Does brandy matter when it is aged? How to tell the age of brandy

In daily life, if you come into contact with brandy, most people will mix iced black tea or green tea into the brandy to dilute the taste of the strong liquor. This way of drinking is more common in bars. By stirring it thoroughly, you can feel the taste of tea and alcohol perfectly combined, which is closer to the public taste. Does brandy pay attention to the year? Let's take a look at what the following article says?

Contents of this article

1. Does brandy matter in terms of age?

2. How to tell the year of brandy

3. How to drink brandy

Does brandy matter in terms of age?

The grade of brandy is not only related to the quality of grapes, brewing and distillation processes, but also to the aging process and aging time of brandy. The year is closely related to the grade to a certain extent. For example, for Cognac, it will be divided into different grades according to the aging time. According to relevant laws and regulations, the minimum aging time for brandy blended into premium (VS) and aged (VSOP) should be no less than 4 and a half years, while the minimum aging time for special brew (XO) should be more than 6 and a half years. In addition, the EXTRA and NAPOLEON grades of Cognac are not legally stipulated grades, and the practices of various wineries are not uniform.

Of course, brandy produced in many other countries will also follow the example of Cognac, but there is no uniform regulation on the specific aging time, and consumers must pay attention to the distinction when purchasing.

How to tell the year of brandy

On wine bottles, you will always see some letters on them, such as XO, VSOP, VSO, VO. These letters actually refer to the age of the wine. XO refers to the best brandy, which is more expensive and has a storage age of more than 40 years, VSOP has a storage age of more than 25 years, VSO has a storage age of more than 20 years, and VO has a storage age of more than 15 years.

How to drink brandy

1. Drink clean

The so-called neat drinking is drinking brandy without mixing it with other liquids. It can be drunk neat with a glass of ice water. After taking a sip of pure brandy, you can take another sip of ice water to awaken your taste buds and taste the mellowness of the next sip of brandy.

2. Mix with Sprite (Coke)

Mix the wine in a ratio of 1:0.8, then shake the mixing pot. After the bubbles of Sprite come out, pour the wine into a glass and drink it. You can feel the mixed impact of the alcohol and evaporating bubbles in your throat and stomach.

3. Mixed iced black (green) tea

According to the proportion of the above Sprite method, add iced black tea or green tea to brandy to dilute the taste of its strong liquor. This way of drinking is more common in bars. By stirring it thoroughly, you can feel the taste of tea and alcohol perfectly combined, which is closer to the public taste.