Does my answer satisfy you? Or the Chinese poem goes: "If you are proud of life, you must have all the joy, and don't let the golden bottle stand empty against the moon."

In restaurants, bars and sales departments, It is usually customary to divide spirits into six categories: Gin, Whiskey, Brandy, Vodka, Rum and Tequila.

1. Gin

Gin has many names: it is called gin in Hong Kong and Guangdong; it is called gin in Taipei because it contains special juniper berries. Taste, so it is also called gin.

It is said that gin was born in the mid-17th century and was pioneered by Sylvius, a professor of medicine at Leiden University in the Netherlands. It was initially used as a diuretic and heat-clearing agent. Soon people discovered that this diuretic has a harmonious aroma, harmonious taste, mellow and elegant, clean body, and a clean and refreshing natural style. It was soon consumed as a formal alcoholic beverage. Gin's pleasant aroma comes mainly from juniper berries, which have diuretic properties. There are many ways to add juniper berries, usually by wrapping them in gauze and hanging them at the outlet of the still. When the wine is steamed, its flavor will be stranded in the wine, or the juniper berries can be soaked in absolutely neutral alcohol, and then refluxed and steamed again after a week to steam the juniper berries in the wine. Sometimes juniper berries can be crushed into small flakes and added to the brewing raw materials for saccharification, fermentation, and distillation to obtain their flavor. Some countries and wineries use other spices to brew gin, such as coriander seeds, bean curd, licorice, orange peel, etc. The exact formula is always kept secret by the manufacturer.

There are many names for gin in the world. The Dutch call it Gellever, the British call it Hollamds or Genova, the Germans call it Wacholder, the French call it Genevieve, and the Belgians call it Jenevers...

Gin does not need to be aged, but some manufacturers will The original wine is aged in oak barrels, giving the wine a slightly golden color. The alcohol content of gin is generally between 35 and 55 degrees. The higher the alcohol content, the better the quality. The more famous ones include Dutch gin, English gin and American gin.

(1) Dutch gin

Dutch gin is produced in the Netherlands. The main production areas are concentrated in the Schiedam area. It is the national drink of the Dutch.

Dutch gin is made from barley malt and rye as the main raw materials, with juniper enzyme as the flavoring material. It is fermented and distilled three times to obtain the original grain wine, and then the juniper berry spice is added and distilled again. Finally, the distilled wine is stored in a glass tank until it matures, and then diluted and bottled during packaging. Dutch-style gin is transparent and clear in color, with outstanding wine aroma, strong spice flavor, spicy and sweet, and unique style. It is very refreshing whether drunk neat or with ice, and the alcohol content is about 52 degrees. Due to the heavy aroma, Dutch gin is only suitable for pure drinking and should not be used as the base wine for mixed wines, otherwise it will destroy the balanced aroma of the ingredients.

Dutch gin should not be stored for too long before bottling to avoid oxidation of the juniper berries and making the taste bitter. After bottling, it can be stored for a long time without losing quality. Dutch gin is often sold in long ceramic bottles. New wine is called Jonge, old wine is called Oulde, and old wine is called Zeet oulde. The more famous liquor licenses are: Henkes, Bols, Bokma, and Bonsma. (Bomsma), Hasekamp.

There are also many ways to drink Dutch gin. It is popular in the East Indies to wash the cup with bitters before drinking, and then pour Dutch gin into it. Drink it quickly in large gulps, which is refreshing and appetizing. The effect is even more beautiful if you drink a glass of ice water after drinking it. Dutch gin with ice cubes and a slice of lemon is the best substitute for the world-famous Dry Martini.

(2) British Gin

About the 17th century, when William III ruled Britain, he launched a large-scale religious war. The soldiers who participated in the war made gin from Continental Europe brought back to Britain.

From 1702 to 1704, Queen Anne, who was in power, imposed heavy taxes on wine and brandy imported from France, while lowering taxes on domestic distilled spirits. Gin thus became a cheap distilled liquor for common people in England. In addition, the raw materials of gin are cheap, the production cycle is short, and there is no need for long-term aging and storage. Therefore, the economic benefits are very high, and it soon became popular in the UK. At that time, a small inn had a very interesting sign, which shows how cheap gin was at that time:

All kinds of foreign wines

Drunk for a penny. Full;

Dead drunk for two penay.

