The Top Cognac Under $50

HINE is a cognac house which only uses eaux de vie from Grande and Petite Champagne growing regions. Their H by HINE is created using 20 different eaux de vie with a minimum aging of 4 years. HINE is a producer which distills its wine on the lees providing a roundness to their cognacs.

This cognac was released over 150 years ago under the "Three Star" designation, which has since been dropped and replaced with the equivalent VS designation. This is aged for a minimum of 2 years in French oak.

Hennessy VS was first introduced in 1865 by Maurice Hennessy, although the bottling was known as "Three Star" rather than VS at the time. Since 2016, Renaud Fillioux de Gironde has been the Master Blender for Hennessy, and in fact the Fillioux family has been blending for Maison Hennessy for over 200 years.

Camus VS Cognac is part of the core range of cognacs from the largest family-owned cognac house. All cognacs from the house include at least some eaux-de-vie from the Borderies region. The VS is part of its collection of intensely aromatic cognacs. The wines are distilled on the lees and a technique called "Instensity" is used in the distillation process where the "heads" that present the best aromatic qualities are selected rather than being redistilled and set aside. The eaux-de-vie is matured in small, lightly toasted fine grain French oak. Aged a minimum of 2 years.

Hennessy Black is a blend of 45 different eaux-de-vie. After blending, it's aged in French oak barrels that were previously used. Don't let the name fool you, the bottle is black but the cognac itself is a light gold.

Launched in early 2017 across US markets from the House of Martell. This cognac is made from a blend of eaux-de-vie produced at one distillery which is not the norm. Its packaging in a ‘montre’ cognac bottle is a throwback to the original design of the brand's VS offering. Martell VS Single Distillery is bottled at 40% ABV.

A. De Fussigny Sélection Cognac is a blend of different eaux-de-vie from multiple growing regions in France. The blend is aged in Limousin and Tronçais oak barrels for at least eight years before being bottled and distributed.

Released in 2011,1840 Original Formula was created as a collaboration between Pierre Ferrand owner, Alexandre Gabriel, their cellar master, Christian Guerin, and cocktail historian, Dave Wondrich. Using a rare 19th century cognac, Pinet-Castillon Cognac from 1840 as a base, this product is designed to replicate what would have been used then in cocktails and punches. Its youthful fruity and floral character along with its higher proof for added oomph makes it stand out from other VS cognacs.

This VSOP from Maison Courvoisier features a blend of crus in Cognac including the Fins Bois, Borderies, Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne. (SRP $42)

Don't let the sleek, modern design or the name fool you - ABK6 is a traditionally-made cognac produced at Domaines Francis Abécassis (hence the abbreviated name, ABK6) in the Fins Bois region. This single-estate VSOP is produced from grapes grown in the chalky soils and higher elevations of its vineyards. Though this category calls for grapes aged a minimum of 4.5 years, ABK6 prides itself in the maturity of the fruit used in its eaux-de-vie.