.

However, when using brandy instead of cognac, it’s best to use one that isn’t particularly flavored, unless there is a particular flavor you want to bring out in a dish, such as a caramel note in a dessert.

For the closest substitute to cognac, if you don’t mind alcohol, go for brandy.

2. Dark rum

Dark rum can be a good substitute for dark rum. It’s a strong brandy, and using a little at first will probably work best.

When substituting dark rum for cognac, you should only use about 1/3 of the dark rum called for in the recipe.

Dark rum is also slightly sweeter than cognac, which is fine in sweet recipes, but when used in a savory dish, it could throw off the flavor quite a bit. You will have to find a way to balance the flavors properly.

Lighter rum doesn’t have as strong a flavor as dark rum, so it’s best to go with dark rum when substituting for cognac.

3. Fruit juice

Fruit juice can substitute for cognac in many different recipes. There are many types of fruit juices available, and you can have a bit of freedom with the flavor of the fruit juice you choose to use, depending on the recipe and the food.

It’s a good idea to use fruit juice instead of brandy in sweet recipes, but there are some fruit juices that can help make delicious sauces and sauces.

When you need a little more acidity in the dish, which fruit juice does not provide, you can add a splash of cooking wine or apple cider vinegar. This will give the dish the acidity that the cognac would have given it.

4. Whiskey

Cognac and whiskey are often interchanged in different settings, both as a drink and in certain recipes.

Whiskey is slightly sharper and more astringent than cognac, so it’s important to keep this in mind when using it as a substitute.

You may need to use less whiskey than cognac when adding it to savory or sweet dishes, as it can give a slightly different flavor, and it’s best to start with less.

However, it’s still a great substitute for cognac, especially if you have a bottle of whiskey at home.

5.Bourbon

Bourbon has a fairly robust flavor, and while this flavor can be stronger than most cognacs, it’s still a very viable option as a cognac substitute.

You should be using about 1/3 of the bourbon as much as the amount of cognac you would have used.

As with cognac, it’s best to choose an unflavored bourbon, to ensure you don’t alter the flavor of a recipe or drink too much.

The sweetness of cognac can pair well with vanilla bourbon. If you find the bourbon too strong instead of the cognac, you can add a pinch of brown sugar or vanilla extract to soften it up a bit.

6. Wine

There are a wide variety of types of wine that you can use instead of cognac. Wine is fairly readily available in most kitchens, and both cognac and wine are made from grapes, so using them as substitutes makes sense.

However, as there are different types of wine, you should be careful which one you use instead of cognac.

White wine can be used as a substitute for cognac in sauces and desserts.  Choose it as a substitute for cognac for dishes that could use the crisp, fruity notes that white wine brings.

Red wine is a good substitute for cognac in meat dishes, such as casseroles, casseroles and even reductions. It brings depth to dishes, similar to that provided by cognac.

Port, which is also a type of wine, can be used instead of cognac . Make sure you choose a port that isn’t too sweet, like some, and has a full-bodied flavor, so it can take the place of the cognac that should have been used well.

It is convenient that you try the wine you want to use first.

7. Sherry

Sherry can have similar notes to cognac, but it can be much sweeter, so proceed with caution!  Sherry works as a good substitute for dessert recipes, as it won’t be overly altered by a bit of sweetness.

You can also use sherry for some savory dishes, especially those that could use a bit of sweetness, such as a tomato-based dish, to break up the acidity slightly.

So if a recipe like this calls for cognac and you don’t have it, sherry works great.

8.Armagnac

Armagnac is quite similar to cognac, but the difference is in the distillation. While cognac is distilled twice using a still, armagnac is made by column distillation.

There are also fewer regulations around the production of Armagnac, making it more affordable than cognac.

As different as the distillation process is, armagnac and cognac taste similar, making them good substitutes for one another in many different situations.

9. Coffee liqueur

Coffee liqueur is quite different from cognac, but both are dark liqueurs and both have a deep flavor.

Dessert recipes that call for cognac are best for using coffee liqueur as a substitute , especially if you don’t mind the coffee flavor the liqueur brings.

One of those desserts that coffee liqueur can do very well instead of cognac is tiramisu, in which the coffee notes are absolutely delicious, and the cognac will not be missed at all!

It just might become your new favorite dessert liqueur instead of cognac.

10. Cooking wine and sweetener

Cooking wine and a sweetener, such as sugar, are already used in many recipes and cooking styles, and while it may not give the exact flavor of cognac, it can reproduce a fairly similar finish.

When cooked for some time, the alcohol content of cooking wine is mostly gone. It works well in deglazes, sauces, desserts, and many different sauces.

Be sure to check the wine before adding any sweeteners, as some cooking wines are already sweet, so you don’t want to add too much brown sugar that sweetens the dish more than necessary.

11. Soy sauce

Soy sauce may not be the first thing you think of as a substitute for cognac, but it can work well in certain dishes. It certainly tastes saltier than cognac, so keep that in mind when seasoning your dish.

Also, you won’t be using as much soy sauce as with cognac, and you can add just a dash instead. Obviously, this is only a good substitute when it comes to savory dishes, as you don’t want to get some soy sauce on your dessert.

If it is not soy sauce, you can also use Worcestershire sauce. It is similar to soy sauce, but with more pronounced flavors. Again, only add a small amount compared to the amount of cognac called for in the recipe.

Why do I need a cognac substitute?

Needing a cognac substitute can be for a number of reasons. First, and most obvious, you may not have cognac in your cupboard when a recipe calls for a spritz, or when you fancy a little cigar in the evening.

Another reason why you would need to find a good substitute for cognac is that it is not cheap , and you don’t necessarily want to use an expensive aperitif for your weeknight dinners.

You will need to first consider what you need the cognac substitute for before deciding which would be best.

For a drink substitute, the closest thing would probably be brandy or whiskey. In the kitchen, cognac works as a great substitute, but bourbon and wine are other great options as well.

Finding a non-alcoholic substitute for cognac is also quite easy. To drink, you can choose apple or berry juice.

When cooking, you could again use fruit juice, depending on the recipe, or even a little soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over the best cognac substitutes, let’s take a look at some related questions!

What is the difference between cognac and brandy?

Cognac must be made in Cognac, in France, while brandy can be made almost anywhere in the world.

There are more requirements for cognac to be considered cognac, and it is one of the oldest spirits made today.

Is cognac similar to wine?

Cognac and wine are similar in that they are both made from grapes.

Cognac is made from fermented grapes and grape juice, which at some point becomes wine, then is double-distilled and soaked in aged barrels before being considered cognac.

Why is cognac expensive?

Cognac commands a higher price than other aperitifs because it is aged in barrels for a considerable time.

It also has limited production, so demand is greater than production, which in turn drives up the price.

Can you drink cognac straight?

Cognac is traditionally served plain, as it is an aperitif. To add to the cognac, you can add a little tonic or ginger ale.