Cognac and Brandy Liquor Drinks - Delicate Spirits Served in a Brandy Snifter

Spirits: Brandy

Brandy is the most delicate of spirits - and cognac, the premier brandy, is France's most treasured distillation (with perfume a close second). Wherever the brandy liquor is made, the soil, the climate and the skills and disposition of the farmer greatly affect the quality of the fruit and ultimately, the quality of the cognac and brandy made from it. Brandy is best when distilled in an old-fashioned pot, still hammered out from sheets of copper.

Most brandies go through at least two distillations. The first distillation of wine yields a liquid of about 30 percent alcohol that is then returned to the still. The second pass results in an eau de vie of 70 percent alcohol, or 140 proof.

Even after the distillation, some time must elapse before you can break out the brandy snifters and pour brandy drinks for your guests. The eau de vie is collected and aged in Limousin oak for at least 3 (but up to 55) years. As it ages, the brandy evaporates and the volume decreases, as does the proof. The brandy is transformed from a colorless, coppery-tasting liquid to a smooth, amber-like liquor with a hint of grape.