Sweet Golden Vanilla! 
Those of you who know me know that I am a sucker for anything sweet - Navan has become no exception. I use it as our "secret ingredient" in sidecars. Soooo delicious. I wanted to do a little research about this cognac and do an actual tasting when it is no co-mingled with orange liqueur and lemon juice.
I have to say that I have always hated the bottle. I think it looks cheap (even though it's $$) and uninteresting. All of the sites that I visited to read about Navan mentioned how cool they thought bottle was. Many mentioned it's "art deco" style. Obviously, they're wrong.
At any rate, Navan is brought to us by our Lapostolle friends of Grand Marnier. You might also recognize their name in the Chile section of your local wine store under the name of Casa Lapostolle. I've not tried a lot of their wines, but Grand Marnier sure is tasty. These people know what they are doing and they have the means to put out a great product - and they have.
Navan is a vanilla infused cognac . I didn't know this but next to saffron (thank you Strega knowledge) vanilla is the second most expensive spice. I guess anything they sell in small tubes or tiny plastic bags is going to be costly. So the vanilla beans are from the vanilla orchid from Madagascar and then they are blended with cognac from the Cognac region in France. The vanilla orchid only blooms once a year... no wonder it's so expensive!
Cognac 411
Cognac is in Southwestern France near the Bordeaux region. I've inserted a little map below. It's made with high acid grapes that wouldn't be that tasty to drink but they are great for distilling. Some of these grapes are Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard. Of course this is France, so there is serious terroir involved. Here it is chalky soil that makes this area so unique. Cognac must be double-distilled immediately after distillation and must be aged at least 3 years in Limousin oak barrels.
http://www1.american.edu/TED/cognac.htm
If I decide to break out of my Sidecar sipping, I would try this one. It was one of the many suggestions listed on the Navan website.
http://www.navanworld.com/
Navan Yellow Cab
1 Part Navan Natural Vanilla Liqueur
2 Parts Pineapple Juice
Squeeze of Lemon
The Verdict
color: light gold
nose: orange peel, vanilla creme, spice
palate: smooth, vanilla bean, spice
price: $39-$45
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