Turn into an expert homedistiller with the right distilling equipment

If you are simply not satisfied with sipping on branded alcoholic beverages and want to try your hand at creating a few beverages all by yourself then you can truly turn into an expert homedistiller with the right distilling equipment. You can easily order a home distilling kit over the internet and get started on distilling your favorite heady drinks right at home.

You should first understand the distilling laws applicable in your own country as well as understand the fine art of distilling various alcohols and spirits before you attempt to create vodka, whiskey, rum, etc in your own home or even in your garage or backyard. Distilling involves boiling the fermented mixture or mash containing water along with crushed or mashed fruits, vegetables or grains so as to separate alcohol from the rest of the mixture. In addition, you also have to ensure that harmful contaminants such as ethyl alcohol, methanol, and acetone, amongst other chemicals do not manage to leave the distilling pot while only ethanol or drinking alcohol ends up in the collection vessel attached to the other end of the distillation pipe.

Once you have understood the theory behind distillation then you can carry out your dream of turning into a master homedistiller by seeking out the best home distillation kit that is specifically suited for your requirements. In addition to searching through actual stores for the right kit, you should also scour the internet where you can locate efficient and safe home distilling kits at extremely competitive rates. You should look out for a kit made entirely of stainless steel so that you end up with a long-lasting home distilling plant that lasts for a lifetime unlike copper that has better heat conductivity but is prone to corrosion in the presence of strong alcohol.

Instead of using an open flame to heat up your fermented mash or attaching complex water pipes to cool down the alcohol vapors that are emitted from the distilling pot or vessel, you should opt for a kit that uses an inbuilt electric heater to heat the mash up to the desired temperature as well as uses an inbuilt fan to cool and condense the alcohol vapors back into liquid form. Such a kit is available over the internet from one of Sweden’s top experts in alcohols, essences, and Turbo yeast, and you can easily avail of all related products with a click of a few buttons of your computer mouse. Once you receive your home distillation kit from Gert Strand AB, Sweden, as well as matching yeast and essences then you can certainly turn into an expert homedistiller and impress your own taste buds as well as those of your close friends as you quickly, safely, and efficiently create batch upon batch of delicious alcoholic beverages.

Over time you can certainly improve your home distilling skills by creating various strong and smooth alcohols as well as spirits using the very same kit. You can also create delectable cocktails and display your newly acquired bartending skills to guests that arrive at your home for a party. Your reputation as an expert home distiller will certainly get enhanced if you manage to locate and use the right distilling equipment that will save a lot of money, time, and effort with each batch of heady alcohol that you produce.

If you want to try making alcoholic beverages right at home then you need not get mortified after learning that you will need to boil and condense flammable liquids at home. You can certainly remain safe as well as turn into an expert homedistiller with the right distilling equipment that will allow you to churn out one tasty drink after the other that can then be enjoyed in the company of friends and family.

Sip on various alcohols with the right home distillation apparatus

If you truly want to turn your dream of distilling your favorite alcoholic beverages right at home then you can quickly sip on various alcohols with the right home distillation apparatus. The right distillation equipment will deliver pure alcohol in a safe manner that can then be filtered and even flavored to turn it into an excellent drink that provides tasty comfort to your taste buds as well as those of your close friends.

While milder alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer can be produced simply after fermentation, strong alcohols as well as spirits such as vodka, rum, brandy, whisky, etc require repeated distillation to turn them into potent and smooth drinks that can provide a tingling sensation to your palate and your senses at the same time. This boiling and condensing process is extremely crucial to remove all unwanted substances from the fermented mixture or mash as well as deliver potent alcohol or ethanol that has just the right character to please your palate.

It is very important to only allow vapors of ethanol to pass through to the condensation process and end up in the collecting vessel while strictly restricting all other vapors into the distillation vessel itself if you want to safely enjoy sipping on your desired drink.

The distillation process requires efficient home distillation apparatus that converts the maximum amount of mash into ethanol with the least amount of energy. There are several home apparatus manufacturers that produce different types of distillation stills such as pot stills, reflux stills, column stills, and tower stills based on the requirements of avid distilling fans. Many stills also use a combination of different distilling methods to produce excellent alcohols with the least amount of wastage. You should first confirm if owning such a still and producing alcohol for home or commercial consumption is legally permitted in your own country or state before you purchase or construct such apparatus for use in your home, garage, or backyard.

