Fine and Brandy

On her tour of Cognac Hannah Ballantyne has a barrel of laughs

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A dark amber liquid was indeed the first thing that impressed me when I arrived in Cognac, yet it wasn't what I expected. No, I'd arrived in the spiritual home of the famous brandy in southwest France to be immediately wowed by... balsamic vinegar.

On arrival in the sunny Charente I went straight to the beautiful home of Baume de Bouteville, makers of five premium artisanal cognac-barrel-aged balsamics in the pretty village of Bouteville, midway between Cognac and Angoulême.

I enjoyed a fascinating tour of the Compagnie de Bouteville factory, where L'Original, Le Fume, Le Vegetal, No. 6 and No. 10 vinegars are made. We also learned about the manufacturing process and how the barrel ageing takes a minimum of 18 months and up to 10 years for "supreme quality" products.

And of course a post-tour tasting is essential, with the sample vinegars accompanied by oysters, charcuterie and a glass of local wine.

It was a lovely, immersive introduction to this gorgeous corner of France and set me up perfectly for the rest of the cognac-focused trip (tours from around €6, bouteville.com).

But, before uncorking the world of fine spirits, it was time to check in to the Quai Des Pontis hotel. Formerly a furniture factory and later a cardboard mill, it's in a prime location in Cognac and is a somewhat unusual property with its distinctive brick chimney - you really can't miss it - and the mix of rooms, lodges, bohemian caravans and cabins on stilts.