Brandy

Brandy is a type of alcoholic beverage. It has about 36%-60% alcohol (60-120 proof). It is from a distillation of fermented fruit juices or fruit mash. The color is amber/brown. It has a sweet flavor. It is normally an after dinner drink.

 Labelling of grades 
Brandy has a traditional age grading system, although its use is unregulated outside of Cognac and Armagnac. These indicators can usually be found on the label near the brand name:

 V.S. ("very special") or ✯✯✯ (three stars) designates a blend in which the youngest brandy has been stored for at least two years in a cask.
 V.S.O.P. ("very superior old pale"), Reserve or ✯✯✯✯✯ (five stars) designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is stored for at least four years in a cask.
 XO ("extra old") or Napoléon designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is stored for at least six years.
 Hors d'âge ("beyond age") is a designation which is formally equal to XO for Cognac, but for Armagnac designates brandy that is at least ten years old. In practice the term is used by producers to market a high-quality product beyond the official age scale.

 References 

 Related pages
Regency (brandy)

Category:Alcoholic spirits