Cognac (brandy)

Cognac is an alcoholic beverage that is often known as brandy in non-French speaking countries. This is the result of laws that require the naming of alcohol products whose common name (for example, champagne) is derived from a specific region to only be called that name when they are actually produced in that region.

Cognac (or brandy) is also referred to as eau de vie -- a French term meaning "water of life".