The most common type of home distillation apparatus used by most fans is the pot distillation equipment made out of copper or stainless steel. You will require a pot with copper tubing, gauges to check the temperature and quality of your proposed alcohol, condensing and heating equipment, and a collection vessel to collect the final product.

You can opt for a covered stainless steel pot that combines reflux distilling to improve the efficiency of your product even as you convert most of your mash into deliciously heady alcohol. Your heat source can be a gas or electric stove while your condensing source can be running water that is circulated near the outlet tube to convert alcohol vapors back into stronger alcohol. You should choose your home distillation equipment with care since repeated distillation will be required to produce each batch of delectable and exhilarating alcohols and spirits. You can now produce your desired alcoholic beverage right at home even as you show off your distilling and bartending skills to your guests.

If you truly want your taste buds to feast on tasty and heady alcohol then you can simply produce your own drinks at home provided you have the best distilling equipment at your fingertips. If you have excellent technical skills then you can construct your own home distillation apparatus but a better and safer option would yet be to simply buy such apparatus from experts that offer these kits through select online stores.

Get purer alcohols with safe ethanol distillation column process

If you want the best possible separation of water from your desired alcohol or spirit during distillation then you can surely get purer alcohols with safe ethanol distillation column process. A simple pot distillation process might not provide you with the desired results and you might simply be saddled with unsafe alcoholic beverages that could be infused with toxic chemicals.

While the distillation process seems quite simple on paper, it is not simply a matter of boiling the fermented mash or mixture containing water along with various other ingredients including your chosen grain, fruit, or vegetable. Since water vaporizes at over 100 degrees Celsius and alcohol or ethanol vaporizes at around 78 degrees Celsius, it might look like a simple solution to simply boil the mixture and wait for the alcohol or ethanol to vaporize first where it is transferred to a collection vessel via copper tubing that is cooled down for re-condensation of those vapors.

The fact is that several unwanted contaminants such as methanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, etc that have a boiling point that revolves around that of ethanol also evaporate when you boil your mash or mixture to produce heady alcohols and spirits such as vodka, whisky, rum, brandy, etc. These contaminants are dangerous for human consumption and must hence be separated before pure ethanol starts dripping out of your pot or column distillation equipment. Thus, what you really require for your home alcohol distillation kit or your commercial distillation plant that has several chemicals present in vapor form in the ethanol distillation column is to add packing into the long neck of the pot or column to separate the different chemicals.

The ethanol along with various contaminants all rise at various vapor pressures and inserting packing into the column will increase the surface area within the distillation system without hampering the flow of the vapors while still allowing unwanted vapors to get converted back into liquid form. This condensed vapor will drip back into the pot or vessel instead of moving into the copper tubing to proceed towards the collecting vessel.

There are various types of packing that can be inserted into the neck of the column to trap undesired contaminants and only ensure that pure ethanol proceeds towards the top of the column. If you are on a tight budget then you can opt for copper mesh that can do a decent job of separating the vapors, which is also known as the reflux operation. On the other hand, if you simply want the best for your alcohol distillation equipment then you should opt for ceramic raschig rings that are quite costly but perform admirably to provide purer ethanol at the end of the distillation process. You can now be assured that the alcoholic beverage that you finally produce will be free of dangerous chemicals while also remaining rich in flavor and character at the same time.

You can surely distill your desired alcohol or spirit right at home if you have the required equipment to do so. However, it is important that you also have the right type of components to ensure that your ethanol distilling column does not allow contaminants to pass through into the collecting vessel while ensuring that only strong and pure ethanol exits out of the column so that you can then transform it into your desired alcoholic beverage.

Have fun during and after distilling vodka at home

For a true vodka fan there can be no greater pleasure than making your own vodka and you can surely have fun during and after distilling vodka at home. You can enjoy sipping on and even serving your delicious vodka drinks to your loved ones even as you take a step closer to turning into a master distiller with each batch of this heady and delectable spirit.

Vodka is created when starch and sugars present in various ingredients such as wheat, rice, potatoes, corn, sugar beet, rye, or grapes are fermented and turned into alcohol or ethanol. However, to turn this mild alcohol into strong and smooth vodka, you will also need to pass the mixture or mash through the fermentation process that vaporizes and re-condenses the alcohol vapors back into stronger vodka with each round of distillation. You might thus have to distill your vodka for around 4 times to get the final product with around 40 percent alcohol strength or 80 vodka proof levels, which should suffice since many countries do not allow distillation of stronger spirits, especially at home.

