Brandy

The word brandy comes from Dutch word brandewijn which meant burnt wine. Brandy is distilled from fermented juice or mash of grapes . Brandy are aged in oak cask for minimum of  two years and are kept upto ten years. They are also blended where small quantity of younger brandies are added to older ones to maintain strength, complexity. They have 40% alcohol by volume . Brandy are two types :-

1. Cognac : It comes from cognac region of France . All cognac are brandies but all brandies are not cognac because only brandy that may be labelled cognac comes from region around in Charente region of France . It is very superior brandy made of grapes, which are grown , fermented and distilled very carefully in cognac region. Sugar syrup and caramel are added for sweeten and give pale dark colour. Cognac brandies are blended and matured by cognac house such as Hennessy, Martell and there are six district in areas of cognac. 

A cognac is to brandy what champagne is to sparkling wine. Cognac must be made in cognac region of France while brandy can be made anywhere in the world.we must not be confused that Cognac is made from distillation of white wine.  

The quality marking of cognac in bottle are indicated by :-

• V.S - Very superior

• V.O - Very old

• V.O.P - very old pale

• V.S.O.P - Very superior old pale

• V.V S .O.P - Very very superior old pale

• X.O - Extra old 

2. Armagnac :- It is a region of southern France where superior brandies are produced. It is the oldest brandy of world and much drier than cognac. The name Armagnac was recorded in 1411 while cognac in. 1783.  It have fruity and nutty taste. There are three district in area of Armagnac. Example - Napoleon X . O and Dr Moral. Late king Birendra was very fond of Armagnac brandy .

Production of Brandy - We know brandy is distilled from wine so we must make wine first which steps we have discussed earlier. Now after making wine we have to add some steps which will be: Distillation , Storing/Aging , Blending and Bottling. 

Service of Brandy :

Brandy is served on Brandy snifter or Brandy balloon glass. Large peg is 60 ml while small peg is 30 ml and brandy can be served with warm water or soda water , Ice cubes, Coke or ginger ale.