Is That Cognac No. 5 You're Wearing?

Possible new design trend: liquor vessels that look like giant perfume bottles.

In the past couple months, I've been sent bottles of Collingwood, a new Canadian whisky from Brown-Forman, and Fussigny Cognac XO, which is back on the U.S. market after a few years' absence. I didn't know whether to drink them, or dab a little behind each ear.

Fussigny Cognac was acquired by entrepreneurs Jean-Dominique Andreu and Patrick Giudicelli in 2008, and is now imported to the U.S. by Castle Brands. Fussigny's line consists of Sélection, Supérieur Fine Champagne, and its flagship XO Fine Champagne. The latter is a beautiful, elegant brandy which avoids the sweetness that plagues so many of the leading Cognacs.

Collingwood is Brown-Forman's latest attempt to reinvigorate the Canadian whisky category. The company has raided its vast whiskey holding north of the border to create this blended whisky, then triple-distilled it and finished it by resting it with toasted maplewood. The resultant taste is unusual—smooth, floral, citrusy and toasty, with maplewood very noticeable.