Your adventure in distilling vodka at home will begin once you have a matching fermentation and distillation kit at home. Your fermentation kit should include a fermenting vessel with an airlock, the right type of yeast such as Turbo Yeast, water and your crushed ingredients such as wheat, potatoes, etc. Once your fermented mash or mixture is ready then you will need to shift them to your alcohol distillation equipment that should include a copper pot with an adequate cover, copper pipes in the form of tubing, meters to monitor the temperature and strength of your vodka, and a collection vessel to collect the vapors of vodka. You will also require an electric or gas burner to boil the mash as well as running water, ice, or circulating cold air to cool down the vapors and turn them into stronger vodka with each subsequent distillation process.

While distilling vodka at home, you should remember to discard the first and last few milliliters of vodka since it could contain harmful contaminants that could prove to be toxic to your body. You can use the ph meter to check if your vodka is indeed ready for consumption even as you have a lot of fun in blending in the ingredients, fermenting them, and distilling them repeatedly to end up with heady and smooth vodka that could please all taste buds that experience their potent power. Of course, buying or constructing the right alcohol distillation equipment and following the entire alcohol distillation process is crucial if you want to safely enjoy your heady liquid creation. A few trial processes will soon help you to understand the vodka distilling process and you will soon be able to please your own taste buds as well as your guests as you create delectable vodka right at home.

If you are simply not content with sipping on branded vodka and want to experience vodka made with your own hands then you can certainly make wonderful vodka right at home. However, you should ensure that you follow all fermentation and distillation instructions perfectly as well as use only the best ingredients and equipment while distilling vodka at home so as to safely sip on your wonderful work of heady distilled art along with your loved ones.

Share delicious alcoholic beverages after distilling moonshine at home

Your passion to sip on various types of alcohols and spirits can be satiated right at home with homemade moonshine, and you can surely share delicious alcoholic beverages after distilling moonshine at home. Once you have confirmed that you can distill moonshine in your country or state then you can easily produce wonderful heady drinks right at home that can be enjoyed on the rocks or infused into delicious recipes.

Producing moonshine at home was illegal during olden times when prohibition was in place in several countries across the globe. However, some countries now allow moonshine distillation for personal consumption and many avid fans do produce excellent spirits right at home with special alcohol distillation equipment that can be purchased in kit form or also constructed right at home with commonly available components.

If you are quite handy with your hands at home then you too can construct your own moonshine still at home to produce excellent vodka, rum, brandy, and whisky, among other heady alcohols and spirits right at home. You can place these stills in your home, backyard or garage and even surprise your loved ones by treating them to smooth and silky moonshine in pure form or by blending them into various imaginative recipes including cocktails.

While distilling moonshine, you should ensure that you take proper precautions since you will need to boil your fermented mixture to separate water from alcohol and convert the alcohol into vapor. The vapor will then need to be cooled down again so that it can condense and drip into an attached collection vessel. This distillation process might need to be repeated between 2 to 5 times depending on the type of moonshine being produced and the desired strength of that alcohol or spirit. Your kit should consist of a copper or stainless steel pot, copper tubing, temperature meter, ph meter, a heating and cooling source, and a collector vessel to collect the final product.

If you have ordered for readymade moonshine distilling equipment then you will also receive instructions on how to use your kit and extract the most out of your fermented mixture. If you have built your own kit from plans downloaded over the internet then again, you can revert back to the internet to learn on how to use your homemade moonshine still.

Once you learn on how to produce strong and smooth vodka, whisky, rum, or brandy, amongst other moonshine liquors, you can call over your close friends and allow them to experience the tasty results of your newly acquired distilling and bartending skills. You can also create your own specific recipe once you get the hang of blending in various juices, sodas, coffees, and even other liqueurs into your produced moonshine. You will not only have a fun time in trying out new heady drinks but will also save a lot of money by distilling such moonshine in your own home, backyard, or garage.

You too can turn into a proud distiller as well as bartender once you learn the correct way to distill and serve up various types of alcohols and spirits in your own home. You can now enjoy sipping on various types of delectable alcoholic beverages even as you proudly share your alcoholic creations after distilling moonshine at home.

