Brandy
Is a distilled spirit, made from fermented fruit. The simple term Brandy, when used by itself, always refers to a spirit that has been distilled from grape wine.

Cognac is a special designation for fine brandy, and can only be produced in the Cognac region of France. Brandy on the other hand can be made anywhere. Thus all Cognac is brandy, but all brandy is not Cognac.

The Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac (BNIC) is responsible for ensuring that all Cognac sold follow strict rules regarding their production and manufacture.

Cognac will often be labeled with special designations to indicate its age, which usually also has some corellation to its quality.

VS (Very Special): A blend of brandies that have aged a minimum of two and a half years. Sometimes it is also refered to as "* * *" (three stars)

VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale): A blend of brandies that have aged a minimum of four and a half years. It

XO (Extra Old): sometimes also called Hors d'âge, refers to a blending older then 6 and a half years, but it is usually considerably older. Some cognacs may use other terms such as Extra, Napoleon, Vielle Reserve, or Vieux to mean the same thing.

Armagnac is made in much the same way as Cognac, the main difference between the two is that Armagnac is produced in the Department of Gers, southeast of Bordeaux. There are differences in taste and character between these two fine brandies. It has a drier, harder taste than cognac - and for this reason is preffered by some connoisseurs

American brandy, virtually all of which is distilled in California, has its own taste characteristics. Unlike European brandies, California brandies are usually produced by individual firms that grow the grapes, distill, age, blend, bottle, and market the brandies under there own brand names. They are typically light and smooth.

Marc (pronounced "Mar") Known in Italy as Grappa. Made from a distalate of the pulpy mass left in the wine press after the juice of the grapes has been extracted

Calvados Brandy made from distilate of apple cider, or the pulps of special apples that grow in the Department of Calvados, Normandy France. Applejack is an American variation, but unlike Calvados which is aged in wood for ten years befor bottling, applejack is usually aged only two to five years.

Spanish Brandy A distilate based on sherry, it is heavier and sweeter then either cognac or armagnac

Pisco Brandy A grape brandy produced in the Inca Valley, nnear Pisco, Peru. It is usually aged in porous clay jars.

Metaxa A sweet, heavy, dark, Greek grape branndy, slightly resin flavoured

Ouzo A grape brandy flavored with anise. It is the most popular apertif of Greece, and it is ussually served with ice and water in a highball glass

Raki A Turkish and Syrian brandy, usually distilled from a mash of mixed wines, figs, and dates.

Kirsch A cherry brandy. When made from the Marasca cherries of Dalmatia, it is called "Marascino". Black forest Kirsch is known as Schwartzwalder.