AJANAKU Meets Alex Guy | Joseph Guy Cognac

In November last year, you saw how I had a ‘Guy’s Night In’ with fellow bloggers from Holland. The night was a great succes, and Alex Guy was a great host. Because of this, I asked to sit down with the heir to this great imperium and ask him a few questions. Enjoy the interview above and the detailed interview written below, but don’t forget to sign up for your own ‘Guy’s Night In!’

What is your family history?

My great-great grandfather way back in the day (we’re speaking 1820 here) was named Joseph Guy. He was the one who started it all in a little town called Cognac. At the age of 19 he started by distilling cognac from the Ugni Blanc grape and sold his product to mainly his neighbors and fellow townsmen. What set him apart from other cognac distillers was his passion to share his product. This was actually what inspired me to start the Guy’s Night In’s.
A couple of generations later, my uncle Joseph Guy IV (this is the 1960s), who raised me after my parent’s death, sold the company to a Dutch investment company.
I have always been aware of the fact that in my family’s past there was something to do about a cognac brand, but have never really looked in to it until in 2010 when I went back to my uncle’s and we got to talking about my family history. It got me interested enough to contact the current owner and they asked me whether I was interested in working with the brand. For me it was a unique occasion, so I jumped right to it.

What part do you play in the company?
As of now you could call me a brand ambassador or brand promoter. I mainly work close together with the marketing department and help think of innovative ways to get the brand out there. Inspired by Joseph Guy I came up with the Guy’s Night In, as a way of getting the target audience to enjoy our cognac in the perfect setting.

What is it that makes Joseph Guy Cognac special?
I think Joseph Guy is special because it’s part of my heritage. Our VS, VSOP and XO are all of excellent quality for a very reasonable price. And besides that we have a nice story to tell and are first and foremost about sharing. As our family motto says ‘Dare Quam Accipere’, which means ‘It’s better to give than to take’.

What is Cognac?

Without going in to too much detail about the intricate process of distilling cognac let me give you a small masterclass. Cognac, named after the town in which my grandfather happens to be born is a variety of brandy. Cognac starts of as white wine and is distilled twice in copper stills known as Alembics. From this process you get what’s called an Eau de Vie, a clear spirit of about 70% alcohol. This product then goes into oak barrels to age, where over the course of years it loses alcohol and gains in taste.

What does it go best with? Cigar? And what kind of Food

Cognac is actually a pretty versatile spirit, pairing very well with French cheeses and dark chocolate, but is also used in rich creamy sauces or to flambé. The combination with a good corona is off course a traditional one.

What is your life like? Cars, houses, planes, girls?

To be very honest my life is pretty quiet. I am definitely not an international jetset playboy as you might think. I’ve been living in the Netherlands with my wife Rebecca for only a couple of months now and I am still getting to know the country and its habits. I have been traveling quite a lot though, not only for Joseph Guy but also for my paintings. Alex attented the Art Academy in Antwerp and is an accomplished painter.

What is your favorite city in the world and why?

That’s pretty hard to say. I do really love big cities like New York, Paris and London, but I am also really partial to Southern America. I have had the privilege to travel there a lot and am really in love with Buenos Aires. The people in Southern America are super hospitable even though they do not have a lot themselves.

What would the ultimate Joseph Guy Gentleman’s club be like?
For one it should be pretty accessible to everyone. As with the Guys Nights in, I am not a fan of excluding people. I should of course have a great selection of cognacs, good food and big selection of vinyl jazz records.

Do you have any style advice?
Mainly that you should try to find your own style, don’t blindly follow the hype. When I look at the icons