Spread warmth in your body after distilling brandy at home

If you are an avid alcohol connoisseur that wants to sip on alcoholic beverages that are stronger than wine then you can surely spread warmth in your body after distilling brandy at home. All you require is a matching distillation kit and a few close friends to share your distilled brandy even as you improve your distilling skills with each heady batch.

Wine is usually made after fermenting grapes and is an excellent alcohol that can certainly be enjoyed during meals too. However, if you want to increase the potency of your wine then you will need to distill your wine by boiling it in a still, vaporizing the alcohol present in the wine, and then condensing those vapors again to end up with strong brandy. This brandy can be distilled to between 35 to 55 percent alcohol strength or even higher if it is permitted in your country. You will however, need to install the right distilling kit in your home, backyard, or garage so that you can collect those potent golden drops into your receiving vessel.

If you are technically gifted then you can easily engage in distilling brandy in your home by building your own kit right at home. You can visit the internet to browse through various home distillery plant designs that can be crafted out of common household materials. You can also buy most other components from hardware or home improvement stores and construct your own distillation kit within a very short time. You will require a heating source such as an electric or gas stove or even an immersion heater, a copper pot for distillation, copper tubing to collect the distilled brandy, and temperature as well as PH gauges to monitor your progress.

You can create your desired wine by fermenting grapes with appropriate wine yeast such as hardy Turbo Yeast and then distilling the wine to produce delectable and strong brandy that should provide a warm and pleasant feel to your palate as it smoothly slides down your pleased throat. You can also age your final product to impart additional strength and character to it.

If you want to add flavors after distilling brandy in your own home kit, then you can certainly do so by adding readymade essences that are made using real fruits. You can now enjoy a glass of apple or peach flavored brandy that will surely puzzle your taste buds even as you share your unique brandy with your loved ones. Over time, you can also create your own recipes based on your distilled brandy to create amazing drinks that will truly turn into the soul of any party that you arrange in your home. You can simply buy a readymade kit if you are not confident about your distilling skills since this process does require heating and cooling an alcoholic brew that requires the best of safety measures to be in place much before you try your hand at creating delicious brandy right at home.

Brandy is indeed a strong alcohol full of character and flavor that can also be distilled right at home provided you are allowed to do so in your country or state, and you have an efficient distillation kit. A little practice is all that is needed before you can start distilling brandy like an expert and provide warmth to your own body as well as of your guests as you create wonderful brandy right at home.

what makes a good french cognac

French Cognac, it can be safely said, is one of the most famous liquors in the world coming second only to its cousin, the champagne. While cognac is a variety of brandy it has to be noted that all brandy cannot be termed as French cognac. Cognac making has a specific process that has been endorsed by the BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac).
While French cognac cannot be replicated and the drink earns its name from the place, there are three places that cognac can be made namely, Cognac in France, Armagnac in France and Jerez in Spain. With the Spanish claim the French cognac producers have worked harder to become the most renowned cognac producers in the world. The French have perfected the art of cognac making for over three centuries. It is these rules and instructions that cognac makers must follow to get the best French cognac fit for consumption of the kings. If the drink falls short of the cognac making instructions, it merely remains a brandy.
One of the things that is characteristic of French cognac is the variety of grapes used to make the drink. Until the 1870’s the Folle Blanche variety of grapes was used to make cognac. However when the Phylloxera crisis affected Europe, the Folle Blanche variety were replaced with Ugni Blanc. Till this day Ugni Blanc stays as the principal variant of cognac comprising almost 95% of the blend. The remaining 5% can be made up of Colombard or Folle Blanche. However, some cognac producers are trying to go back to the traditional variant of grapes the Folle Blanche to make the finest French cognac.
Much of the flavor of French cognac is achieved by its distillation and aging process. This cognac needs to be distilled twice and uses only copper distillers. ‘Brouillis’ is the first step of distillation and the second step is the ‘repass’. This double distillation process ensures that a pure eaux-de-vie with an exact 72% alcohol purity is achieved and ensures that the spirit is completely colorless when it is put in the aging barrels.
French cognac also has to be aged for a specific period of time to earn its name rightfully. According to the BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac), the cognac must be aged for a minimum of two years. It is during this time of aging that the barrels are rotated according to the cask age and season. As the cognac ages it draws the flavors of the French oak barrels and mixes it with the flavor and body of the spirit. This aging process also helps in making the cognac mellow and defines its specific characteristic.
As the French cognacs age more the grade of the cognac changes. A cognac that has matured for a period of two years gets a VS (Very Special) grade. A cognac aged for an average age of four years earns the VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) grade. The XO grade is the highest grade of French cognacs and is given to cognacs that have matured for at least six years in a French oak barrel.
Liking a good French cognac is subjective as it essentially depends on an individual palette. However, you can be certain that the older the cognac the more money you are likely to spend on it.

