Brandy

This spirit is produced by distilling fruit. The word brandy derives from the Dutch brandewijn, meaning 'burnt wine."

Brandies generally contain 35%–60% alcohol by volume.  Some are aged in wooden casks, some are tinted with caramel colouring to imitate aging, and other are produced using a combination of both.

Grades
Any brandy XO and higher are meant to be sipped on their own, unmixed and undiluted.

Cognac
Only brandies produced in the Cognac region in France are offcially called "cognac." They are double distilled using pot stills. They are classified by the time they've been aged in oak barrels, ranging from VS (2 years minimum) to XO (6 years minimum). Consequently, cognac is a brandy, but a brandy may not necessarily be a cognac.

Armagnac
The first distilled spirit produced in France, this brandy is made from grapes of the Armagnac region in Southwest of France (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne). It is single-continuous distilled in a copper still and aged in oak casks.

Fruit Brandy
Distilled from fruit other than grapes, fruit brandies are commonly made from apples (Calvados, Applejack), peaches, pears (Poire Williams), apricots, plums, cherries (Kirschwasser), elderberries, plums (Slivovitz), raspberries, blackberries, and more. Most are colorless and contain 40-45% alcohol by volume.

In Good Spirits
Spell brandy with 3 letters.
B, R, and Y.

Pisco
This is a strong, colorless grape brandy produced in Chile and Peru.

Recipes

Pisco Sour
The national cocktail of Peru, the predominant flavor in this spirit is the sourness of the lime juice.
3 oz. pisco
1 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. key lime juice
1 egg white
Angostura bitters (2-3 dashes)
Ice cubes

Sidecar
Originated in 1914 at Harry’s New York Bar in Venice, Italy.
Mixing glass of ice
1 1/2oz brandy
1 1/2oz rum
1/2oz triple sec
1/2oz lime juice
Shake. Strain into chilled glass.
Garnish with cherry or lime.

Brandy Alexander
A variant of a pre-1900s drink called the Alexander, which uses gin.
Mixing glass of ice
1 1/2oz brandy
1/2oz dark creme de cacao
3oz cream or milk
Shake. Pour into glass.

Brandy Crusta
Created in 1850s New Orleans, the recipe for this classic cocktail was first published in Jerry Thomas’ 1862 bartender’s guide. It is called “crusta” because the sugar rim applied before the drink is made creates a crust around the glass.
2 oz. Cognac
1 tsp. orange curaçao
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 dash Angostura bitters
Crushed ice
Garnish: sugar on the rim of the glass, lemon curl.