How do drink brandy

If you let it sit for too long then some of the volatile alcohols will evaporate. This will lose some of the character of the brandy. Warm up the glass in your hand. Many connoisseurs prefer to warm up the brandy because gentle heat enhances the flavor and aroma.

The best way to do this is to simply hold the glass in your hand to gently warm it up. The wide base of the glass makes it easy to warm in your hand. Another way to warm the brandy is to carefully heat the glass over an open flame. Be careful not to overheat! Overheating can cause the alcohol to evaporate and ruin the bouquet and flavor.

Do not swill the glass because you can lose some of the subtle aromas in the brandy. Smell the brandy while holding the glass at chest height. Nosing smelling through your nose the brandy at this distance will allow you to smell the floral notes and introduces the delicate aromas to your nose.

This prevents your senses from being overwhelmed when tasting. Bring the glass to your chin and smell through your nose again. Raise the snifter to chin height and take a deep breath through your nose. Nosing at this height will let you smell the dried fruit aromas in the brandy. Raise the snifter to directly under your nose and smell through both your mouth and nose. When you bring the snifter up to your nose you can smell the spice aromas in the brandy. This nosing will be much more complex than the previous two.

Take a very small sip. Your first sip should simply wet your lips so that it does not overpower you. The first sip should be the smallest possible sip and will bring the flavor into your mouth. If you become overpowered it may put you off tasting the brandy again. Take more sips, starting small and working your way up to bigger sips.

These are meant to acclimatize your mouth to the flavor. Only once your taste buds are acclimatized can you fully appreciate the taste of the brandy. Drinking brandy is as much about the aroma as it is about the taste so make sure you continue to appreciate the aroma as you sip the brandy. Start young and move older if you are tasting multiple brandies. If you are tasting a number of brandies then you should start with the youngest first.

Always leave a small amount of each to come back to later- you will be surprised how much the first taste can change after your nose and palate have warmed up to the brandies. Try not to look at the type and cost of the brandy if you are tasting a number of brandies.

Both type and price can influence the way you taste a brandy so it is best to cover this information when tasting to really discover the flavors that you like. This can help you learn more about yourself as well. You can mark the glasses on the bottom somehow before pouring them.

Then mix the glasses up before drinking so that you do not know which is which. Method 3. Drink brandy in mixed drinks when you have a younger and less expensive brandy.

For example, if you have a VS brandy or another unnamed brandy then you can mix these into cocktails. Brandy is part of the wine family so it does not always work well with certain sodas and tonics but there are many good-tasting mixed drinks. Although Cognac is an aged, more expensive brandy, it is commonly used in mixed drinks as well. Consider trying a Sidecar cocktail. You will need 1. A martini glass is shaped like an upside down triangle on a long stem. Chill the glass in the freezer and then dip the top rim in a plate of sugar to rim it.

Pour the ingredients except the lemon twist into a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes and shake vigorously. Strain to remove the ice cubes and pour into the glass. Garnish with the lemon twist. You can make the lemon twist by peeling off a thin strip of the rind around the lemon in one full circle. You can alter the ratio of Cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice a little bit to find the perfect flavor for you.

Consider trying a Metropolitan. A Metropolitan is a classic cocktail whose first recipe is dated Seal the jar and shake until the sugar is completely dissolved. Keep the jar in the refrigerator. Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. A martini glass has a long stem with a cup shaped like an upside-down triangle.

A Hot Toddy is a classic hot drink that has often been historically used as medicine. It can be made with a variety of spirits including brandy and apple brandy. You will require 1 ounce 30 ml brandy or apple brandy, 1 Tbsp. Boil the water in a kettle or pot and pour into the glass.

Stir the mix and add the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then add nutmeg and enjoy! You can alter the ratios of brandy to water. If you are using apple brandy, you may choose to increase the amount of the apple brandy for extra flavor. Consider trying a Pisco Sour.

The Pisco Sour is the most popular way of consuming pisco and is the signature drink of Peru and also very popular in Chile. A quality and clean snifter also prevents other flavours from ruining that of brandy. Doing so will only cause the volatile alcohols to evaporate; hence, interfering with its flavour.

The benefit of warming this beverage is that it enhances its flavour and aroma. Alternatively, you can warm the glass by filling it with warm water, then pouring it out before serving the brandy.

You can also heat the base of the glass over an open flame. However, be careful not to overheat the glass. If you overheat the glass, chances are that the alcohol present in the brandy will evaporate, ruining its flavour. Lastly, never swirl a brandy snifter as some individuals do with wine glasses. Our experienced team will help determine which spirits are best suited to your needs, as well as guide you through our large selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.

Understanding Different Types of Brandy Brandy typically describes distilled spirits made from fermented fruit. French brandies are among the most popular types, including: Cognac: Only brandy made in the Cognac region of France may be called cognac. Armagnac: Originating from the French region of the same name, Armagnac offers a fruitier taste with hints of caramel and toffee.

Its alcohol content is usually somewhat higher than cognac. The Aging Process Age is more than just a number when it comes to brandy. What I always say is — experiment. When you are in a supermarket, make a note of what you buy, then draw up a simple table or keep a diary of the ones you like, and the flavours and aromas you pick up that you prefer.

I tend to go for drinks with ice before a meal, but after dinner, try something like a brandy and port without ice. Brandy is a generic term for a grape-wine-based spirit. Cognac is a protected name for brandies made in and around the town of Cognac, in the west of France. Armagnac, like cognac, is named after its place of origin, in south-west France. Tip the lemon juice, cherry syrup, bitters, egg white and brandy into a cocktail shaker with a large handful of ice.

Shake until the outside of the shaker feels very cold. Double strain into a tumbler filled with ice.