PM Pashinyan calls for nation to abandon phrase "Armenian cognac" “We are being chuckled at”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called for the national rebranding of Armenian cognac to “Armenian brandy,” emphasizing that the term “cognac” should only be associated with the French region from which it originates.

Speaking at a government session on Thursday, Pashinyan highlighted that both cognac and champagne were originally names tied to specific regions in France, rather than just the beverages themselves, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

He noted that Armenia has long labelled its famous spirit “cognac,” but that appropriating another culture's intangible asset is inappropriate.

"Claiming someone else’s intangible asset is undignified. If we can't come up with a new name, we should think of something centred around the term ‘brandy,’" Pashinyan stated, according to Interfax.

“We can’t do this—cognac is an intangible asset of France. Imagine what people abroad think when we praise our ‘cognac.’ We might be proud, but we don’t realize that it can provoke a chuckle. We need to consider how we’re perceived by others,” Pashinyan said.

He added that this shift in terminology should even extend to Armenian households, which should also start referring to the spirit as “brandy” rather than “cognac.”

The term “cognac” is legally protected as a geographical indication (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, or AOC) under French law. Only brandy produced in the Charente region, home to the town of Cognac, can legally carry the name. Despite this, the former Soviet states have traditionally referred to local versions of the drink as “cognac” regardless of origin, with “Dagestan cognac” and “Armenian cognac” being common terms.

In 2017, Armenia signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the European Union, which included a transitional period during which Armenian producers retained the right to export their product under the name “Armenian cognac” for an additional 25 years. After this period, Armenia was expected to fully transition away from using the term.

However, in June 2021, the Armenian government accepted €3 million in financial assistance from the EU in exchange for an accelerated discontinuation of the word “cognac” on Armenian brandy labels.

By Khagan Isayev