Brandy

Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine or, in some traditions, fermented fruit mash, generally reaching thirty five to sixty percent alcohol by volume. It is typically aged in wooden casks, which give it much of its color and flavor, and many brandies carry an age statement or grading system indicating how long they matured. The most celebrated brandies, cognac and armagnac, come from designated regions of France with their own strict production rules, though brandy is produced from wine or fruit in winemaking regions worldwide. Fruit brandies made from cherries, pears, plums and other fruit form a large and distinct branch of the category, especially across central and eastern Europe.