Top cognac bars in the world

The best cognac bars in the world can be found in London, New York, Paris and Singapore. That’s according to Bernard Hine in an interview with trade publication The Drinks Business, who rhymed off a list of his top favourite cognac bars around the world. Cognac brand Hine is the brandy maker to the Queen, and this year celebrates its 250th anniversary. 1. The Coburg, The Connaught Hotel, London Hine names The Coburg for its choice of XO Cognacs, an historic cocktail list that includes the Alexander, the Sidecar, the Sazerac, and for salads, sandwiches, and tapas created by Michelin-starred chef Hélène Darroze. 2. Annabel’s, Berkeley Square, London Described as “one of the most elegant private members clubs in the world” Annabel's offers a selection of XOs from Courvoisier, Hennessy, Hine, Martell and Remy. The private members club also offers a Hine Cigar Reserve. 3. Champany Inn, Linlithgow, Scotland A 20-minute drive from Edinburgh, the inn boasts a bar and cellar which Hine describes as an "Aladdin’s cave of drinkable treasures." The inn itself is described as a collection of historic 16th-century stone buildings. 4. Corse Lawn, Cheltenham, UK Hine expresses a little favoritism here and cites a hotel acquired from within the family dynasty, as the Corse Lawn hotel is run by his cousin’s son. Set in the Cotswolds countryside, the lawn of the inn is the perfect place to enjoy a post-dinner cognac, he says. 5. Le Baudelaire, Hotel Burgundy, Paris The five-star hotel hidden in the heart of Paris offers an extensive collection of cognac in a luxurious environment with Michelin-starred fare nearby. 6. Brandy Library, New York Hine heaps praise on this bar in Tribeca describing its selection of cognacs, whiskies and rums as one of the most extensive in the world. Staff are also described as highly knowledgeable. 7.  Churchill Bar, Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou, China Hine calls the capital city of Guangdong province “THE” cognac city in China, and the five-star Ritz-Carlton the place to get it, for their experienced staff, luxury surroundings and selection of brown spirits and cigars. 8. Raffles, Singapore It’s a 19th century colonial-style hotel that is an icon in Singapore and boasts a bar program that includes a martini bar, writer’s bar that pays tribute to the writers who’ve stayed and drunk at the hotel, and the Bar and Billiard Room which houses two billiard tables from the 1870s. 9. L’Essille, Bassac, France Described as a lovely retreat in the Charente countryside, the hotel and restaurant also hosts a grand tasting with cognac houses who present their cuvées to sommeliers around the world.