BY KELLY MAGYARICS
( Above ) Maison Ferrand recently introduced Ferrand Cognac The Collection , a boxed set containing four 100-ml . bottles : 1840 Original Formula , Ambré , 10 Générations and Double Cask Réserve .
Unexpected aging regimens and modern cocktails breathe new life into the spirit category
Say what you will about brandy : no other spirits category spans a wider range of styles . From vegetal unaged pisco , to crisp Calvados , to rich , luscious , baking spice-tinged XO Cognac , brandy is brimming with a dizzying array of hues , aromas and flavors , making it particularly exciting poured into the snifter or shaker .
Somehow , though , brandy is frequently pigeonholed as solely an after-dinner , fireside quaffer . It can be that , and enjoyably so . But it can also be so much more .
COGNAC WIDENS ITS APPEAL “ Brandy is the category that gets the least amount of attention , but that is changing ,” says Adam Robinson , owner and bartender of Deadshot , a 52-seat modern cocktail bar in Portland , OR . “ But given its wide reach , there is tons of room for growth , and I would expect to see more of these products on cocktail menus and store shelves .” He ’ s a big fan of Cognac that sees some time in wine barrels before being bottled , like 10 Generations from Pierre Ferrand , finished in Sauternes casks . Maison Ferrand recently introduced Ferrand Cognac The Collection , a boxed set containing four 100-ml . bottles : 1840 Original Formula , Ambré , 10 Générations and Double Cask Réserve . The set was inspired by private showings for customers held by owner and master blender Alexandre Gabriel at the company ’ s distilleries and cellars .
“ Cognac houses are playing with wood influence in new ways that allow for some creative expressions ,” says H . Joseph Ehrmann , proprietor of Elixir , a 93-seat pioneering cocktail bar in San Francisco that ’ s also the city ’ s second-oldest continually operating saloon . “ They are producing interesting and compelling flavor profiles , especially some spice and darker notes that work well in cooler weather .”
Ehrmann cites the microbarique approach in Bourgoin Cognac ’ s 1998 bottling and doubling the less in the Double-lie M2010 as “ innovative approaches that breathe fresh air into such an old , established category .” Brandy that ’ s finished in port or sherry casks show fruity and nutty notes that work well in fall and winter . For instance , the Camus Cognac Port Cask Finish spends time in tawny port casks , and Courvoisier Cognac Sherry Cask Finish has unctuous honey and dried fruit on the palate .
Indeed , interesting wood aging regimens for brandy have the potential to woo an entirely different camp of brown spirits fans . “ There are many whiskey fans turning their attention , palates and budgets to Cognac and Armagnac ,” says Ms . Franky Marshall , a New Yorkbased modern bartender , educator and consultant . “ These ‘ malternatives ’ appeal to everyone from bottle hunters who appreciate the gentler prices , to bartenders looking to offer their guests more options .”
American oak finishes for brandy and Cognac show off the caramel and vanilla characteristics that whiskey drinkers crave , agrees Ehrmann , leading them to become more curious about switching from grain to grape . Expressions such as Bache Gabrielsen American Oak Aged Cognac , matured in new Tennessee oak barrels for a minimum of six months , and Martell Blue Swift , finished in Kentucky bourbon barrels , are a seamless segue into the category . “ Armagnac is big recently
Winter 2022 • Beverage Wholesaler 11