Best Cognac

My personal favorite is Normandin-Mercier Napolean, a small family owned producer that's imported into the US by Robert Chadderdon Selections. For brands a bit more widely available I also like Hine Triomphe and Pierre Ferrand Abel. Needless to say I have expensive tastes in Cognac, each of these will run $150-200. Every one of them will wipe the floor with Remy XO and really any of the XO's from the large houses.

Cliff,
As someone with about 15 years in the wine business and a keen interest in Cognac I beg to differ with you. Menuet is a producer like any other, though they produce Cognacs from the Grande Champagne region, so do many other producers. The designation 1er Cru means nothing in Cognac. Though it is perhaps a bit unusual that they use a single cask or at least Cognac from a single lot that doesn't make it better that Cognacs that are blended to acheive an average age. In fact many believe that it is this blending that gives the spirit it's unique complexity. I have tasted a lot of Cognac in my time, and your statment that "no other Cognac mentioned above is even in the same category of Menuet" is simnply wrong, though as a matter of tast you may believe it to be so. However I would put the Cognacs if Normandin-Mercier up against anyones'.

Enjoying a bottle of Paul Beau Hors D'Age Grande Champagne a roughly 30 year old singe estate cognac i picked up online for about $130 serious stuff for the $$. I also love Armagnac and can't recommend enough the brandy's from Chatea de Busca, their Hors D'Age 15 year for $90ish is a real steal. And to the poster who called Normandin-Mercier sweet I must disagree. Compared to Delamain most Cognac may come across a touch less dry but Normandin-Mercier is unadulterated and fantastic stuff.