What's the difference between brandy, cognac and vinars?

If you’ve ever stood in front of a shelf of amber spirits wondering what separates brandy and cognac, you’re not alone. These two are closely related, often confused and sometimes even used interchangeably. But while they share a common origin, they are not the same thing.

In simple terms: cognac is a type of brandy, but not all brandy is cognac.

Let’s break it down in a clear, no-nonsense way.

What is brandy?

Brandy is the umbrella category. The word itself comes from the Dutch brandewijn, meaning “burnt wine,” which refers to the distillation process.

At its core, brandy is a spirit made by distilling wine or fermented fruit juice. While grapes are the most common base, brandy can also be made from apples, plums, cherries and other fruits.

Because it’s such a broad category, brandy is produced all over the world, from France and Spain to Eastern Europe and the Americas. Some are aged for decades in oak barrels and prized as luxury spirits, while others are young, affordable and used in cocktails or cooking.

Think of brandy like whisky: a wide category with many regional styles and traditions.

Fun fact: spirit drinks such as palinca, horinca, tuica, rachiu and the equivalent terms from other countries are also brandies.

What makes cognac special?

Cognac is not just any brandy, it’s a highly regulated and protected type of French brandy.

To be labelled cognac, the spirit must follow strict rules:

• It must be produced in the Cognac region of western France

• It must be made primarily from specific grape varieties (especially Ugni Blanc)

• It must be double distilled in copper pot stills

• It must be aged in French oak barrels

Cognac is also classified by ageing levels, which you’ll often see on bottles:

• VS (Very Special) – younger blends

• VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) – aged longer

• XO and XXO (Extra Old / Extra Extra Old) – premium, well-aged cognacs

Thanks to these strict standards and centuries of tradition, cognac is widely considered the most prestigious style of brandy in the world, similar to how Champagne sits within sparkling wine.

Where does vinars fit in?

Vinars, similary to the term brandy, means burnt wine in Romanian.

Vinars is a grape brandy most closely associated with Romania and neighbouring parts of Eastern Europe. If cognac represents French tradition, vinars reflects a regional interpretation inspired by those methods.

Like cognac, vinars is typically made by distilling wine and ageing it in oak barrels, which gives it a rich amber colour and smooth, rounded flavour. Many Romanian producers adopted techniques influenced by French brandy-making, especially during the 20th century.

However, unlike cognac, vinars is not globally protected by the same strict geographical rules. This means quality can vary significantly depending on the producer, from everyday, approachable bottles to premium, well-aged expressions.

Popular Romanian vinars brands include Jidvei, Alexandrion and Brancoveanu, each offering different ageing styles and flavour profiles.

Key differences at a glance

Here’s a simple way to compare them:

• Brandy – The broad category of distilled wine or fruit spirits made worldwide

• Cognac – A protected, premium French brandy with strict production rules

• Vinars – A Romanian-style grape brandy inspired by cognac traditions

In conclusion, brandy, cognac and vinars all come from the same family, but their differences lie in geography, tradition and regulation so feel free to browse through our curated selection of standard vinars and aged vinars.