Cognac is a brandy made from white grapes grown in the Cognac region of France. Double distilled in copper pot stills, it is aged for a minimum of two years in Limousin or Tronçais oak barrels. Only brandy produced under strict guidelines within this region can be called Cognac. There are six individual regions within the appellation d’origine controlee (AOC) in Cognac; Grand Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires. The best Cognac is made in the Grand Champagne region where the soil has the softest chalk and very little clay.