Cognac may not be the most dynamic spirit these days, but when brandy does move, it still tends to move under familiar names. Hennessy tops the table again, and with some daylight. LVMH’s flagship cognac was the bestselling brandy in 34% of our polled bars and appeared in the top two in just shy of half, giving it an estimated 31% share of the category total. While that does speak to the brand’s continued category dominance, it’s also a marked improvement on its performance last year. 

If any other brandy is going to challenge Hennessy’s throne, it looks most likely to be Courvoisier. The brand has been making inroads in the market under the ownership of Campari UK, but that investment hasn’t yet narrowed the gap at the top. It was the house pour in 13% of our bars, 4% fewer than last year. Completing the podium, Rémy Martin cuts a similar figure. It was house pour in 12% of our bars and the second bestselling brandy in a further 11%. 

Martell, Hine and Merlet make it a top six for cognac, and Seignette rounds out the top 10 to make it seven for the AOC. Martell and Hine were both more likely to be the supporting brandies in our polled bars (7% and 8% respectively had the brands at number two), while for Merlet and Seignette, if they’re not the house pour, they’re a lot less likely to feature. 

The UK’s own Burnt Faith took a 4% category share among bars prioritising local, while Avallen, a brand with its roots in the industry, was rarely a house pour but was a runner-up in 11% of polled bars, the strongest performance outside of the top three. 

The Bartenders’ Favourites list mirrors the cognac-heavy flavour of the bestseller ranking. Hennessy again rules the roost with perhaps the most noteworthy performance delivered by Hine, which has punched above its weight – perhaps a result of its dedication to mixing with its H by Hine expression.