When most people think of Cognac, thoughts of an oppressively strong flavor and a heat that burns from the tip of the tongue all the way to the pit of the stomach dominate their opinion. Tupac Shakur, Outkast, and Busta Rhymes also come to mind as cognac has become the drink of choice in the hip-hop world. The House of Grand Marnier launched Navan in 2004 to take advantage of the new-found popularity cognac distillers were enjoying. However, you should not think of Navan as a gimmick designed to suck money from the wallets of those that spend too much time watching MTV. Navan is truly a joy to drink and may change your opinion of what makes a good cognac.
The House of Grand Marnier has been producing fruit flavor spirits ever since its distillery was founded in 1827. The most famous of these liquors was created when Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle decided to blend a rare variety of orange, the “Citrus Bigaradia,” with cognac. As a result, “Curacao Marnier,” or Grand Marnier as we know it today, was created. The distillery’s newest creation, Navan, earned its name from the small town of Navana on the east side of Madagascar. Here, the rare black vanilla is harvested and shipped back to France to be combined with the finest cognac. The distiller’s years of experience flavoring liquors are evident as soon as the bottle is opened and the aroma of vanilla assaults your nose, but in a very pleasant way. Pour it over some ice, take a sip, and your mouth is filled with the sweet flavors of vanilla and caramel. The sweetness and caramel flavor linger on the palette long after the vanilla is gone. Honestly, this liquor is a little too sweet for me to enjoy more than a couple of drinks on the rocks. Now, add just a splash of Coke© and the situation changes entirely. You have a creation that tastes almost exactly like vanilla coke with the bonus that is mostly 80 proof liquor. Wade also invented a concoction that makes the drinker yearn for a beach, two palm trees, and a hammock.
Navan did not hit me as hard as other liquors of the same proof. However, it did give me a very relaxed, long lasting buzz. The downside of an 80 proof liquor with the sugar content of Navan is that you will regret exactly how easily this stuff goes down. I woke up the next day with a horrible case of cotton mouth, and I was dehydrated all day despite the prodigious amount of water I consumed.
At around $46, Navan is a little on the pricey side, but you really are buying something wonderful. Overall, Navan is fantastic whether it is simply poured over the rocks or mixed with just about anything. Traditional cognac drinkers will probably turn their collective noses up at this flavored cognac, but all that really means is that there is more for me.
Wade’s Tropical Navan Drink:
1 part Navan
1 part unsweetened pineapple juice
1/3 part lemon juice
Sipability - 8.5
Mixability - 8.5
Drunkability - 7.0
Hangover-ability - 6.5
Bang for the Buck - 6.0
Overall - 7.5 
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