Content

• Steps

Attention:this article is intended for persons over 18 years of age.

The very name "brandy" means "burnt wine". Brandy is distilled from wine or fruit to create an afternoon drink with an alcohol content of 35 to 60 percent. You can truly enjoy this drink if you know a little about its history and the correct way of drinking it.

Steps

1. 1 Get an overview of the history of brandy.
   • Information on the origin and history of brandy can be found in many books, magazines and internet sites. The very name of the drink comes from the Dutch word "brandewijn," which means fire wine. The name itself already evokes the sensation of rising warmth from the first sip of a good brandy.
   • Brandy has been produced since the 12th century.
2. 2 Check out the classification system that is used for brandy. This drink is distinguished by age in accordance with the following system:
   • AC is a drink aged for at least 2 years.
   • VS (Very Special) aged 3 years or more.
   • VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) aged for at least 5 years.
   • XO (Extra Old) aged 6 or more years.
   • The Hors D'age brandy has been aged in a special barrel for at least 10 years.
   • The vintage brandy bottle is stamped with the date of bottling.
3. 3 Learn to distinguish between different brands of brandy:
   • Grape brandy has been distilled from fermented grapes. Cognac and Armagnac, the names of the French provinces where this drink comes from, are two distinct types of brandy. Sherry is made in Spain and has its own special production method.
   • Fruit brandies - from apricots, pears, blackberries, etc. - produced by distilling various fruits and berries other than grapes.
   • Pomace brandy is made from skins, grains and stalks of grapes, which are used to make wine.
   • Fruit and pomace brandies are usually served chilled, on ice, or used in cocktails. Grape brandy is most often sipped from cognac glasses.
4. 4 Take out special glasses to fully enjoy the taste of brandy:
   • The shape of a glass for brandy (cognac) is specially created to show the color of the drink in the best light and make you feel its aroma.
   • A glass that is thoroughly washed and air-dried will not let foreign tastes and odors prevent you from enjoying your brandy.
5. 5 Slowly pour a small amount of the drink into the glass, allowing it to form a small vortex.
6. 6 Raise your glass for a closer look at the warm color of the brandy.
7. 7 Inhale the bouquet of your brandy, first from a distance of several tens of centimeters, and then closer, but do not forget to first shake and twist the drink in the glass so that it reveals its aroma even more fully. Try to discern the shades of taste and aroma that are characteristic of this particular variety.
8. 8 Sip on a small amount of brandy, slowly letting the drink slip through different parts of your tongue, gradually revealing your taste. You can truly appreciate a good brandy only in the aggregate by enjoying its appearance, aroma and taste.