Five Kings

Five Kings

This is an Outstanding brandy from Cyprus. Really smooth, probably due to the double distillation process. Worth to taste. In addition the package is also great. I have been able to taste it thanks to my good friend M.

Cardenal Cisneros solera Gran Reserva

Cardenal Cisneros solera Gran Reserva

http://www.romate.com/

Unfortunately, I think that this brandy has been discontinued. it was in the middle between "Monseñor" (very good quality/price ratio) and "Cardenal Mendoza". Thanks to my good friend Martin M. I have been able to taste it. Nevertheless, I think that I prefer (each one in its category, "Monseñor" and "Cardenal Mendoza". Cardenal Cisneros is less complex than the other two. Smoother and less tasty. However, it is a pleasant brandy.

Brandy 1866 gran reserva

Brandy 1866 gran reserva

http://www.larios.com/historia-bodegas.htm

This is a quite famous brany, and I never understood the motivation. It is mediocre and expensive (around 45 eur per bottle). In my opinion those who enjoy this brandy do not like the real brandy.
If you want a good brandy go for "Jerez de la frontera" or Penedès Brandies. My favourite ones: Jaime I (torres), Gran Duque de Alba, Cardenal Mendoza, and many others.

Lepanto PX

Lepanto PX

http://www.gonzalezbyass.com/

This brandy is produced from the distillation of carefully selected wines, this exceptional Solera Gran Reserva Brandy has aged, during the last 3 years from its prolonged ageing process in the traditional system of Criaderas and Solera, in butts with one of Gonzalez Byass best Sherry wines, “NOE”. With an intense amber colour, with bright mahogany shades, the nose feels its raisiny undertones, reminiscent of the butts where it aged. To the palate it is smooth, elegant, slightly sweet and silky. Alcohol content: 36% , price around 30 EUR. In my opinion it is worth to taste it. You will enjoy this brandy, although my favourite one keeps on being Jaime I .

Brandy aging

Brandy is a spirit produced by means of distilling wine, the wine having first been produced by means of fermenting grapes. Brandy contains 40%–60% alcohol by volume and is normally consumed as an after-dinner drink.

Initially wine was distilled as a preservation method and as a way to make the wine easier for merchants to transport. It was also thought that wine was originally distilled to lessen the tax which was assessed by volume. The intent was to add the water removed by distillation back to the brandy shortly before consumption. It was discovered that after having been stored in wooden casks, the resulting product had improved over the original distilled spirit

A solera is a series of barrels or other containers used for aging liquids such as Sherry, Madeira, Marsala, Mavrodafni (a dark-red fortified dessert wine from Greece), Muscat, Muscadelle, Balsamic,Commandaria and Sherry, Vinegars.

Typically, a portion of the wine from the last barrel of the series is removed and bottled. Then the last barrel is filled from the next-to-last barrel, etc., until the first barrel is filled with new wine. The barrels are then left to age until the process is repeated. A solera can easily be the largest capital investment of a family winemaking firm, and the barrels used are usually passed down to one's descendants.

Wine produced from a solera cannot have a vintage date because it is the product of wines from many years. The last barrel in a solera has at least a tiny (albeit usually insignificant) fraction of the first wine ever put in it, which could be hundreds of years old. However, if the movement of wine is slow enough, it is possible to establish a minimum age of the blend. For example, if one has ten barrels, and transfers wine along once a year, the resultant wine has a minimum of ten years, and can be labeled as such, but the average age is actually twenty years.
(adapted from wikipedia)

Another history
Unlike brandies from the Jerez area, Antoni Mascaró, from Penedès (Barcelona) http://www.mascaro.es/ uses the Charentais method instead of the very Spanish Soleras method. Using the double distillation of this method, the producer looks for softness and flavor. You can see an animation here: http://www.copper-alembic.com/products_class_anim.php?cat_id=10&lang=es&flashanim=anima10.swf

Is possible to enhance the brandy if it remains in the bottle for a long period?
Probably the answer of experts is NO. Nevertheless, my experience with a set of Carlos III bottles (look at the photo) stored for about 30 years is YES. Of course you do not get Carlos I, but believe me, the brandy is largerly improved!

Art: Brandy, bottle and design (II)

Although a wide range of outstanding brandies are produced in Jerez, in my opinion, the best brandy is from Penedès, made by Miguel Torres. Its name is Jaime I. In this case, the bottle reminds the shape of a chimney of Casa Milà (La Pedrera). http://www.casamila.com/

Art: Brandy, bottle and design (I)

Without doubt Brandy can be a piece of art. How can you improve a perfect piece of art? Putting it inside another piece of art, a bottle designed by an artist. Today I present “Conde de Osborne” a very good brandy de Jerez, which is contained inside a bottle designed in 1964 by the international genius Salvador Dalí.

The box also contains a paper with drawings of Salvador Dalí.