The Most Patriotic Spirit to Drink in June Is Cognac

Nearly 250 years later, the French come to our aid again in our hour of need.

The most patriotic spirit you can drink in June is Cognac, thanks to Hennessy and the recreated Revolutionary War vessel Hermoine.

See, Hermoine was the vessel of the French General Lafayette, who helped us out against the Brits. Barrels of Cognac were on La Fayette’s original journey in 1780, when it arrived in Boston to tell then-General Washington he’d be receiving some French reinforcements. When new Hermoine makes landfall on June 5, it will arrive with two casks of a limited-edition, aged-at-sea, 250th anniversary blend. Back then we may have been more excited about the troops. Oh how times change.

The two barrels will be auctioned for charity. Each barrel is expected to fetch more than $150,000. The highest bidder will be flown to Cognac to visit the barrel before it is bottled into 250 decanters, and will have the opportunity to personalize the bottle and presentation box.

You can get more or less the same blend without the journey. Hennessy recently unveiled its 250 Collector Blend to celebrate its 250th anniversary. That’s available now, in 1L bottles, and carries a $600 price tag.

Photos by Flickr.com/babomike