Napoleon is a term used to categorize the age of cognac and later other French spirits since the middle of the nineteenth century, both capitalizing on the aura and the name of Napoleon (emperor of France from 1804 to 1815) and implying that the cognac thus labeled had been resting in a barrel since the emperor’s time. Today, for French regulated spirits registered as AOC such as cognac and Armagnac, the term “Napoleon” can only be used on the label for distillates that have been aged a minimum of six years in wooden casks. For spirits not governed by a French AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) or a geographical indication (GI), the term “Napoleon” is used freely and without minimum age requirement.
Faith, Nicholas. Cognac. London: Mitchell Beazley, 2004.
By: Alexandre Gabriel