Brandy often lives in the back of the cabinet, saved for holidays and fruitcake. That is a shame, because it makes some of the most elegant drinks around.
What is it?
Brandy is distilled from fermented fruit, most often grape wine. Most brandies are then aged in oak. When it is made from other fruit, the label usually tells you: apple brandy, pear brandy, and so on.
How is it made?
Fruit is fermented into a wine or mash, then distilled. Many brandies are aged in oak, sometimes for decades. Others are bottled unaged to keep a bright, fresh fruit flavor, which is why brandy is not always brown.
What does it taste like?
Warm and fruity, with notes of dried fruit, raisins, vanilla, and oak. Older brandies taste smoother and more complex.
What are the main styles?
- Cognac. Grape brandy from the Cognac region of France. Labels show minimum age: VS (at least 2 years), VSOP (at least 4), and XO (at least 10).
- Armagnac. Cognac’s more rustic French neighbor, often bolder in flavor.
- American brandy. Usually from California, smooth, and budget friendly. A great mixing choice.
- Pisco. Unaged grape brandy from Peru and Chile, floral and lively. Famous in the Pisco Sour.
- Apple brandy. Includes French Calvados and American applejack.
- Fruit brandies such as kirsch (cherry). Clear, dry, and intensely aromatic.
Watch out for flavored brandies like blackberry or apricot brandy from the bottom shelf. They are usually sweetened and behave more like a liqueur.
When would you use each style?
Mix with VS Cognac or American brandy in a Sidecar, Brandy Alexander, or brandy Old Fashioned. Save VSOP and XO for sipping. Use pisco in a Pisco Sour and apple brandy in fall drinks.
Which mixers work well, and why?
Orange liqueur and lemon brighten brandy’s dried-fruit flavor. Ginger ale makes an easy highball. Cream and coffee turn it into dessert.
What can you substitute?
Aged rum or bourbon can stand in for brandy, making the drink a little sweeter or spicier. A flavored brandy will not replace a true brandy without making the drink much sweeter.
Did you know?
The word brandy comes from the Dutch brandewijn, meaning “burnt wine,” a nod to heating wine to distill it. Cognac and Armagnac are not separate spirits; they are brandies named for places in France. Calvados is an apple brandy from Normandy.
Try it yourself
Brandy recipes are coming in a future class. Meanwhile, try a Sidecar: shake 2 oz brandy, 3/4 oz orange liqueur, and 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice with ice, then strain into a chilled glass. A sugared rim is optional but lovely.