Clean straw for nothing. Poor boy comes to drink, not for a penny.

The production process of English-style gin is simpler than that of Dutch-style gin. It uses an edible wine tank, juniper berries and other spices to be distilled together to obtain dry gin. Dry gin is colorless and transparent, has a unique and fragrant smell, and has a mellow and refreshing taste. It can be drunk alone, mixed with other wines or used as the base of cocktails, so it is deeply loved by the world. British gin, also known as London dry gin, is a light-bodied gin, which means it is not sweet, does not have the original taste, and has a lighter taste compared to other wines.

The trademarks of British dry gin are: Dry Gin, Extra Dry Gin, Very Dry Gin, London Dry Gin and English Dry Gin. These are the marks given by the British House of Lords to a certain status of gin. Famous liquor licenses include: Beefeater, Gordon's, Gilbey's, Schenley, Tangueray, Queen Elizabeth, Old Lady ( Old Lady's, Old Tom, House of Lords, Greenall's, Boodles, Booth's, Burnett's, Primo Plymouth, Walker's, Wiser's, seagram's, etc.

London Dry Gin can also be drank neat chilled. There are many ways to chill, such as placing the wine bottle in the refrigerator or ice bucket, or adding ice cubes to the poured wine, but most guests like to use it for mixed drinks (that is, as the base wine for mixed drinks).

(3) American Gin

American gin is light golden yellow because compared with other gins, it needs to be aged in oak barrels for a period of time . American gin mainly includes two categories: distilled gin (Distiled gin) and mixed gin (Mixed gin). Typically, American distilled gins have a "D" on the bottom of the bottle, which is a special symbol of American distilled gin. Mixed gin is a simple mixture of edible alcohol and juniper berries. It is rarely used for single drinks and is mostly used for cocktails.

(4) Gin from other countries

In addition to the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the main producing areas of gin include Germany, France, Belgium and other countries. The more common and famous gins are: schinkenhager, Bruggman, Schlichte, Filliers, Doxantkat Doornkaat, Fryns, Claessens, Herte, Loos, Kampe, Laverska De France (Lafoscade), Vandamme. Belgium (Vanpamme), Brinevec, Yugoslavia.

There is a type of gin called Sloe gin among dry gins, but it cannot be called gin because the raw material it uses is a wild plum called blackthorn. Sloe gin can be customarily called "gin", but with the addition of "sloe", it is called "sloe gin".

(5) Classification of gin

Gin can be divided into spicy gin (dry gin) and Old Tom gin (sweetened gin) according to taste style. Four types: Dutch gin and fruity gin (aromatic gin). Spicy gin is lighter in texture, cool and refreshing, with a slight spiciness, and the alcohol content is about 80-94 proof. Old Tom gin is made by adding 2% sugar to spicy gin to give it a pleasant taste. People's sweet and spicy taste; Dutch gin not only has a strong smell of juniper, but also has the aroma of malt, and the alcohol content is usually between 100 and 110 proof; fruity gin is dry gin with ripe fruits added and spices, such as citrus gin, lemon gin, ginger gin, etc.

2. Whiskey

The word "whiskey" is the language of the Celts (Ce1t) who lived in the highlands of Ireland and Scotland in ancient times. The ancient Irish called this wine Visge a Beatha, the ancient Scots called Visage baugh. After the changes of the times, it gradually evolved into the word Whiskey today. Different countries also write whiskey differently. In Ireland and the United States, it is written as Whiskey, while in Scotland and Canada, it is written as Whiskey. The difference in pronunciation lies in the length of the final sound. The word "whiskey" means "water of life", and most people like to drink whiskey neat.

Whiskey is made by soaking high-quality barley in water to germinate, drying it with charcoal smoke, and fermenting, distilling, and aging it. The storage process lasts for at least 3 years, and may take up to 15 years or more. Wine-making experts believe that inferior wine will not become better no matter how long it is aged. Therefore, the original whiskey that has been distilled and filtered through secondary distillation must be certified by the winemaker before it can be put into the wine tank and poured into carbon black oak barrels for storage. Brewing. Due to the composition of the oak itself and the air entering the barrel through the oak barrel, it will interact with the whiskey, clarifying the impurities in the wine, making the taste more mellow, producing a unique wine aroma, and making the wine stained with caramel. Like color. All whiskeys share the same characteristic: a slightly subtle tobacco flavor. When most whiskey is distilled, the alcohol purity is as high as 140~180proof. When bottled, it is diluted to 80~86proof. At this time, the aging effect of the wine will naturally disappear, and the quality of the wine will not change due to the length of time.

