Brandy is a warm spirit distilled from wine and is produced in many forms from around the world. The best known are the Cognacs and Armagnacs of France. However, good brandy is also produced by many other countries around the world.

Top-quality brandies are produced in copper pot stills. The tradition of maturing brandy goes back to the 15^th century, when an alchemist allegedly took his precious barrel of aqua vitae and buried it in his yard to protect it against the guards and soldiers. The barrel was found years later but half of the liquor had evaporated leaving a rich smooth nectar.

Brandy is an extremely versatile drink that mixes well with a wide range of other flavours, as the following recipes demonstrates.