I don’t know about you, but my first exposure to brandy was neither glamorous nor enlightening. I tasted it in a version of “crunk juice,” or a terrible concoction of cognac and Red Bull (crunk is short for “crazy drunk,” by the way. Thank goodness those days are behind me). And while you may not have had the pleasure of sipping a $50 cognac mixed with soda pop or an energy drink, maybe you have another misguided perception. Have you ever thought “brandy” and thought, “old guy sitting by the fire with a snifter in hand?”

You’re not alone, but it doesn’t have to be this way! Especially since brandy is a popular holiday spirit – an innately elegant sipper, a delicious component to homemade eggnog or a gift the recipient could savor for months to follow. It’s also the perfect entrée into fine spirits for a wine lover, since brandy is essentially distilled wine and contains plenty of those floral, dried fruit, tobacco, cherry and oak notes you already love in a good merlot or cabernet sauvignon.

First things first. Brandy is a distilled spirit made from fruits. It can be made anywhere wine is produced, or where fruit is grown, which makes it a monster category to conquer. In fact, some types of brandy have become their own, regulated categories, like Calvados, apple brandy from Normandy, France; Pisco from Peru and Chile; Jerez de Brandy from Spain; Grappa from Italy; and cognac and Armagnac, which are French grape brandies. Most of your brandy education and appreciation revolves around learning your way around what these categories actually mean and what characteristics are typical for each type. 

For example, Cognac is like the Cadillac of brandies, mostly because of its romantic history as the drink of the rich and royal going back hundreds of years. All cognacs are brandies, but not all brandies are cognacs. Cognac identifies the origin of the brandy—the tiny idyllic town southwest of Paris defined by its namesake industry. The streets are narrow, the houses are made of ancient stone, there are a few shops and restaurants, and it’s divided by the Charentes River. Bet the same person who once offered you crunk juice didn’t tell you that,  did they?

You might also be surprised at how different brandies can taste, even when all made by the same distillery, or across various brands, even when they are made from the same fruit. I’ve been LOVING all of the opportunities I’ve had to spread this and other gospels about brandy lately. Back in October, I hosted a cognac tasting and seminar for Ladies DC (you have to check out this professional organization whose tagline is “women helping women”). And yesterday, I went on News Channel 8’s Let’s Talk Live DC  to chat about some of different, full bodied and high qualities brandies available now how to pick the right one for every palate and budget.

Here’s what I brought on the show:

Samogon Russian Grappa, $25: This unaged brandy from Russia is great for mixing and most closely resembles grappa, with being made from some pomace (or stems and skins) of grapes indigenous to Eastern Europe called Rkatsiteli, Saperavi and Tavkravi. It’s flavorful and nutty, with a certain smoothness that makes it perfect in a simple sour drink (I made a homemade hard lemonade with it).

Catoctin Creek Peach Brandy, $45:  Hailing from Purcellville, Virginia, Catoctin Creek has makes this beautiful eau-de-vie with locally grown peaches just once a year, after the harvest. Rye and bourbon lovers will adore this one for its oaky and sweet nose. Catoctin Creek also makes a Pearousia pear brandy, in which it partnered with Virginia winemaker Fabbioli Cellars to create. Their 1757 grape brandy, which is perhaps my second favorite after the peach, has a wonderfully cherry nose. Pair this with a warm cherry pie instead of Grand Marnier or another liqueur. 

Catoctin Creek Pearousia Brandy

Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, $45:  The brandy for the true brandy lover, this cognac, which was produced in collaboration with cocktail historian and Esquire  columnist David Wondrich,  is a little bit higher proof than is typical at 90. That means it can easily stand up in a cocktail such as the Sidecar (2 parts cognac, 1 part Cointreau, 1 part lemon juice) without getting lost. You may notice that it says “Grand Champagne” on the label. This indicates that the grapes it was made from were grown in the bullseye of the cognac region called Grande Champagne, which has the finest soil.

Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac

Hine VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac, $55: This one’s for the rum lover, with rich raisin and caramel notes. You’ll see “Fine Champagne” written on the bottle, which means a mix of grapes from both the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne regions of Cognac were used to produce the cognac.

Camus XO Borderies Cognac, $150: A wine connoisseur would appreciate this brandy for its  sweet and delectable dried fruit notes. There is a slight nuttiness and coffee note to it too, a characteristic that the Borderies region of cognac is known for. XO means the cognac must be aged for at least six but an average of 20 years in cask. You’ll get more baking spice notes like cinnamon and cocoa as a general rule in XO cognacs. Camus also makes a delightfully unique cognac called Ile de Re Fine Island cognac, which is ideal for someone who adores pairing booze with oysters and seafood. The cognac is aged near the Atlantic Ocean, which results in a briny, whiskey-like taste that is hard to describe unless you’ve tasted it yourself. Put this cognac in a box with a couple of shiny oyster knives and you’ve got the perfect gift for a foodie.

Camus Borderies XO

Koval Organic Apple Brandy, $35 (for 375 ml): And finally, while there are several styles of apple brandy (like applejack, which is apple brandy blended with grain spirit, or Calvados, which is a lengthily aged French apple brandy), this one from Chicago-based Koval is fresh, clean and easy to drink neat.

Koval Organic Apple Brandy