2. The word Brandy derived from Dutch brandewijn—
"burnt wine" is a spirit produced by distilling wine.
Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by
volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically taken as an
after dinner drink.
Some brandies are aged in wooden casks, while some
are simply colored with caramel coloring to imitate
the effect of such aging (and some brandies are
produced using a combination of both aging and
coloring).
Brandy is also produced from fermented fruits other
than grapes, but these products are typically
named eaux-de-vie, specially in French.
In some countries, fruit flavouring or some other
flavouring may be added to a spirit that is called
"brandy".
3. If a beverage comes from a particular fruit (or multiple fruits)
other than exclusively grapes, or from the must of such fruit,
it may be referred to as a "fruit brandy" or "fruit spirit" or
using the name of a fruit, such as "peach brandy", rather than
just generically as "brandy". If pomace is the raw material, the
beverage may be called "pomace brandy", "marc brandy",
"grape marc", "fruit marc spirit", or "grape marc spirit". Grape
pomace brandy may be designated as "grappa" or "grappa
brandy". Apple brandy may be referred to as "applejack".
There is also a product called "grain brandy" that is made
from grain spirits.
In the United States, brandy that has been produced in some
way other than using grape wine must be labelled with a
clarifying description of the type of brandy production (e.g.,
"peach brandy", "fruit brandy", "dried fruit brandy", or
"pomace brandy"), and brandy that has not been aged in oak
for at least two years must be labelled as "immature"
4. Cognac comes from the Cognac region in France, and is double
distilled using pot stills. Popular brands include Hine, Martell, Rémy
Martin, Hennessy, Ragnaud-Sabourin, Delamain and Courvoisier.
Armagnac is made from grapes of the Armagnac region in Southwest
of France (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne). It is single-continuous
distilled in a copper stills and aged in oak casks from Gascony or
Limousin. Armagnac was the first distilled spirit in France. Armagnacs
have a specificity: they offer vintages qualities. Popular brands are
Darroze,Baron de Sigognac, Larressingle, Delord, Laubade,Gélas and
Janneau.
Fruit brandies are distilled from fruits other than grapes. Apples,
peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, elderberries, raspberries, and
blackberries, are the most commonly used fruits. Fruit brandy usually
contains 40% to 45% ABV (80 to 90 US proof). It is often colourless. Fruit
brandy is customarily drunk chilled or over ice, but is occasionally
mixed (for example, blackberry brandy and Coca-Cola are mixed to
make a popular New England drink called "the blackbird").
5. Cognac-A small medieval town in a southwest France. The cognac
production areas are:-
• Granda Champagne
• Petit Champagne
• Fin Bois
• Bons Bois
• Bois Ordinaire
• Bois Commums
Types Of Grapes Used
(White Grapes)
• St. Emillion
• Folle Blanche
• Colombard
6. • THE PRODUCTION METHOD
o after the juice ferments into wine, it is slowly warmed &
transferred into copper pot still which are heated by coal.
The first distillation lasts between eight – twelve hours
producing the bouillon, which is distillate of approximately
50-60 proof (around 30% alcohol).
o This is heated a second time for about twelve hours in an
extremely critical process. The new colorless liquid that is
produced by the second distillation is a youthfull, over
strong cognac, which must be matured.
• AGING
o After cognac has been distilled for the second time, it is
placed into barrels that are made of oak wood from the
Limousine and Trances forests.
o The oak wood used has a considerable influence on the
bouquet & taste of the cognac. All cognacs are ultimately
blends that combine spirits from varying section & vintage
into final products.
7. Armagnac is in Gascony (south of Bordeaux) in
Southwest France. Armagnac region is divided into
three zones.
Upper Armagnac (Haut Armagnac) is often called white
Armagnac.
Lower Armagnac (Tenareze) often called black Armagnac.
Bas Armagnac
Types of Grapes Used
Ten different varieties of Armagnac grapes are authorised for
use in the production of Armagnac. Of these, four are most
common:
Baco 22A
Colombard
Folle blanche
Ugni blanc
8. THE PRODUCTION METHOD
After the juice ferment into
wine, it is not racked but
instead in left in contact with
skin less to extract additional
flavoring components, which
add complexity. The alcoholic
beverage is distilled in one
continuous process, slow
process a colorless brandy with
a powerful bouquet & flavor.
During ageing process a slow
oxidation also takes place
which intensities the brandy’s
color & smooths out its raw
flavor. The Armagnac also
acquires a musty aroma.
Reminiscent of hazelnuts,
peaches, plums & other fruits
9. Applejack is an American apple brandy, made from the
distillation of hard cider. It was once made by fractional freezing,
which would disqualify it as a proper brandy.
Buchu brandy is South African Brandy and flavoured with
extracts from Agathosma species.
Calvados is an apple brandy from the French region of Lower
Normandy. It is double distilled from fermented apples.
Damassine is a prune (the fruit of the Damassinier tree) brandy
from the Jura Mountains of Switzerland
Coconut brandy is a brandy made from the sap of coconut
flowers.
Rakia is a type of fruit brandy produced in Albania, Bosnia,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia; it may be
made from plums, apples, quinces, pears, apricots, cherries,
mulberries, grapes, or walnuts.
10. Brandy has a traditional quality rating system,
although its use is unregulated outside
of Cognac and Armagnac. These indicators can
usually be found on the label near the brand
name:
*: Aged two years in wood.
**: Aged for two to four years.
***: Aged for five to eight years.
V.O.: Very Old
V.O.P.: Very Old Pale
V.S.O.: Very Superior Old
V.S.O.P.: Very Superior Old Pale
V.V.S.O.P.: Very Very Superior Old Pale
11.
12. Christian Brothers
Coronet VSO
Courvoisier
Hennessey
Hiram Walker
Jacquin
Lejon
Leroux
Martell
Metaxas
Remy Martin