Otard Cognac Distillery At Chateau de Cognac

Venture into the homeland of Cognac, which is crafted in a clearly defined region around the town of the same name, for an excellent lunch and visit to a venerable Cognac house. After a picturesque drive of approximately two hours through the French countryside, you’ll arrive at an inviting restaurant for a repast of local specialties. Continue to one of the most illustrious of Cognac houses, the Maison de Cognac Otard, which is housed in the Château Royal de Cognac, also known as the Château de Valois. Learn that this 9th-century castle was used as a fortress during the Hundred Years’ War and that in the 1500s became the home of the dynastic Valois family, as well as birthplace of the future King François I. You’ll discover that Jean Baptiste Antoine Otard, grandson of a Scottish baron, moved his nascent Cognac distillery to the château in 1796. Delight in a tour of the cellars, gaining privileged insight into the oak cask aging process, the art of blending and the swan’s-neck-shaped alembic still used to distill Cognac. You’ll applaud Otard’s exceptional output during a tasting of several fine Cognacs at the conclusion of your enthralling tour.

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.