The word “brandy” comes from the Dutch word for “burned wine” (brandewijn). It is the name given to spirits distilled from fruit, most commonly grapes. But brandies can be made from apples, pears, apricots, and berries. Sometimes these are called eau-de-vie, meaning “water of life.’”
Cocktailians often look for French spirits in this category, namely cognac. Cognac during the Golden Age of cocktails would have been heftier than today’s cognac, and French maker Pierre Ferrand has developed a cognac specifically for cocktails with spirits writer David Wondrich. The 1840 formula cognac is slightly higher proof, and appears in such cocktails as the Brandy Crusta (page 27).
In this book we’ve settled on Pierre Ferrand Ambre for most spirituous drinks in which you can really taste quality brandy or cognac. For drinks that contain serious adulterations—like cream, eggs, coffee, or fruity liqueurs—we use Paul Masson Grande Amber VS.
BRANDY STYLES AND TASTING NOTES
COGNAC/ARMAGNAC: Vanilla, wood, and fruit, such as peaches and pears, depending on the grade and brand.
(Brands: Pierre Ferrand, Tariquet)
CALVADOS: Aromatic and subtle when young, with flavor notes of apple, honey, and baking spices; aged varieties can be dry and taste more like cognac.
(Brands: Boulard, Christian Drouin, Daron)
APPLEJACK: Fresh apple with a spicy finish.
(Brand: Clear Creek)
Note: Confusingly, Laird’s Applejack is technically a whiskey.
APRICOT EAU-DE-VIE: Fresh apricot, crushed apricot stone, honeysuckle. This is used to thrilling effect in the Gin Blossom (page 133).
(Brands: Blume Marillen, Clear Creek)
KIRSCHWASSER: Cherry, bitter almond, slight vanilla nose.
(Brands: Clear Creek, Schladerer)