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Gonzalez Byass Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez
PHOTO, COURTESY GONZALEZ BYASS
Brandy refers to any distillate derived from a fruit wine. Most brandies are based on grape wine, but any fruit can be fermented into a wine and then distilled. Grape based brandies are usually referred to as just brandy, while brandies based on other fruits usually have the name of the fruit included.
Below is a selection of outstanding brandies from around the world, which includes both grape based brandies and others based on apples and pears. Cognac, a grape based brandy produced in the Charente region of France, has been dealt with in a separate holiday guide devoted just to the brandies from this region.
Prices range from under $45 to $300. All these brandies are available in the U.S., although some of the more unusual ones may require a bit of searching. Consult wine-searcher.com for a stocking retailer close to you.
Indicated prices are the average, do not include sales taxes, and will vary depending on the state. Featured items are all 750 ml bottles. Alcoholic strength will vary between 36% and 62%, depending on the selection.
Spanish Brandies
Spanish brandy is also known as Brandy de Jerez in reference to the region where it is distilled and matured. Most of the brandy is made from wine produced from Airén grapes grown in central Spain. The brandy is distilled using a combination of column and the same type of alembic stills used in Cognac. It is matured in sherry butts using a solera system of fractional blending. Brandy that has been aged at least three years is called solera reserve. Brandy aged for 10 years or more is called solera gran reserva.
Gonzalez Byass, Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez, 36% ABV, $54
Lepanto brandy is made from Palomino grapes, the same variety used to produce sherry. It is the only brandy distilled in the city of Jerez. It is aged for an average of 12 years; 9 of which are in barrels that previously contained Tío Pepe and a further 3 years in casks that previously held 30 YO sweet oloroso Matusalem. The brandy is very smooth, dry and delicate, offering notes of caramel, almonds and vanilla.
Torres 20 Hors D’Age, 40% ABV, $58
An ultra-aged, 20+ year brandy, based on Parellada and Ugni blanc grapes, that is matured in Limousine oak barrels. This is the most Cognac-like of the Spanish brandies, and far better priced. The brandy has a deep, rich color, offering notes of fresh grapes and ripe pears, along with raisins, dates and figs. There are additional notes of candied citrus, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and other wood spices. The Torres 20 has won more than 69 awards in international competitions.
Williams & Humbert, Gran Duque D’Alba Brandy Solera Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez, 40% ABV, $45
An aromatic brandy that has been aged for 10 to 12 years in butts that previously held oloroso sherry. It offers notes of prunes, raisins and dates, along with hints of roasted nuts and old leather. The brandy is smooth, with a pronounced palate weight, with flavors of dried fruit, caramel and vanilla. There is also an 18 YO XO expression that is finished in sweet PX sherry cask and a 20 YO Oro expression matured in Palo Cortado sherry casks.
Ararat Nairi 20 YO Armenian Brandy
PHOTO, COURTESY YEREVAN BRANDY COMPANY
Armenian Brandy
Armenia has a long-standing tradition of producing brandy from a variety of indigenous grape species. Matured in casks of Caucasian oak, they offer flavors of dried fruit and herbs, as well as vanilla and chocolate notes. These are smooth brandies, with a pronounced palate weight and a satiny texture, and represent exceptional value. For more information on Armenian brandy go here. Remedy Liquor in Glendale offers one of the largest selections of Armenian brandy in the U.S.
Ararat Nairi 20 YO, 40% ABV, $97
This is a rich, dense brandy that offers flavors of pine nuts, sweet honey notes, dried fruit and almonds, along with pronounced aromas of cinnamon and cloves. The finish is long and smooth, with notes of cedar, dried fruit and warm spice.
Tigran the Great, 40 YO, 40% ABV, $300
Named after a legendary king of Armenia in antiquity, Tigran, at 40 YO, is one of the oldest Armenian brandies available in the U.S. Tigran also bottles a 60 YO brandy, but it is virtually impossible to find. The brandy has a deep, rich, nuanced flavor that features dried fruits of raisin, fig, date, apple and prune, along with notes of cinnamon and cloves. The finish is exceptionally long, smooth and harmonious, with lingering notes of prunes and hints of pepper. An exceptional value.
Copper & King’s Butchertown Reserve Cask Brandy
PHOTO, COURTESY COPPER & KING’S AMERICAN BRANDY COMPANY
American Brandies
The U.S. also has a long-standing tradition of producing grape brandies. Many of these have performed exceptionally well in blind tastings and international spirit competitions. They are also exceptionally well-priced and represent among the very best values among brandies.
Copper & King’s Butchertown Reserve Cask Brandy, 62% ABV, $55
Butchertown is produced in Kentucky. It is aged in both ex-bourbon and new American oak barrels. It offers notes of dark fruit and wood spice and offers a whisky-like aroma and flavor profile. Think of it as a brandy made for the whisky drinker.
Osocalis Rare Alembic Brandy, 40% ABV, $44
Osocalis is a California distilled brandy made with Semillon, Colombard and Pinot Noir grapes. It’s distilled in a Charentais alembic still. The brandy is aged for a minimum of six years, and also includes some older brandies that are blended in. It offers floral aromas, along with notes of candied citrus. The palate features dried fruit flavors, along with some chocolate, vanilla, wood spices and some pepper on the finish.
Germain-Robin Coast Road Reserve, Brandy, 40% ABV, $72
Coast Road is a California, Pinot Noir-based brandy, made in a Cognac XO style. It’s blended from spirits aged for a period of 9 to 20 years. It offers flavors of dried dark fruit, dark chocolate fudge, caramel, along with spice notes of cinnamon and cloves. Only about 200 cases are released each year.
Laird’s Rare 12 YO Apple Brandy
PHOTO, COURTESY LAIRD & COMPANY
Fruit Brandies
Clear Creek Pear Brandy Eau de Vie, 40% ABV, $50
Portland, Oregon based Clear Creek Distillery was started 30 years ago, and is among the oldest craft distilleries in America. Their pear brandy offers a distinct aroma of ripe pear, along with spring flowers. On the palate, there is the unmistakable flavor of ripe pear. The brandy is made with locally grown Bartlett pears and distilled in German-made artisan pot stills. There is also an expression that includes a full-grown pear in the bottle, which costs slightly more. Wondering how they get the pear in the bottle? The branch with the immature pear is put inside the bottle and the pear is allowed to grow inside until it is fully mature.
Laird’s Rare 12 YO Apple Brandy, 44% ABV, $76
New Jersey-based Laird’s is the oldest distiller in the United States and dates back to colonial times. The 12 YO offers a rich, smooth brandy, with notes of baked cinnamon apple and dark dried fruit, along with hints of sweetness and a bit of an oak backbone.
Boulard Pays d’Auge XO, 40% ABV, $93
Normandy has long been known for its production of brandy, called Calvados, from local apples. Typically, more than a hundred different varieties of apples, from bitter to semi sweet, are used to produce the brandy. Sometimes, local pears are also added. Boulard produces a classic, powerful Calvados, with a distinct flavor of concentrated fresh apple, along with hints of smoke and pepper. The brandy is dry, creamy with a long, lingering finish. The Calvados is blended from spirit aged from 8 to 15 years.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2018/11/22/holiday-gift-guide-2018-the-best-brandies/#58d04a032c13