Choose from the best alcohol still designs to safely produce alcohol

Whether you are an eager home enthusiast or a commercial producer of alcohol, you do need to choose from the best alcohol still designs to safely produce alcohol. It is very important to produce your desired alcohol safely and efficiently so as to lower your costs as well as pamper your palate as well as those of your clients or loved ones at the same time.

Most alcohols and spirits including rum, vodka, whisky, brandy, etc have been made since several centuries and the traditional method of distilling small batches of fermented mixtures or mashes into strong alcohol is to use copper pot stills. There are various other types of stills such as column stills and reflux stills, etc that are more suited for commercial production since they allow for continuous distillation of the fermented mixture into various alcohols. However, if you plan to legally produce your desired moonshine at home or in your backyard in small batches then a pot still design would be a cost-effective way of making top quality alcohol in a relatively safe manner.

You can get some of the best alcohol still designs over the internet and that too for free. You only need to download the designs along with a list of components required to construct your still at home. If, however, you want to opt for a small commercial distillation plant then you could easily buy readymade stills that have been made by professionals so that you can produce larger quantities of alcohol in a consistent and safe manner. If, however, you simply want to try your hand at producing your desired moonshine at home then such designs will help you to set up a home still at a very reasonable cost and that too by using materials that are easily available in your own home or in any neighborhood hardware store.

Most alcohol still designs include a copper pot along with a lid, copper tubing, a temperature meter along with a PH meter, a collection vessel, lids for all pots and vessels with the necessary holes and slots within them, and finally a heating as well as a cooling source. Your heating source could be a gas stove or an electric one that will require a flat bottomed copper pot. Your cooling source could include a water jacket or simply flowing water, ice, or even plain air. Your chosen design should be a proven one and the parts simple enough to fabricate at home so as to end up with a safe and efficient still that converts most of your fermented mixture into potent-yet-smooth alcohol.

If you are not comfortable with an open gas flame and alcohol being in close proximity then yeast and alcohol expert Gert Strand of Sweden provides an excellent still design that does not even require a copper pot. You can easily create a wonderful still using his designs as well as buy several important components including immersion heaters, Turbo yeast, and essences for vodka, whisky, etc at his site so as to receive them at your own home. You can now create your desired alcohol or spirit with an efficient still as well as happily share your liquid creations with other alcohol enthusiasts.

If you plan to produce heady spirits and alcohol at home or in a small distillery then you certainly require plans that can enable you to produce your desired alcohols safely and consistently. The internet does offer a wide range of still designs and you can choose from the best alcohol still designs to safely produce alcohol that can be happily poured into the glasses of your loved ones as well as your clients too.

How to identify a fine cognac

Fine cognac is a type of brandy that is made only in the French region of Cognac. The origins of this drink date back to the early 16th century when Dutch settlers came to the town of Cognac to buy wood, salt and wine. However, the Dutch found it difficult to carry the one back home as preserving and conserving the wine was difficult. So they began experimenting with its preservation method and came up with the two time distillation process. The Dutch discovers that by distilling the wine in an eau-de-vie and then distilling it once more gave them a richer and stronger spirit. And with that the cognac was born.

While brandy earns its name from the Dutch word “brandewijn” meaning burnt wine, it is brandy made in the Cognac region alone that can earn the name of a cognac. There are designated areas that are listed for Cognac production. These areas are Grand Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires. These regions are listed in order of their cognac aging potential and production quality.

