Interesting finish to your story!
But, I'm still a bit confused as to how/why all these, then satellite regions of the USSR, now countries of their own, can call their brandy....cognac. As I understand, all cognac is brandy but not all brandy can be cognac. Cognac must be grown, distilled and barrel aged in the Cognac Region of France, thus the name cognac! If a brandy is grown, distilled and aged 1 kilometer outside of the Cognac Region it can not be sold as cognac. Cognac is not necessarily any better than brandy, and vice versa, but the quality of the grapes, the distilling process and the aging time determine the caliber of the liquor. Obviously France cannot govern any other country's product but it just doesn't seem kosher! I personally would never purchase a cognac made anywhere but France....brandy yes.