The region is located in Gascony, in the south-western part of France, the brandy known as Armagnac was first produced in the fifteenth century. As for Cognac, the grape variety used to make Armagnac is trebbiano, known in France as ugni blanc or Sent-Emilion. Other minor grapes used are picpoul, jurancon and plant de grece….
Cognac
As early as the tenth century, English and Norse seamen came to this western region of France for salt. After repeated journeys they began to buy wine. Eventually, the wine was boiled down before the journey to save it from oxidation, economize on space and avoid taxation, which was levied by bulk. When Cognac was…
Brandy
Brandy is a liquor distilled from wine or other fermented juice. The name derives from the Dutch “brandewijn” ( burnt wine), referring to the technique of a heating the wine during distillation. A number of subcategories fall under the broad definition of brandy, including fruit brandy, grappa, marc pomace and eau-de-vie (French for ‘ water…
Tequila and Mescal
Tequila is the distilled version of a drink originally made by the Aztecs in Mexico called pulque, which was made whit the fermented sap of the maguey plant. Spanish conquistadors didn’t much like pulque, so they introduced the Aztecs to the art of distilling. The first spirit to be produced from the maguey plant was…
Rum
Historically , rum is the first spirit of the New World, initially produced in Brazil, Barbados and Jamaica in the wake of Columbus’s introduction of sugarcane to the West Indies in 1493. By the mid-eighteen century, rum was being produced all over the Caribbean, in South America and New England, where it was the favourite…