Whether you add it to sangria or sip it on its own, the best brandy always delivers a smooth and sweet character. However, you might be wondering ‘what exactly is brandy?’
It is a liquor or liqueur that is distilled from fermented fruit mashed and most brandy liquors are made from grapes. Yet, there are also many made from a variety of fruits such as cherry, apple, pear, and others — many of which come from different regions worldwide.
Therefore, different brandies have different flavors based on the use of fruit and the type of brandy. Here at The Tasty Barrel, we will cover some of the best brandy that you need to taste at least once in your life.
Six Best Brandies You Need To Taste
6. Paul Masson VSOP
ABV: Varies, but mostly 40%
Region: California, USA
Distillery: Sazerac Company
Avg. Price: $12.49
America's Paul Masson is the best brandy you have ever tried. It captures all of the wonderful qualities a brandy can offer and adds the distinctive notes of American oak. The Paul Masson team has made the brand affordable and luxurious at the same time. You should try Paul Masson Brandy Grande Amber VSOP. It also offers a solid array of flavored brandies, such as apple, mango, peach, and others.
Tasting Notes & Features:
Features notes of vanilla and caramel, that has been aged for four years
A rich amber glow and slightly sweet taste profile
A perfect addition to cocktail recipes
Oak-aging and only the finest grapes
Crafted with over 100 years of knowledge
5. St. Remy VSOP Brandy
ABV: 40%
Region: France
Distillery: Rémy Martin
Avg. Price: $13.49
St. Remy is a lovable French brandy that is readily available, good, and affordable. It is a fresh, fruity, and lightly spicy spirit. The palate is very light and fruity, with some underlaid tannin from the oak, light spices, and dried fruit emerging on the finish. St Remy VSOP Brandy is very clean, it's nice, though not overly complex.
Food Pairing:
The lack of acidity and the strength of the brandy make it possible to combine it well with rich desserts and strong cheese.
Tasting Notes & Features:
Tasting Notes: St-Rémy VSOP conveys the taste of small, freshly-picked red berries while bringing out the sweet vanilla flavor of oak.
Serving options: It works well in mixed drinks with cola, ginger beer, ginger ale, or cloudy apple juice flavors.
Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans. Gluten-Free.
4. Chatelle Napoleon VSOP
ABV: 37%
Region: France
Distillery: Gross Distilleries GC LTD
Avg. Price: $42.99
Are you looking for a delicious mid-range brandy of the traditional variety? Well, the Chatelle Napoleon VSOP is the best option for you. It has been a delightful brandy to plenty of palates since 1828. Chatelle Napoleon VSOP has a rich nose of honey, oak, and nuts giving it a full-bodied taste with a smooth finish, making it a perfect choice.
Food Pairing:
The ideal brandy for grilled meat, but also goes well with pasta, mild to spicy dishes, and semi-hard cheeses such as Gouda, Edam, or Gruyère.
Tasting Notes & Features:
This distillery team chose to blend this spirit carefully, allowing the Chatelle Napoleon to mature in small oak barrels under their supervision along with a master blender.
This smooth premium brandy offers a generous blend of fruits, spices, and oak.
3. Nonino Vigneti Moscato Grappa
ABV: 41%
Region: Italy
Distillery: Nonino
Avg. Price: $74.99
Nonino Vigneti Moscato Grappa is from the extensive Nonimo grappa family, this creation is made only from Moscato grapes in a discontinuous process using copper steam stills, making it an upscale grappa with bright florals and aromatic notes, which gives off a soft notice of vanilla.
Food Pairing:
Nonino Vigneti MoscatoGrappa pairings are after-dinner treats like fruit platters and desserts.
Tasting Notes & Features:
Taste: elegant, creamy, aromatic, soft, and sensual with hints of roses, sage, and vanilla
Handcrafted distillation in discontinuous steam copper alembic according to the ancient recipe of the Nonino family
Serve it at about 12c in an open tulip-shaped glass. Let the grappa rest for a minute in the glass so it can oxygenate, have an aromatic enhancement, and the nose along with the palate can complete the harmony.
2. Laird and Company: 12 Year Old Rare Apple Brandy
ABV: 44%
Region: United States
Distillery: Laird & Co. Distillers - Scobeyville New Jersey
Avg. Price: $58.99
Aged apple brandy or apple brandy is a rarity. And Laird's is one of the few American brands to make it. It is intensely woody on the nose; you might think it's a whiskey. However, the 12 years aged apple brandy is really a smooth sipper. Laird and Company: 12-Year-Old Rare Apple Brandy is like a mixture of apple batter and woody cedar — and it flows in a wave of roasted acidity.
Food Pairing:
A great choice to pair it with salads and seafood dishes.
Tasting Notes & Features:
Extremely pure spirit beverage.
Blend of 35% apple brandy and 65% neutral spirits that possess a hint of apple flavor and aroma.
This apple base brandy allows your palate to experience a uniquely smooth, deep, and rich flavor to enjoy.
1. St Agnes: ST AGNES VSOP
ABV: 37%
Region: Renmark, South Australia
Distillery: St Agnes Distillery
Avg. Price: $45.00
St Agnes VSOP Brandy is our number #1 pick for a reason. It is rich and full of flavor which makes it a great sipper — and the price won’t break the bank. The St. Agnes Vsop is worth it! It has a deep amber color; the bouquet shows more oaky vanilla than a regal aroma and is rich but less fragrant, while the palate is heavier, with a slight taste of alcohol.
Food Pairing:
It is paired well with rich desserts, such as ice cream, cheese, duck, glazed pork, mushrooms, sushi, and chocolate mousse.
Tasting Notes & Features:
It's a skillfully balanced blend that clearly shows the complexities effects achieved with extra barrel aging.
It is a richly colored, full-bodied brandy.
Conclusion
Brandy is a versatile liqueur that you can use in many cocktails, or you can enjoy it neat. It gives mixed drinks a warm and complex taste that makes them really irresistible. I hope you like this article and recommend you to taste these brandies.
Please, tell us below if any of the above brandies are your favorite. Also, what brandy do you like to mix in cocktails? What brandy do you like to sip on the rocks? What’s the best brandy under $100?
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