Brandy

This photo is one I took in one of the cellars during a visit to Hennessy: the largest, though not quite the oldest (they've only been around since 1765) Cognac distiller:
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After distillation and ageing, Hennessy store some of the completed eaux-de-vie in bonbons which they then use to create special (and generally very expensive) blends. Its not very well in focus because I was on maximum zoom, but you can just about make out that the one in the middle is one of their oldest and dates back to 1812.

The reason I had to use the zoom is because these eaux-de-via are so rare and valuable that they're kept behind a locked gate within the cellar:

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I agree, Mrs D - cognac/armagnac/brandy are traditionally served after a meal, not before. And Grand Marnier is a (cognac) liqueur, as Southern Comfort is a whiskey liqueur and Drambuie is a whisky liqueur.
Personally, I wouldn´t drink brandy before a meal, but each to their own.
I have to admit that my favourite is Armagnac, although it´s been a while since I bought any.
 
You cannot trust what you read on the web and I stand corrected on one point. Eau-de-vie brandies, cognacs and armagnacs are specifically, fruit brandies or brandies distilled from fruits. I had initially been impressed that brandies were distilled solely from wines (grapes).

With regard to Grand Marnier being a cognac or a liqueur, Grand Marnier refers to their products as cognacs and as liqueurs and their products are in fact all blends of both, most being a greater percentage cognac. But their cheapest, the one you see in supermarkets is 51% cognac and 49% liqueur.

Grand Marnier's website shows as Our Collection of Cognacs.
 
Grand Marnier actually refer to their products as a blend of Cognac and orange liqueur:
Grand Marnier is an exceptional blend of fine cognac and exotic bitter orange liqueur, created by Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle.
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Despite the page header on that particular page you linked to (which incidentally also has a rogue apostrophe....so isn't any more grammatically correct than it is factually) they do not claim that their products are Cognac. Probably because they know very well that by law they cannot. Cognac is protected by law and Grand Marnier does not meet the definition.

Grand Marnier is actually correctly classified as a Curaçao/triple sec hybrid and is a blend of Cognac, distilled bitter orange, and sugar (standard triple secs tend not to be as sweet as Curaçaos). The actual ingredients of the basic Grand Marnier as listed on the label are (in order of proportion): Cognac, Water, Sugar, Alcohol, Natural Bitter Orange Flavouring, Colouring: E150a
 
karadekoolaid said:
I have to admit that my favourite is Armagnac, although it´s been a while since I bought any.
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We haven't really visited the Armagnac area but this discussion has prompted me to take a closer look and see if I can find some nice places to explore. Its not far from Cognac so it'd be pretty easy to combine it with our annual visit to Cognac.

A few years ago we discovered a small Cognac distillery on the banks of the Charente...and we've been back there every year since. Its one of our favourite places to stay...despite me not liking Cognac (the drink that is, the town is rather nice!). Its a good job their Pineau makes up for it :okay:
 
This is starting to sound like one of my (mostly ignored) rants about Port Wine vs Porto. :laugh:

CD
 
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