For hundreds of years, whiskey was mostly brewed from malt. It was not until 1831 that whiskey made from corn, oats and other grains was born. By 1860, there was a new turning point in whiskey brewing. People learned to use the doping method to brew whiskey. Therefore, whiskey can be divided into malt whiskey, grain whiskey, five-grain whiskey, and barley whiskey due to different raw materials and brewing methods. There are five categories of malt whiskey and blended whiskey. The emergence of the doping method of making whiskey has made the whiskey family around the world even stronger. Many countries and regions have distilleries that produce whiskey. The whiskeys produced are complete and diverse. The most famous and representative whiskeys are There are four categories: Scotch whiskey, Irish whiskey, American whiskey and Canadian whiskey.

Various foreign wines

(1) Scotch Whiskey

There are four whiskey-producing regions in Scotland, namely the Highlands. , Low land, Campbel town and Islay, each of the products produced in these four regions has its own unique style.

The preparation of Scotch whiskey requires six processes, namely: soaking the barley in water and sprouting → drying and stirring the malt → adding water to the tank to saccharify → adding yeast to the barrel to ferment → distilling twice → aging and mixing. The blended Scotch whiskey is made from malt whiskey that provides its flavor characteristics.

Grain whiskey has a lighter flavor and a shorter brewing time. It accounts for 60 to 70% of the entire Scotch whiskey when blended. The blended whiskey has a rough taste and still needs to be poured into oak barrels for storage and aging. During the brewing process of Scotch whiskey, the water-soaked malt needs to be dried on peat, so the finished wine has a smoky flavor. During the storage process, the coarse flavor in the wine is gradually absorbed by the oak barrels, and the color of the barrels slowly penetrates into the wine, so the color of the finished wine is light amber. Scotch whiskey must be aged for more than 5 years before it can be drunk. Ordinary finished wine needs to be stored for 7 to 8 years. Mellow whiskey needs to be stored for more than 10 years. Whiskey that has been stored for 15 to 20 years is usually the best quality. At this time, the color of the wine, The scents are all excellent. The quality of whiskey stored for more than 20 years will gradually deteriorate, but after bottling, the quality of the wine will remain unchanged forever. Scotch whiskey has a unique style. It is brownish-yellow with reddish color, clear and transparent, smells burnt and slightly smoky. The taste is dry, mellow, strong, round and soft, and the alcohol content is generally between 40 and 10%. between 43 degrees. An important criterion for measuring Scotch whiskey is the sense of smell, that is, the aroma of the wine. Scotch whiskey is one of the best whiskeys in the world.

Scotch whiskey is divided into two categories: straight whiskey and blended whiskey. The so-called straight whiskey is made from one kind of raw material, usually refers to Straight malt whiskey, while blended whiskey usually refers to Grain whiskey and Blended scotch whiskey. .

1. StraigIlt malt whiskey StraigIlt malt whiskey is made from barley malt roasted on open peat. After fermentation, it is distilled in a pot still and then put into special wooden barrels (made by the American Made of a kind of white oak, the inner wall needs to be roasted by fire before it can be used). It is aged in medium and diluted before bottling. The alcohol content is above 40 degrees. Most people think that the peat flavor of this single malt whiskey is too strong to be accepted, while the original malt flavor of blended whiskey has been diluted, making it more olfactory. So when it comes to whiskey, most of it refers to blended whiskey. The more famous single malt whiskey brands include: Glenfiddich, Tomatin, and CarI Hu. Glen Livet, Britain Nia, Macallan. High Land Park, Argrli, Spring Bank.

2． Grain whiskey Grain whiskey is based on cereals such as oats, wheat, rye, and corn. Barley only accounts for 20%, and is mainly used to make malt and as a saccharifying agent. The taste of grain whiskey is very bland, almost the same as edible alcohol. It is a light spirit and is mostly used to blend with other whiskeys. Grain whiskey is rarely retailed.

