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The Fabled Pour

Brandy

Also called grape brandy, eau-de-vie, aguardiente

A spirit distilled from fermented fruit, most often grape wine, and usually aged in oak. The word covers cognac, armagnac, Spanish and American grape brandies as well as apple and pear eaux-de-vie. In a cocktail it gives grape fruit, dried fruit and gentle oak where whiskey would give grain.

  • dried grape
  • stewed apricot
  • soft oak
  • honey
  • warm spice
  • floral lift

Origin

Under US standards brandy is distilled from the fermented juice, mash or wine of fruit at less than 95% ABV and bottled at 40% or more; grape brandy aged less than two years in oak must be labeled 'immature'. Fruit brandies take the fruit's name (apple brandy or applejack, cherry Kirschwasser), and cognac, armagnac, calvados, pisco and brandy de Jerez are listed as protected types with their own rules. Cognac is the best known grape brandy and sets the template many others follow.

Common uses

  • sidecar when cognac is not on hand
  • brandy Alexander
  • a Brandy Old Fashioned
  • hot toddies and punches
  • sangria and mulled wine

Pours that use it

Sources

  1. 27 CFR 5.145 Brandy (standards of identity), Cornell Legal Information Institute · primary source, retrieved 2026-10-11
  2. Celebrate the diversity of Cognac (BNIC press page), Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac · primary source, retrieved 2026-10-11