Leah van Deventer | Africa’s Love Affair with Cognac

It’s late one Saturday night, around 3am, and I’m sitting quietly in a lively private member’s club in Accra.

I’m pretty wiped, having flown in to speak at a bar show the day before, fresh off a trip to the US for another industry conference about a week before that. So, instead of dancing, mingling, and vibing, like everyone else — and believe me, Ghanaians know how to throw down — I’m sipping a cocktail, simply taking in the scene and people- watching.

I’m also checking out the back bar, seeing what brands are on display, and casually noting what people are ordering. Cocktails, yes, as well as beer and Champagne, but also plenty of Cognac.

As a drinks-industry professional, Africa’s love affair with Cognac is not news to me. Indeed, Cognac has long been synonymous with refinement, prestige, and status worldwide, but it seems to hold particular appeal on the continent. 

In upscale bars and cigar lounges across major metropoles, you’ll notice Cognac being served in branded glassware. In some markets, guests opt for bottle service so that their choice of spirit is on full display at their table. And for those reallywanting to make an impression, bottles with sparklers arrive at VIP booths, accompanied by a fanfare of light and sound.

While I don’t see any sparklers that night, it gets me thinking: why does a centuries-old French brandy hold such sway across African markets?

The Craft Behind Cognac

The appeal of Cognac is multifaceted, grounded in its craftsmanship, history, and cultural resonance. Every bottle begins with carefully selected grapes, primarily Ugni Blanc, grown in the designated Cognac region of France. These grapes are distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged in French oak barrels for years, sometimes decades, before being married together by master blenders.

The major houses — Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Martell, Courvoisier, and D’Ussé — have refined these techniques over generations, producing spirits with elegance, subtlety, and balance.

Cultural Resonance Across Africa

Cognac’s cultural resonance in Africa is closely tied to visibility and social context. A single bottle arriving at a table in Johannesburg can attract as much attention as a luxury car or designer fashion item. In Lagos, the ritual of bottle service signals success, while VIP theatrics underscore celebration and achievement. These practices highlight both the appreciation of the spirit and the prestige associated with it.

Celebrity Influence and Collaborations

Celebrity influence – particularly of rappers – has played a key role in shaping this perception. This phenomenon can be traced back to the early 1990s, when Jay-Z rapped about “sipping Remy on the rocks”, while Tupac dedicated an entire track to his love for Cognac with the song Hennessy. Since then, Cognac houses have invested heavily in collaborations with US hip-hop musicians, such as Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Usher and Nas.

This has been mirrored in Africa. In 2024, South African rapper Kwesta partnered with Bisquit & Dubouché to launch a production hub for young musicians. In 2025, Martell unveiled an exclusive XO blend featuring eaux-de-vie from 1992, the year Nigerian musician Davido was born, as a collaboration with the artist.

Cognac’s influence extends to other areas of pop culture too, spanning film, sports, fashion, and social media.

In 2020, South African interdisciplinary artist Faith XLVII — known for her moody, symbolic designs — delivered artwork for a Hennessy limited edition series, inspired by alchemy, natural processes, and the passage of time.

Also in South Africa, from 2012 to 2023, Courvoisier partnered with visual artist Fhatuwani Mukheli, digital creator Melody Molale and architect Tristan Du Plessis for the “Welcome to Our Maison” campaign. These collaborations showcased the aspirational lifestyle of Cognac through their individual artistry and creativity, connecting the brand to contemporary African culture.

Marketing Meets Craftsmanship

Can we attribute the success of Cognac in Africa to clever marketing? Yes. But while the teams behind the various Cognac brands have been proactive, strategic, and consistent, they could not have achieved this success without a solid product.

Whether you enjoy the taste or not, it’s undeniable that the craftsmanship behind Cognac ensures it delivers on the promise of quality and sophistication. It also has all the romance of France behind it, as well as the beguiling stories around the production of the liquid, which can be as enticing as the sensory experience of sipping it.

The Ritual and Allure

Or perhaps, as a writer, I put too much value on the narrative. It’s this thought that hits me like fresh air as I leave the club and step into the humid pre-dawn air of Accra, and back to the reality of the outside world.

And yet, as the city slowly wakes and the first hints of sunlight touch the streets, I can’t help but feel that Cognac’s appeal in Africa is about more than just luxury or image, exalted by association with contemporary artists.

It’s about ritual, storytelling and shared experience, and the way a fine spirit can mark a moment. Walking away, I realise that perhaps this is the true allure: Cognac is not merely an accompaniment of life’s milestones; it gives them shape, presence, and seals them in memory long after the music fades.