It’s One of the Oldest Spirits in the World
That’s right, brandy is one of the worlds oldest of spirits, the process required to make it has been known to us since classical times. Significant beverage production of this classic drink first took place in the 15th century. Remy Martin is a brand of Cognac that has been around for close to three centuries, it was given seal of the French Royalty known as the royal accord in the year 1728. Just to put this into perspective, this brand alone not only has a stamp of royalty that doesn’t even exist anymore but it even predates USA as an established country. So yeah, brandy is old!
Napoleon Loved it
It’s true, brandy was a favourite of the little conqueror himself (who in truth was actually average height for the time). Supposedly Courvoisier, a well-known cognac, was a preferred choice and if the stories are to be believed he tried to get rations of the stuff for the artillery of his armies. He also supposedly brought barrels with him to St. Helena to accompany him on his well-known exile during his later life. It is however an historic fact that he appointed Courvoisier as the official supplier to the Imperial Court and it is because of this that the brand uses his name for some of their drinks today.
They Used Those Big Glasses for a Reason
You may have noticed that brandy is often drunk from a weirdly big glass, especially considering how much is poured into it, well there is actually a reason for that my inquisitive friend. This great wide glass comes from a time when indoor heating was merely the stuff of dreams, the bulb glass was designed to naturally heat the liquid by using the heat generated by your own hand as you grip it. You’ll find that using this glass will make sure your brandy will always keep you nice and toasty, even on the coldest of nights.
It Doesn’t Age
You probably know that brandy is made from wine but unlike its unburnt counterpart brandy won’t get better with age like it. That’s not to say that you can’t keep it for a long time, as long as it’s kept in a cool and dry place, you’ll be able to enjoy it whenever. The difference here is that as soon as brandy is made and bottled it keeps that same great taste until the day you open it, so there’s no need to wait around for it.
The Best of it is a bit Funky
Every drink has its snobs and when it comes to brandy snobs, they will all agree that the drink is at its best when it’s a little bit funky, though they’ll more likely use the term “rancio”. It’s a word that comes from the Spanish language and means something that has a sort of earthy, umami and funky quality that the finest of this beverage’s examples achieve.