Brandy

What is brandy?

All brandies are spirits distilled from fermented fruit, which produces eau-de-vie. The most famous spirits of this type are Cognac and Armagnac, which are made from grapes, but there are other types of fruit brandy, too.

Cognac

Made in the Charentes region of France, all Cognac must be distilled twice in pot stills and aged for no fewer than two years in oak. This produces a spirit that’s intense, complex and dark amber in colour.

Armagnac

Produced in Gascony in southwest France, this full-bodied brandy has a dense dried-fruit scent. It is traditionally distilled once in a column still before being aged and blended. Many of the producers are family-run affairs.