Chances are high you’ve heard of Hennessy. And also you might need a dusty bottle of Rémy Martin within the liquor cupboard that you simply escape for the vacations. However brandy is a wealthy class of spirit with lots of selection and loads of innovation occurring that deserves a tougher look. Whether or not you’re a bourbon lover who appreciates similar-tasting spirits (Armagnac is for you), wish to jazz up your cocktails, or just desire a special-occasion, fortifying drink to sip by the hearth this winter, the class is well-worth exploring.
Any spirit distilled from fruit or fruit derivatives is a brandy. The phrase itself is derived from the Dutch phrase for ‘burnt wine,’ although past grapes it additionally consists of any spirits comprised of apples, pears, peaches, plums, oranges, cherries –– actually any fruit.
Our listing right here is targeted on brandies with a base of wine or cider, comprised of France and California: a rustic the place Cognac, Armagnac, and Calvados showcase expressions of brandy rooted in deep custom, and a state the place outdated traditions and new improvements are being blended to push the boundaries of what a brandy could be.
When you’re new to brandy, it’s the unique nice spirit. The booze of kings. And if you happen to like nice rums or uncommon Bourbon, you’ll discover acquainted pleasures in exploring brandy. However what makes brandy even higher is that some areas are comparatively undiscovered by the worldwide market, so, for instance, you should purchase an beautiful bottle of Armagnac for the worth of a median bottle of Bourbon.
If you wish to sip outdated brandies, like an X.O. Cognac, you’re going to wish to sip it neat in a snifter or a wine glass, each of which permit the warmth of your hand to heat the glass and launch the aromas. With youthful brandies, you possibly can get pleasure from them on the rocks or combine them in cocktails.
Right here, then, are seven nice bottles of brandy to know.
Cognac
All Cognacs are brandies, however not all brandies are Cognacs. Cognac is the worldwide gold customary of brandy and has the oldest and richest legacy of any nice spirit on the planet. It’s comprised of white grapes which might be low in sugar and excessive in acidity which develop nicely within the chalky soils of the area, primarily a grape known as Ugni Blanc.
Cognac is distilled twice in copper pot stills, aged in French Oak barrels for at the very least two years, after which blended after growing older. These blends are categorized by the minimal age of the spirits used: two years for VS (very particular), 4 years for VSOP (very superior outdated pale), and ten years for XO (additional outdated).
Armagnac
Brandy manufacturing in Armagnac is older than that of Cognac, regardless of the latter’s higher fame. As with Cognac, Ugni Blanc is the first grape used, with low sugar and excessive acidity grape varietals favored right here for a similar causes––they make a greater last product when distilled. Armagnac is split into three sub-regions: Bas-Armagnac, Tenareze, and Haut-Armagnac, with every space being identified for barely totally different taste traits. Armagnacs are a price, notably for the way outdated they’re. It’s a very good class for Bourbon lovers to discover, as there are similarities between probably the most advanced and coveted Bourbons and Armagnacs.
Calvados
Calvados is a cider-based brandy from Normandy — an space with a local weather that doesn’t go well with grapes however is good for rising apples and pears. Apples are much more widespread in Calvados, however pears are additionally allowed inside the spirit’s authorized designation.
California Brandy
California brandy has fewer guidelines to observe than its French cousins, and also you’ll usually discover a broader vary of grapes used, in addition to nonetheless varieties. You could possibly say that Cognac is the place we’ve been, and California Brandy is the place we’re going. However there’s a spot for each on one’s shelf.
