B ra ndy

B ra n d y kn o wn a s “ B u rn t Win e “ is a
e xp re s s io n d e rive d fro m Du tc h wo rd
“B ra nd e wijn ” m e a nin g b u rn t.

B ra n d y, in its b ro a d e s t d e fin itio n , is a s p irit

m a d e fro m fru it ju ic e o r fru it p u lp a n d s kin .
B ra n d y c a n b e d ivid e d in to th re e b ro a d
c a te g o rie s :

Grape Brandy : B ra ndy m a de from fe rm e nte d

g ra pe juic e a nd c rus h e d g ra pe s kin a nd s e e ds .

 Fruit Brandy : It is te rm us e d for b ra ndie s wh ic h a re

m a de from fe rm e nting juic e s of fruits oth e r th a n
g ra pe s .

Po mac e : B ra ndy m a de from pre s s e d g ra pe s kin,

pulp a nd s e e ds th e re s id ue wh ic h re m a ins a fte r a ll
th e juic e h a s b e e n e xtra c te d for wine .
 How b ra ndy is m a de ?

B ra ndy is ma de by a s imple proc e s s of dis tilla tion of wine . It is

c re a te d in a s till to le a ve th e wa te r a nd re move th e a lc oh olic
va pour wh ic h c onde ns e s ba c k into liquid form a s it c ools .
S te p in m a king of b ra ndy
F e rm e nta tion of J uic e

Dis tilla tion

Ag e ing

B le nding

B ottling
 F e rm e nta tion of J uic e

Th e proc e s s of ma king bra ndy s ta rts with th e fe rme nta tion of

fruit/g ra pe juic e s . The wine is allowed to ferment in huge vats
for three to five weeks producing a sour high-acid wine with low
alcohol content
 Dis tilla tion

Wine with a n a lc oh olic s tre ng th of 8-12% v/v a nd h ig h a c idity

is boile d in a pot s till.
Th e a lc oh olic va pours , wa te r a nd nume rous a roma tic
c ompounds ris e upwa rd a nd a re c olle c te d in a c onde ns e r wh e re
th e y be c ome liquid a g a in.
Th is dis tilla tion proc e s s is c a rrie d out twic e .
 Ag e ing

B ra ndy mus t be th e n pla c e d in oa k c a s ks a nd

a llowe d to a g e . As th e bra ndy a g e s , it a bs orbs
fla vors from th e oa k wh ile its own s truc ture
s ofte ns , be c oming le s s a s tring e nt.
Th roug h e va pora tion, bra ndy will los e a bout 1% of
its a lc oh ol pe r ye a r.
 B le nding

In th is s te p bra ndie s a re ble nde d a nd dilute d to

a round 40% a lc oh ol. Th e bra ndie s of va rious ye a rs
or va rious c a s ks or va rious vinta g e a re mixe d with
e a c h oth e r to h a ve a pe rfe c t mix. Th e y a re th e n
bottle d to be s old.
 C og na c

B ra ndie s from a
re g ion of F ra nc e ,
Cog na c a re c a lle d
c og na c . Th e y a re
known to be th e
be s t type s of
bra ndie s in th e
world.
F ra nc e
B ra ndie s from th e re g ion of c og na c h a ve to:

B e m a de from th re e m a jor va rie tie s of g ra pe s F olle

b la nc h e , Ug ni B la nc a n d C olom b a rd.

B e dis tille d twic e in c oppe r pot s tills a nd a g e d a t le a s t

2 1/2 ye a rs in oa k b a rre ls in orde r to b e c a lle d
"c og na c ".
 Le ve ls of C og na c

• VS ( Ve ry S pe c ia l) or VS O ( Ve ry S pe c ia l Old) wh e re th e
young e s t bra ndy in th e ble nd is a t le a s t a g e d for th re e
ye a rs .

• VS OP (Ve ry S upe rior Old P a le ), R é s e rve , wh e re th e

young e s t bra ndy is s tore d a t le a s t four ye a rs in c a s k.

• XO (E xtra Old), Na polé on, Hors d'Ag e , wh e re th e

young e s t bra ndy is s tore d a t le a s t s ix to s e ve n ye a rs in
c a s k.
S e rvic e of B ra ndy/
C o g na c

B ra ndy is a lwa ys
s e rve d a t 23 de g re e
C e ls ius .

B ra ndy is s e rve d
with out a ny
g a rnis h e s . It c a n b e
s e rve d with h ot
wa te r.

It is s e rve d in
B ra ndy b a lloon or
S nifte r.
 F a m ous B ra nds

B ra ndy C og na c

Hone y B e e Courvois ie r
Doc tor Ma rte ll
Na pole on Hine
Wh ite fie ld He nne s s y
B rih a n’s g ra pe R e my Ma rtin