Because of its fine reputation, the BNIC—Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac, has laid down very strict rules for production of cognac. This implies that specific rules have to be complied with right from grape selection, distillation, aging, assembly and stocking of the cognac. There are quality grades that are officially assigned to cognacs. The VS(Very Special), Selection and de Luxe range are the youngest of the spirits having been aged for a minimum of four years. The VSOP( Very Special Old Pale) and Reserve is aged between four to six years. The Napoleon, XO, Hors d’age, Imperial, Vieux reserve and Vieux Is are aged for a minimum of six years. However, some of the prestigious Cognac names age their spirits for much longer to get the desired depth and flavor to the wine.

Along with the distillation and aging process of the cognac, the other thing that has to be consistent to earn the name of Cognac is the varietal of grapes used. Ugni Blanc is the primary variety of grapes used in Cognac production. These grapes have a high acidity level and a subtle aroma. Along with the Ugni Blan grapes which consist of almost 95% of the cognac blend, Folle Blanche and Colombard are also used.

‘Fine’ was a term that was given to a cognac to name its vintage. Fine cognac essentially comes from the grand Champagne and Petit Champagne eaux- du- vie with Grand Champagne dominating by almost 50%. So if a cognac is listed as a Fine Grand Champagne, then this cognac will have been assembled with 100% of Grand Champagne spirits. This combination of flavors gives the Fine Cognac its unique flavor and quality.

Some of the biggest names in fine cognac are Remy Martin, Courvoisier, Hennessy and Martell. Almost 90% of all the fine cognac is produced for these four companies despite there being almost close to 200 producers of cognac. The older the fine cognac the better it is supposed to taste. But drinking fine cognac has a lot to do with your personal palette and should ideally be experienced by taking in all the notes of the cognac and relishing its body of flavor.

complete your french rendezvous at the domaine du Breuil

Domaine du breuil was originally one of the foremost brandy producing houses in Cognac. Today it is an enchanting hotel with twenty four guest rooms overlooking breathtaking views. Built in the nineteenth century in the Louis Philippe style, this château is spread over seventeen acres of green and offers gentle hospitality and gorgeous surroundings.

All the guest rooms in the Domaine du Breuil are well appointed bearing in mind the guest’s ultimate well being. The huge bow windows in the rooms under the roof open into the chateau grounds and get unending views of the River Charente. One can admire the unending patchwork of rolling greens through these personal quarters. There are rooms of various sizes starting from the standard going up to the deluxe category. All rooms are very well furnished some with large king size beds and others with comfortable twin beds. The old world charm of the rooms is perfectly complemented with modern day creature comforts. You will get your room replete with a flat screen television, WiFi internet access, direct line phones, mini bar, well appointed bathrooms complete with hair dryers, a personal safe and even a towel warmer.

The Domaine du Breuil restaurant is a gastronomic delight. Defined by its classic elegance the restaurant is ideally located. It has huge picture windows that overlook the valley and the River Charente. For enjoying the spectacular weather of this region you could also try dining on the terrace of the Domaine du Breuil. Bringing the best of the French cuisine to the table, the chefs at Domaine du Breuil keep changing the restaurant menu amalgamating the best of seasonal produce with enchanting flavors.

The Domaine du Breuil also draws inspiration from its history and presents to its visitors an excellent ‘Cognatheque’. Revel in the excellent selection of the finest cognacs and brandies. It is here that you can sip on the ‘Grand Breuil’ which is one of the finest Grand Cru brandies. To make your experience even more delightful look out for the special menu designed by the chateaus head chef, which tastefully combine a selected brandy with each course.

For those who want to soak up the quintessential French hospitality and want to delight in their gastronomic wonders, the Domaine du Breuil is the perfect place to be. But apart from spending lazy afternoons soaking in the sun and admiring the beauty surrounding the chateau there is a lot that one can do. The grounds of the Domaine du Breuil have wooded parkland which makes it the perfect spot for either a jog early in the morning or take a quite snooze. The property also has a heated infinity pool and a golf range. One can also go exploring the green way on bicycles and discover the quaint town of Cognac and its numerous brandy cellars.

The tranquil Domaine du Breuil is the perfect setting to explore and experience Cognac. There are loads to do and you will never find yourself wanting of activity. You can easily walk around to the town of Cognac and admire its beautiful mansions, take a look at the villa where the Valois king Francois I was born or find yourself in a boat along the Charente enjoying the beautiful countryside. Complete your French rendezvous by spending a few days at the Domaine du Breuil.