Despite the fact that brandy and cognac are quite similar drinks, there is still a certain difference between them. It is believed that in order to distinguish between these drinks, you need to be a true professional. Very often you can find bottles with the inscription cognac in stores, although, in fact, it is brandy. To determine how brandy differs from brandy, you need to know the history and production process of these drinks.
general characteristics
Brandy - a strong alcoholic drink that is made on a grape or fruit basis, undergoes double distillation and then aged in oak barrels for more than 1.5 years. Popular brands: "Ararat", "Nairi", "Metaxa", "Kizlyar" and others.
Cognac - a certain type of brandy, which is produced on the territory of a particular province, in the department of Charentes, in the south of France. These types of cognacs meet the following requirements:
- For production, only certain varieties of white grapes are used, for example, Fol Blanche, Uny Blanc, Colombard, etc.
- During production, it is necessary to follow the specifically developed regulations.
- To improve the color, it is allowed to use only caramel or alcohol tincture on oak shavings.
- All types of cognacs must have a fortress of at least 40 degrees.
History of occurrence
For the first time, brandy was made by Dutch sailors who wanted to bring French wine to their homeland. During a long journey, it began to deteriorate, and then they decided to re-distill the wine. After, having tasted the drink, they realized that the taste and strength are significantly different from the final raw materials. The sailors again overtook the drink, and the taste became even more interesting. This is how brandy appeared, which in translation means burned wine.
In the future, sailors began to sell this drink, but because of the frequent wars, brandy, intended for trade, lay in oak barrels for several years. After that, after tasting the drink, the sailors were surprised, as it became less strong, but its aroma became more saturated, and its taste and color changed. The resulting drink was called "brandy." It was significantly different from brandy in its high quality, delicate taste and aroma. Judging by the history of occurrence, we can already conclude how brandy differs from brandy: the production process, aging, raw materials, etc.
Cognac production
After the grape harvest is harvested, it is pressed, and then subjected to fermentation for three weeks. As a result, a young wine is obtained, which is distilled and cognac alcohol is obtained from it. Exposure is a complex process that takes place in several stages. The first stage takes place in new oak barrels, in which there is a huge amount of tannins. Thanks to this, the drink gets the aroma of oak, vanilla, spices, and of course, a specific color. After that, the drink is poured into other, older barrels, etc. After all, the older the barrel, the less aromas it gives to cognac, which means that the drink matures in its vapor, thereby being saturated. For 50 years of aging, the amount of cognac alcohol is reduced by more than 3 times. This is the complexity of the production of this incredible drink.
Brandy production
A drink like brandy has a huge number of subspecies, which depend on the place and method of production. There is no specific regulation for the production of brandy, although there are 3 exceptions to this rule: Armagnac, cognac and Calvados. Here, under the name cognac, I mean one of the subspecies of brandy, which is produced in the French province of Cognac. Basically, each country has its own individual technologies that use different raw materials, etc. In the European Union there are certain rules implying that a drink called brandy must meet these requirements:
- made from grape wine;
- aged longer than 6 months;
- strength should be more than 36%;
- the real drink is not tinted, diluted or flavored.
Cognac and brandy, the difference between which is significant, can be found in almost all supermarkets. To buy a good brandy, you need to know its basic properties:
- The drink has a pleasant aroma, which depends on the raw materials used for production.
- Brandy has a golden brown color.
How is brandy different from brandy?
Many believe that these drinks are identical, but in fact there are significant differences that you need to know about:
- Cognac is a specific alcoholic drink, and brandy is a series of different strong wines.
- Cognac has a fortress of 40 degrees, and brandy fortress ranges from 40 to 72 degrees.
- Cognac is made from certain grape varieties, and for brandy, you can use various fruit juices and fruits.
- Real cognac is kept exclusively in oak barrels, and the packaging material for brandy does not matter.
- Brandy manufacturers are in many countries, and brandy is produced only in the French city of Cognac.
- The difference between brandy and cognac also lies in price. For a real cognac you have to pay a considerable amount.
How to drink cognac?
Each person for himself determines what is better: cognac or brandy. However, based on the manufacturing process and taste, the first option is still preferable. Now you need to figure out how to drink cognac in order to enjoy the incredible taste and aroma.
Key recommendations
- Not many people know that the shape of the glass is of particular importance, since it affects the aroma and taste of cognac. In France, this drink is drunk exclusively in tulip-shaped glasses, because thanks to this form, aromas accumulate in the upper part and make it possible to recognize all notes of cognac.
- First you need to check the quality of the tasted drink. To do this, pour about 40 ml of it into the glass and touch one of the walls of the glass with your finger. If on the other hand you see a fingerprint, then cognac is of high quality.
- They usually use it after the main meal, before serving tea or coffee. Cognac is not accepted to mix with other liquids.
- There is also a method that allows you to determine the exposure of cognac. To do this, you need to rotate the glass for some time so that traces of the drink remain on the walls. If they are visible for 5 seconds - the cognac has an aging time of about 8 years, if about 15 seconds, then the drink has an aging time of about 20 years.
- Now you need to pour cognac and leave it for a minute, so that the aroma is fully revealed. The temperature of the cognac should be above room temperature, for this hold the glass in your hand for a while.
- Before you start drinking, inhale the aroma of the drink for a while, so you will fully feel the full charm of cognac.
- Drink in small sips to fully enjoy the taste. Snacking cognac with lemon is not recommended, since citrus fruits kill the taste and aroma of the drink. Well, it’s not even worth talking about the fact that cognac should not be mixed with cola and other carbonated drinks.
We have already found out how brandy differs from brandy, but drinks are drunk the same way. To enjoy the taste of brandy, follow all the above recommendations.
Output
Now you have familiarized yourself with the basic rules that will help you choose truly high-quality and genuine drinks. If you do not know what is better to choose: brandy or cognac, then start the tasting with cheaper options. Thanks to this, you can choose for yourself the best and most acceptable option.