In 2018, Cognac exports increased for the fourth consecutive year. The sales of this French spirit par excellence rose by 3.5% in volume and 2% in value. No fewer than 204.2 million bottles were exported last year, totaling 3.2 billion euros.   

Cognac is consumed abroad more than it is in France; a mere 2% of its production is sold at home. America was the best customer in 2018, with 87.4 million bottles shipped across the pond, followed by Singapore (27.2 million) and China (24.2 million). Sales to China slowed in the second semester. In Europe, exports decreased by 5.3% in volume and 2.2% in value. According to the Bureau national interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC, the governing body for Cognac producers), this is due to “a difficult economic context in some of the markets”. There were notable increases in export I South Africa, Vietnam and the Caribbean (+10.4% in volume and +7.1% in value).

The Cognac producing region spans 76,243 hectares, yet, to anticipate long-term demand for this most-prized of spirits – négociants already sometimes struggle to meet demands – some further 3,500 hectares will soon be planted in the region. The appellation recently received a positive response to its request to expand its production area. Patrick Raguenaud of the BNIC stated that “professionals in the sector are confident about the future outlook and are thus ensuring that their production corresponds to consumer demand”.

If you are a fan of this eminently exportable spirit, why not have a look at our selection of Cognacs currently for sale.