Whiskey, brandy, cognac - their history and differences

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Several categories of drinks fall under the general concept of brandy, including cognac. Connoisseurs of wine products say that all cognac can be called brandy, but only one brandy can be considered cognac. So what are their differences? Whiskey, brandy, cognac are loved by many all over the world, but not everyone understands what their fundamental differences and features are.

History of whiskey

The roots of the origin of this strong drink go back to the distant past. Disputes between Ireland and Scotland do not stop until now - each country defends its right to create the first whiskey.

According to the Scots, it was they who invented the noble drink, replacing grapes with barley. They liked the resulting alcohol so much that they called it "Uisge beatha", which means "water of life" in Scottish. Then the conquerors from England adopted the recipe and the name, and after some changes in pronunciation, the name "whiskey" appeared.

Initially, the now iconic drink was produced exclusively in monasteries and used as a medicine. When the recipe fell into the hands of the peasants, they used it to earn additional income. In addition to barley, rye began to be used, andsometimes even oats. Due to several distillations, the strength of the drink increased, which contributed to its popularity. It was no longer pure whiskey, but Scotch. In the second half of the 19th century, production workshops appeared, and simple distilleries lost their relevance, and whiskey lost its quality.

History of brandy

The very name of the drink originated from the burnt wine from which it was made. "Branden" in Dutch means "to burn" and "wijn" is translated as "wine". From the 15th to the 16th century, the Dutch used the method of hauling so that unstable light alcoholic beverages could be transported to other countries. They took the finished wine and distilled it, it turned out burnt brandewijn wine. This word was subsequently shortened, and we got the familiar “brandy”. Now in English, the word “brandy” refers to any strong alcoholic drink, including cognac.

The European Union has established a rule about brandy. It can only be called an alcoholic product that is aged in an oak barrel for at least six months, has a strength of at least 36 degrees, is made exclusively from crushed grapes without pressing or grape wine. In addition, it is not allowed to paint over and dilute the drink. Also, no additives other than caramel are recommended, unless they are regulated by manufacturers.

Classic brandy has a strength of 57 to 75 percent and has a golden brown color. Often brandy and cognac are identified, as their classic ways are similar.cooking, color, sometimes even taste. However, the production of brandy is not subject to the same strict standards as cognac, and its taste can be quite varied, depending on the raw materials used to make it.

History of Cognac

The birthplace of this drink is France, the town of Cognac. It was there that cognac was first made and named after the city. It is produced according to a special technology from a certain grape variety. Aged from 10 to 30 years in oak barrels to "age". The longer the exposure, the more valuable and expensive the drink.

In the XII century, Duke Guillaume X created the first vineyards in the Charente region, where the city of Cognac was located. They began to produce wines that were distributed throughout Europe and glorified the region. But there were some problems with transportation. This took too long and often resulted in the French wines turning sour and losing their original taste upon arrival at their destination. Then the enterprising French invented the technology of wine distillate, and subsequently began to double-distill drinks. So they did not deteriorate during transportation, although they acquired a sharper smell and taste. They transported wines in oak barrels and found that with a long delay of the vessel, the taste of the drink improves. The idea came to specially withstand the drink in oak barrels. This is how modern cognac appeared.

Whiskey, brandy, cognac - what are the differences after all?

The history of the origin of drinks is different, moreover, they were even invented in differentcountries, but this does not stop people from arguing that whiskey, brandy, cognac are almost identical drinks. This opinion is fundamentally wrong.

Real cognac is made only from grapes and only in France. It has its own specific taste, depending on the duration of exposure. Cognac is one of the brandies that all other distilled wines are called, but from other grape varieties or from fruits and berries in general, and in any other area except France. In addition, brandy aging can be as little as six months.

Whiskey is a product that stands apart. It is also aged, but prepared in a completely different way using cereals. Now it becomes clear how cognac differs from whiskey and brandy.

In addition, the classification of cognacs should be mentioned. On real French cognacs, you can find Latin markings that will indicate the aging period, for example, VSOP - 6 years or more, XO - from 20 years. If you see other markings in the form of stars on cognac bottles, this means that you have an ordinary drink made from alcohol. A bottle with three stars means three years of alcohol aging, five years of alcohol in a barrel will make cognac 5 stars. Such "star" cognacs can be safely called brandy, as they are prepared not according to the classical recipe most often in Armenia, Georgia and Russia.

To drink whiskey, brandy, cognac and enjoy drinks, it is not necessary to know their history, but it is still more pleasant to realize what exactly you are drinking, andfeel like a connoisseur.