3. Blended scoth whiskey is a blended whiskey made from pure malt whiskey, grain whiskey or edible alcohol. If edible alcohol is added during blending, it will usually be indicated on the trademark. Blending whiskey is a highly technical job, usually mastered by excellent blenders. When blending, not only the blending proportions of pure and grain liquors must be taken into consideration, but also the age, origin, taste and other characteristics of various blended liquors. The blending of whiskey is different from Cognac (famous cognac and brandy). When blending, you don't need to taste it with your mouth, but use your sense of smell to blend. When you encounter difficulty in distinguishing the smell, take a little liquid and apply it on the back of your hand to make it smoother. After the fragrance evaporates, smell it carefully to identify it. The famous manufacturer relies on the experience and technology of its outstanding brewers and its unique and confidential blending formula to create a new taste that is more enjoyable than the original individual raw materials.

According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 2,000 ways to blend Scotch whiskey, but only about 100 kinds of Scotch whiskey can reach an excellent level after blending. Therefore, they are very popular and their sales volume is much greater than that of other blended whiskeys. The most famous and most produced brands in the UK, "Red Label" and "Black Label", are made by blending 40 different original wine samples. After blending, mixing and storage for several years, the smoky flavor of the whiskey is diluted. , the aroma is more attractive and the most sold in the world, this is the essence of Scotch whiskey.

Blending whiskey is usually divided into ordinary and high-end whiskeys. Generally speaking, those with a pure malt whiskey content between 50 and 80% are high-grade blended whiskeys. If grain whiskey accounts for a greater proportion than single malt whiskey, it is ordinary whiskey. High-end whiskey needs to be stored in oak barrels for more than 12 years after blending, while ordinary whiskey can be sold after being stored for about 8 years.

Common standard whiskey brands include: Ballantine's Finst, Be11's, Johnnie Walker Red Lable, White Horse, Long John, Teacher's, J and B, Cutty Sart, Vat69.

Famous premium whiskeys include: Bal lantine's Gold sed, Ballantine's 3O Years Old, Haig Dimple, Glen (Grant's), Logan's, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Something Special, Strat bconon, Ballantine's 17 Years Old, Old Parr, Chivas Regal, Chivas Regal Royal Salute, etc.

When drinking Scotch whiskey, use a classic cup. This wide but not deep tumbler is more conducive to the expression of Scotch whiskey style. Scotch whiskey is consumed before or after a meal, with a standard serving of 40ml. It can be drunk neat, with ice, water or used to make cocktails.

(2) Irish whiskey

Irish whiskey is said to have a history of at least more than 700 years. Some experts and authorities believe that distillation technology originated in Ireland. Then it spread to Scotland.

Irish whiskey is made of 80% barley as the main raw material, mixed with wheat, rye, oats, corn, etc. as ingredients. The production process is roughly the same as that of Scotch whiskey, but it is not as complicated as Scotch whiskey. of blending. In addition, Irish whiskey does not have that smoky taste because when smoking the malt, it is not peat but anthracite. The aging time of Irish whiskey is generally 8 to 15 years, and the maturity is also high, so The taste is softer, longer and slightly sweet. Distilled liquor is generally as high as 86 degrees, diluted with distilled water and aged. The alcohol content is 40 degrees when bottled and sold. Famous brands include: John Power and sons, Old Bush Mills, John. Jameson and Son, Paddy, Tullamore Dew, etc.

Irish whiskey has a mellow and moderate taste, so it is rarely used for drinking neat and is generally used as the base liquor for cocktails.

The more famous Irish Coffee is a hot drink based on Irish whiskey. The preparation method is: first warm the cup with an alcohol stove, pour a small amount of Irish whiskey, ignite the wine with a fire, turn the cup to make the liquid evenly coated on the cup wall, add sugar, hot coffee and stir evenly, and finally top the coffee. Add fresh cream and drink with a glass of ice water.

(3) American whiskey

American whiskey and Scotch whiskey are roughly similar in production methods, but the grains used are different, and the purity of the distilled alcohol is also higher than that of Scotch whiskey. Low.

