How Heavenly Spirits Became the Leading Importer of Armagnac and Other Fine French Spirits

Heavenly Spirits LLC, officially incorporated in 2008 and based in Massachusetts, had its roots planted long before its formal founding. The spark that eventually led to the creation of this acclaimed importer of fine French spirits can be traced back to the childhood of Christine Foubert Cooney. During her summer vacations in the small village of Saint-Jean-de-Liversay, nestled in the Charentes region of France—part of the Cognac appellation—Christine spent cherished days with her grandparents, Amedée and Marguerite Foubert. Her grandfather, “Papy” Amedée, served as the village mayor and managed a diverse agricultural operation that included livestock, crops, and a winery. He also distilled eau de vie on the property.

“I was barely seven when Papy let me taste an Armagnac,” Christine recalls. “That moment ignited my interest in spirits.”

Years later, in 1986, that spark was fanned into a flame, when Christine, having finished a five-month internship in Chicago perfecting her English, met her future husband, Daniel Cooney, in Iceland, on a flight back to France. After moving to San Francisco to join Dan, Christine worked with the American branch of an Italian wine consortium and began brokering Cognacs to U.S. importers and distributors on the side.

In 1994, the couple, now with a newborn son, Austin, relocated to France, moving into her grandparents’ former home. They began connecting with French producers who were seeking entry into the American market. One such producer was the historic Delord Armagnac house, run by fourth-generation brothers Jacques and Pierre Delord. Meeting the Delords proved to be a pivotal moment and became the foundation for what would later become Heavenly Spirits.

In 1999, the family returned to the U.S. and settled back in Massachusetts. Dan resumed teaching fine art and graphic design at local colleges, and they welcomed their second son, Keenan. By 2008, the Cooneys formally launched Heavenly Spirits LLC. The business flourished quickly and has seen steady growth ever since.

Today, Heavenly Spirits employs a passionate team of 10 and boasts a portfolio of over 100 premium French spirits, largely from small, family-owned producers. The company distributes to approximately 38 states and remains the exclusive U.S. importer of Armagnac Delord, now in the hands of the fifth generation—brothers Jérôme and Sylvain Delord. Under Heavenly’s stewardship, Delord has become the leading Armagnac brand in the United States. The Cooneys have since added four other Armagnac brands to their portfolio, including Dartigalongue, Artez, Hontombére, and Marie Duffau, and account for over 40% of all Armagnacs sold and savored in the U.S. market.

In addition to Armagnac, Heavenly Spirits is a leader in several other categories, including organic Cognac, organic Calvados, and organic French Whisky. Their impressive lineup includes esteemed brands such as Distillerie Du Peyrat Cognac, Claque-Pépin Calvados, and Armorik Single Malt Whisky. Christine and Dan are now joined in the business by their two sons and a dedicated team that shares their passion for what they consider the exceptional art of French distillation. In appreciation for their continued promotion of French culture and agriculture, the French government knighted Christine in 2023 as a Chevalière dans l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole and in 2017, both Dan and Christine were inducted as Lifetime Members of Le Compagnie des Mousquetaires d’Armagnac.

For more information, visit the Heavenly Spirits website, and follow them on social media.