If cognac was born to travel, it is because the delicate wine of the Charente could not bear the journey. The Dutch began distilling it into Brandewijn, the "burnt wine" that gave cognac its name, and drank it with water.
Once this brandy was distilled a second time, which concentrated its aromas, cognac was born.
In this form, the precious bottles could withstand long voyages aboard the merchant ships that carried it around the world, bringing spices and precious woods from their far flung destinations.