What’s the difference between Brandy, Cognac & Armagnac?
The word Brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn, (“burnt wine”). This is how Dutch traders, who introduced it to Northern Europe from Southern France and Spain in the 16th century, described wine that had been “burnt,” or boiled, in order to distill it. Legend has it that brandy was first produced when an enterprising sea captain distilled wine in order to save space on his ship. He planned to reconstitute it with water when he arrived at his home port, but those who sampled the new concoction liked it just the way it was. Brandy – in its broadest definition, is a spirit made from fruit juice or fruit pulp and skin. More specifically, it is broken down into three basic groupings; Grape, Pomance, and Fruit Brandy. For Brandy, there is no official zone of production, grape variety, and any oak can be used for aging. Important Brandy-making regions, particularly in Europe, further differentiate their local spirits by specifying the types of grapes that can be used and the specific ar