1． Straight whiskey refers to neutral alcohol made without mixing other whiskeys or grains. It is made from corn, rye, barley or wheat and is stored in carbonized oak barrels for at least two years. This wine is subdivided into four types:

(1) Bourbon Whiskey. Bourbon is the name of a place in Kentucky, USA, so bourbon whiskey, also known as Kentucky Stright Bourbon Whiskey, is fermented and distilled with 51 to 75% of corn grains, and is roasted on the new inner wall. Aged in oak barrels for 4 to 8 years, the liquor is amber in color, with a rich original aroma, a mellow and soft taste, and a long aftertaste. The alcohol content is 43.5 degrees. Bourbon whiskey does not mean that it must be produced in Bourbon County, Kentucky. According to U.S. liquor laws, products that meet the following three conditions can use this name: first, corn accounts for at least 51% of the brewing raw materials; second, the degree of distilled liquor should be in the range of 40 to 80 degrees. within; third, it is stored in new charred oak barrels with an alcohol content of 40 to 62.5 degrees, and the storage period is more than 2 years. Therefore, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Missouri also produce bourbon whiskey, but only the whiskey produced in Kentucky can be called Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey.

(2) Rye Whiskey (Rey Whiskey) is made of more than 51% rye and other grains. It is amber in color and tastes slightly different from bourbon.

(3) Corn Whiskey (Corn Whiskey) is made of more than 80% corn and other grains, and is aged in old charcoal oak barrels.

(4) Bottled in Bond is a pure whiskey, usually bourbon or rye whiskey, made under the supervision of the U.S. government. The government does not guarantee its quality, it only requires that it be aged for at least four years, that the alcohol purity is 100% at the time of bottling, that it must be made by a winery, and that the bottling is also supervised by the government.

2. Blended whiskey is a blend of more than one single whiskey and 20% neutral grain alcohol. The alcohol content is 40% when bottled, and is often used as the base liquor for mixed drinks. There are three types:

(1) Kentucky whiskey is made from pure whiskey and neutral grains produced in the state. Mixed with alcohol.

(2) Pure blended whiskey is a mixture of two or more pure whiskeys, but does not add neutral grain alcohol.

(3) American blended light whiskey is a new type of liquor in the United States, which is made of no more than 20% pure whiskey and 80% light whiskey with an alcohol purity of 100proof.

3． Light whiskey is a new whiskey recognized by the U.S. government. When distilled, the alcohol purity is as high as 161-189 Proof. It has a light taste and is aged in old barrels. The amount of pure whiskey added to 100Proof for light whiskey must not exceed 20%.

There is also a kind of wine in the United States called Sour-Mash Whiskey. This kind of wine is distilled by adding old yeast to the raw materials to be fermented. The ratio of old to new is 1:2.

This type of fermentation is relatively stable and is often used in bourbon. It was invented by Belija Craig in 1789.

The water in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Tennessee in the western United States contains limestone, which is the most important condition for making whiskey. Therefore, these areas are the centers of whiskey production in the United States. Famous American whiskeys include: Maker's Mark, Ten High, Four Roses, Jack Daniel, Seagvam's 7 Crown ), Old Grand Dad, Old Crown, Old Forster, Old Turkey, EvanVilliams, Jim Bean, Pheasant ( Wild Turkey).

The drinking method of American whiskey is roughly the same as that of Scotch whiskey, and sometimes cola is often added to drink it.

(4) Canadian Whiskey

Canadian whiskey is more famous abroad than at home, and its raw material composition is restricted by national legal provisions. The main brewing raw materials are corn and rye, and some other grain raw materials are mixed into it. But no grain exceeds 50%, and each distillery has its own recipe, and the proportions are kept secret. Canadian whiskey needs to be distilled twice during the brewing process, then aged in oak barrels for more than 2 years, and then mixed with various spirits before being bottled. The alcohol content is 45 degrees when bottled. Generally, wine on the market must be aged for more than 6 years. If it is less than 4 years, it must be stated on the bottle cap. Canadian whiskey is brown in color, fragrant, light and refreshing in taste, full-bodied, and is known for its elegant style.

According to expert analysis, the main reasons for the unique taste of Canadian whiskey are as follows: (1) Canada’s slightly cold climate affects the texture of grains; (2) The water quality is better and the fermentation technology is special; (3) ) After the wine is distilled, it is immediately mixed. Famous Canadian whiskeys include: Canadian Club, Segram's V.O, Me Guinness, Schenley, and Wiser's. Canadian House.

