Brandy

1. Brandy

2. Brandy is distilled from grape wine, or other fermented fruits. • A wine-based spirit • Brandies from other fermented fruits are take name of fruit - apple brandy, cherry brandy, or pear brandy. • Brandy as a refined, oak-aged • Emerged by accident: to save space and money, Dutch merchants ordered their wines distilled before shipment. They called it Brandewijn (“burned wine”) referring to the distillation that removed much of the water and bulk, reducing the product to its essence. They shipped the brandy in the standard container of the day, oak casks. The intention was to add the water back to the essence to recreate wine in its original form before distillation. • As the story goes, upon tasting the product at its destination, the merchants discovered it had improved from aging during its long journey, and had acquired a sweet smoothness from the oak casks. And thus, brandy was born. • Brandy is now made in almost every country that produces spirits, grows grapes, or makes wine- grapes are most commonly used because of their high sugar content. • The fruit is fermented into wine, then distilled and, usually, aged in oak barrels before • Some fruit brandies such as kirsch (cherry) and poire (pear) are not cask-aged, and thus remain clear. They are commonly called eauxde-vie, French for “water of life”. • Cognac age designations from young to old, as follows: • VS • VSOP • XO • Brandies are enjoyed in classic cocktails such as the Sidecar, the Stinger and • the Brandy Alexander.

3. All Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. • Cognac by law must be distilled from grapes grown and fermented in the designated • Cognac region in southwestern France, near Bordeaux.. • Cognac is distilled from wines produced from the local white grapes • Cognac is, by law, double-distilled in copper “alembic” or pot stills. • All Cognac is aged in French oak barrels. These barrels help achieve its subtle oakiness, smoothness, complexity of scent, and • deep amber color. • After aging, the Cognac is judged to an age and taste standard, • Type of Cognac depends on ageing - VS (Very Special) or VO (Very Old), formerly 3 Star Aged a minimum of 2 1/2 years • VSOP (Very Special Old Pale Aged a minimum of 4 years • or Very Superior Old Pale) or Reserve • Napoleon or XO (Extra Old) Aged a minimum of 5 1/2 years • In practice, all the quality Cognac brands substantially exceed these aging minimums. • Cognac is the classic after-dinner sipping spirit. • VS Cognacs are excellent mixed in classic

4. Armagnac by law must be distilled from grapes grown and fermented in the Armagnac region of France, • Armagnac is distilled from wine made predominantly from the local white grapes • Armagnac is single-distilled (unlike Cognac which is double-distilled) in a • continuous still (although a pot still may be used). Distillation often occurs • at a lower temperature than that for Cognac imparting what some call a more rustic, earthy quality. • It is aged in both new and old oak — traditionally the local “black” oak casks, or Limousin oak casks as are used in Cognac. • Type of Armagnac Aging • VS or 3 Star Aged a minimum of 2 years • VO, VSOP, or Reserve Aged a minimum of 5 years • XO, Extra, Napoleon, or Vieille Reserve Aged a minimum of 6 years • Hors d’Age Aged a minimum of 10 years • Vintage Dated From a single year, usually aged a • minimum of 10 years before bottling • Armagnac is, like Cognac, a classic after-dinner sipping spirit.

5. Brandy – preparation similar to Cognac except it is Brandy – why? • Cognacs- Courvoisier, Chatelle Napolean, Louis XIII, Remy Martin, Martell,Hennessey • Brandy – Remy, St Agnes, Chateau Tanunda(South Australia) • Armagnac - Napolean

6. Service of Brandy – • Straight/Neat • Mixer – in Old Fashioned or Hi Ball glass – NO garnish

7. Grappa - is made from pomace, the remains from the wine • Making process (including the skins, seeds and stalks). Grappa is also known as pomace brandy. Marc (MAHR), the French version of pomace brandy, usually ages for a short time in oak barrels. Like all unaged fruit brandies, grappa can also be categorized • Recently, there has been a trend toward making grappa with high-quality grapes and/or wines in addition to, or instead of, pomace. and is often more subtle and less “fiery” than pure pomace grappa. • These spirits are the clear and colorless, pure distillation of grape • pomace and/or grape wine. • There is no official classification system. The name of the grape from which the pomace or wine was derived may be listed on the label. • Grappa is generally bottled unaged. • Grappa is the quintessential Italian after-dinner digestif. Caffé corretto —espresso with grappa — is a classic way of enjoying grappa in Italy.

8. CALVADOS • One of the world's great brandies, Calvados comes from Normandy • in northwestern France. • Calvados by law must be distilled from the fermented juice of the • locally grown apples (dozens of different varieties may be used); up • to 25% pear juice may be blended in. • Calvados is double-distilled in a pot still then is usually aged for at least 2 years in oak barrels • Type of Calvados Aging • 3 Star Aged a minimum of 2 years • Vieux, Old, or Reserve Aged a minimum of 3 years • VO, or Vieille Reserve Aged a minimum of 4 years • VSOP Aged a minimum of 5 years • Extra, La Napoléon, Hors d’Age Aged more than 5 years • Calvados is enjoyed as an after-dinner sipping spirit, or in coffee.

9. EAU DE VIE • The term eau-de-vie is French for “water of life” - clear, colorless, unaged distillate of fruit wine are traditionally served chilled in small tulip shaped glasses. • Eaux-de-vie are made from almost any fermented fruit juice (fruit wine). • These spirits are the clear and colorless, pure distillation of fruit wines, with only water added to adjust the alcohol content. • There is no official classification. • • Framboise = Raspberry • Kirsch = Cherry • • Mirabelle = Yellow Plums • Peche = Peach • • Poire = Pear • Pomme = Apple • Eaux-de-vie are bottled without aging. • Eaux-de-vie are served chilled in a cordial (“pony”) glass for sipping either before or after dinner. • Fact: • Port and Sherry are technically wines rather than spirits, so we cover them in the wine section. • But there are similarities to brandy. Here are the main differences: • Brandy Port and Sherry • Production Grapes are fermented, then Grapes are fermented, then • distilled to raise the alcohol content fortified with spirits to raise the • to 40% abv. (alcohol by volume) alcohol content to between 18 • and 22% abv. • Aging Oak-aged for complexity Oak-aged for complexity • Serving Served in a snifter Served in a cordial or dessert