Traditionnaly, two types of wood
AGEING
Natural forest, wide grain, pedunculate – Timber forest, fine grain, sessile
Formerly, wood for Cognac was sourced in the Limousin or Tronçais forests.
These two forests present opposite characteristics :
- Wide grain pedunculate oak, growing in natural forest (Limousin);
- Fine grain sessile oak, growing in a timber forest (Tronçais)
Wide grain pedonculate oak, contributes more tannins, while fine grain sessile oak, more aromatic compounds: methyl-octalactones (wood, coconut), eugenol (cloves), etc. Each house chooses the oak it will use to age its eaux-de-vie based on the style of Cognac it is seeking to produce.
 Natural forest, wide grain, pédonculate |
 Timber forest, fine grain, sessile |