Updated May 2026.
Cognac is brandy. Whiskey is a grain distillate. They are not the same class. Cognac is the French AOC: specified grapes, Charentais pot still twice, oak, BNIC ages (V.S ≥2 y; V.S.O.P ≥4 y; X.O ≥10 y since 2018). Whiskey is distilled from grain and stored in oak. A 1.5-ounce 40% pour is one NIAAA standard drink either way.
Hennessy, Rémy, Courvoisier, and Martell are Cognac. Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam are whiskey. Related: cognac vs brandy, Hennessy, bourbon vs whiskey.
Two rulebooks
| Rule | Cognac | Whiskey (TTB) |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Wine grapes (Ugni Blanc dominates) | Grain mash |
| Place | Cognac delimited region, France | Wherever that type’s law says |
| Still | Charentais copper pot, twice | Not fixed |
| US bottle floor | Typically 40% | 40% |
| Age words | BNIC V.S / V.S.O.P / X.O | US “straight” ≥2 years; Scotch ≥3 years |
A 750 mL 40% bottle is about 17 drinks either way. Four pours are four drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Pour math: Hennessy drinks.
Sources
- BNIC / Cognac AOC age grades. TTB 27 CFR 5.145 brandy; 5.143 whisky (LII).
- NIAAA standard drink (December 2025). No invented MSRP.
- (27 CFR 5.143)