What is Brandy?

Brandy is a type of spirit distilled from grape wine, pomace (the residue from winemaking), or the fermented juice of other fruits. It typically has an alcohol content ranging from 35% to 60% and is often enjoyed as a digestif. Most grape brandies are aged in oak barrels, which enhance their flavors, while fruit and pomace brandies are usually clear and unaged.

History of Brandy

Origin of brandy can be traced back to the 16th century when Dutch merchants began distilling wine to create a more cost-effective means of transportation. By removing water from wine through distillation, they could ship a more concentrated product overseas, where it could later be reconstituted by adding water back before consumption. This innovative method not only facilitated trade but also led to the discovery that aging the distilled product in oak barrels significantly improved its flavor. The term “brandy” itself is derived from the Dutch word “brandewijn,” meaning “burnt wine,” which refers to the heating process involved in distillation

In France, particularly in regions like Cognac and Armagnac, brandy production flourished due to favorable climate and soil conditions for grape cultivation. By the late 17th century, these regions became synonymous with high-quality brandies, thanks to advancements in distillation techniques and aging processes. The introduction of strict regulations, such as those established by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), ensured that only products meeting specific criteria could be labeled as Cognac or Armagnac

Brandy Made From

Brandy can be made from various sources:

  • Grape Wine: Most commonly used for traditional brandies.
  • Pomace: The leftover solids from winemaking.
  • Other Fruits: Such as apples or pears, leading to fruit brandies that are often unaged.

Each type of brandy offers unique flavors and characteristics based on its ingredients and production methods

Modern Appreciation

Today, brandy enjoys renewed popularity as consumers seek alternatives to more mainstream spirits like Scotch and Bourbon. Master distillers are experimenting with new techniques and blends, creating innovative products that appeal to both connoisseurs and newcomers alike. The legacy of brandy continues to evolve while honoring its historical roots and craftsmanship

SPIRIT STYLES

COGNAC

Cognac is a region in France, producing some of the finest brandies in the world. Cognac is both a type of brandy and the region in France that produces it. It’s an aged, grape-based brandy that usually comes with a tremendous depth of flavor. Younger cognacs often present light fruit and oak notes, with older ones blooming into lots of dried fruit and spice. Cognac is usually bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV).

By law, you can’t make cognac outside of Cognac, and even inside Cognac you must use specific grapes, and follow specific aging restrictions. Most cognac contains a blend of brandies, and is labeled according to the period of time the youngest brandy of the bunch has spent aging in oak casks. In general the average age of the blend is much older than that of the youngest brandy, with many XOs easily reaching an average age of twenty years.

ARMAGNAC

A little harder to find than cognac, armagnac is nonetheless available at most quality liquor stores. Like Cognac, it’s named after the region of France which produces it, and only brandies made there can legally be called armagnacs. Fruitier than its cousin early on due to a different distilling process, Armagnac transitions into caramel and toffee notes as it ages and takes on more character from the wood. Armagnac is usually bottled at 92-96 proof (46-48% ABV).

Also Like cognac, armagnac must adhere to certain labeling requirements, with the classification built on the age of the youngest brandy in the blend. Armagnacs designated by the year of their bottling are common, and you can find many a liquor store in France with a wide selection reaching back fifty years or more.

AMERICAN

American brandy, like American wine, suffered from a bad rap for a long time. Well past the time, in fact, when it had actually gotten good. No more: people know now that you can get some amazing wines from California, Oregon, and other parts of the US … and some of those wines are being distilled and aged in oak, just like their French cousins. The flavor profile of American brandy is usually similar to that of cognac, though because the Americans are free to use a wider variety of grapes, there is a broad range of possibilities.

Like Cognac, American brandies often use the VS, VSOP, and XO classifications to denote the age and quality of the liquor within, although unlike Cognac and Armagnac, those designations are not legally enforced. Because American brandies are, shall we say, not always quite so refined as their French cousins, I recommend VSOP or better. The good news: American brandy is often a fraction of the price of Cognac or Armagnac. In fact, finding any other oak-aged liquor at these prices, whiskey or brandy or otherwise, is almost impossible. E&J XO, for example, is a terrific brandy that’s on par with many VSOP Cognacs, can be had for about $15 at many liquor stores.

APPLE BRANDY/ APPLEJACK

This is Calvados’s wild, unrefined, American cousin. Originally made by repeatedly freezing hard apple cider and skimming the ice from the top, thus slowly increasing the alcohol content, it’s now most typically distilled and stored in the same manner as Calvados. Generally speaking, apple brandies (and applejack in particular) have a heartier apple flavor than French entries, and are a little rougher around the edges, owing in part to the fact that there’s no clear-cut grading system established. Don’t let that frighten you, though. Applejack is inexpensive and delicious, and many American apple brandies are just as fine as Calvados.