Brandy refers to a wide range of spirits, made mostly from wine grapes but sometimes also from other fruits (e.g., apricot brandy).

The name brandy is a shortened form of brandywine, which an anglicized form of Dutch brandewijn, which means "burnt wine.” And, that’s precisely what brandy is - burnt wine. Well… sort of.

To make brandy, wine is heated in a still until it separates into its components using the distillation process. So, put simply, brandy is really distilled wine.

Like wine and whisky, brandy is often aged in wooden barrels, which increases flavor, complexity and color intensity.

The length of aging and the type of barrel used are both important elements in determining the final quality of the brandy.

Brandy, like some wines, gets even better with age. The designation of the style depends on how long the brandy has been aged.

There are various styles of brandy and they all depend on the aging process:

• Trois étoiles, Trois pommes, Very Special (VS): Aged at least 2 years

• Vieux or Reserve: Aged for minimum 3 years

• V.O., Vieille Reserve, and Very Special Old Pale (VSOP): Aged 4+ years

• Napoléon, Très Vieille Réserve, Très Vieux, and Extra Old (XO): Aged at least 6 years

• Hors d’âge: Aged at least 30 years