Canadian whiskey can be consumed before or after a meal, either neat or mixed with Coca-Cola or 7Up soda.

3. Brandy

There is a proverb circulating in France: Boys drink red wine, men drink Port. If you want to be a hero, drink brandy. People grant brandy the supreme status and call it the hero's wine. The word brandy can be divided into a narrow sense and a broad sense. In a broad sense, all wines fermented and distilled from fruits are called brandy, such as apple brandy, but now it is customary to distill the wine and put it in wooden barrels. Liquor aged for a considerable period of time is called brandy. Brandy usually means "the soul of wine".

(1) The birth of brandy

Brandy was discovered accidentally. At the beginning of the 18th century, the docks on the Charente River in France became a commercial port for wine exports due to convenient transportation. Since the whole box of wine took up a lot of space on the ship at that time, the French came up with the method of double steaming to remove the water in the wine, improve the purity of the wine, reduce the space occupied and facilitate transportation. This was the early brandy. In 1701, France was involved in the Spanish War, the sales of brandy dropped sharply, and the wine was accumulated in oak barrels. After the war, people discovered that the brandy stored in oak barrels had a mellower quality, a stronger aroma, and a crystal amber color. Therefore, the aging and aging period in oak barrels became the basis for making brandy. important link.

(2) Aging of brandy

The reason why brandy has a mellow taste and rich aroma after aging is because the oak barrels used have a subtle "exchange effect" on the brandy. ”, which makes the originally colorless wine magically turn into the amber color of oak barrels, and adds the unique aroma of brandy. But the brandy itself comes at a price, as some of it slowly evaporates over time. It is said that in the Cognac region of France alone, about 20 million bottles of wine are evaporated a year. No wonder some people joke that these evaporated wines are secretly drunk by angels, because oak has a great influence on the quality of brandy. Therefore, the winery is also very particular about the selection of wood and the manufacturing of wine barrels. First of all, the felled oak must be dried for more than two years before it can be used to make barrels to prevent the water in the oak from seeping out and affecting the mellow taste of the brandy; and all barrels should be pure It is inlaid with oak wood without a single iron nail or a drop of glue, nor can it be cut with a saw to ensure that the aging process does not affect the color and taste of the wine. This requires the master carpenter to use the principle of thermal expansion and contraction of natural objects to use the principle of thermal expansion and contraction of natural objects to bend the wood strips with fire and attract each other to form a wine barrel. The size of this wine barrel is based on a 350-liter wine barrel. Most suitable (worth about RMB 3,000). The wine in the wooden barrel will change the quality of the wine due to the introduction of some oxygen in the air. Oxygen enters the barrel from the barrel wall and interacts with the brandy. It causes complex chemical reactions during the oxidation process and develops the aroma of the wine. In addition, the dissolved substances in the oak barrel and its microorganisms play a role in the aging of the brandy and the production of the aroma. The impact is huge. The alcohol in the wine will also evaporate partially, reducing the intensity of the wine. The average evaporation is about 1 to 2% per year, and the color of the oak barrels gradually penetrates into the wine, turning the originally colorless wine into crystal amber, and the taste also changes. Much improved.

The longer the aging time, the smoother the style of the brandy, the more exquisite the aroma, and the higher the price. However, this does not mean that the brandy can be aged in wooden barrels indefinitely. The wine itself also has a certain limit. The process from immature to mature to senile. The optimal age of brandy is 20 to 40 years, generally not more than 50 years, and at most not more than 70 years. If the time is too long, the quality will decline, all the water in the wine will evaporate, and the wine taste will be destroyed and turn into a woody taste. Generally, old wine can be stored in enamel jars, which can ensure the quality of the wine for a long time. Change. The best brandy is blended from a variety of brandies of different ages and sources. The blender must taste the wine stored in the barrel to judge the quality and style of the wine and determine the blending ratio. The winemakers all have their own recipes and will never share them with others. The blended brandy can be bottled after blending in a suitable container for 6 months. Brandy, unlike wine, does not settle in the bottle and becomes a finalized product after being placed in the bottle. As long as it is protected from light, stored at low temperature, and does not leak, it can be used for a long time.

All kinds of foreign wines

High-quality brandy is related to the selected raw materials and processing technology. It is usually better to brew with white wine than with red wine. The newly distilled unaged brandy is colorless, with an alcohol content between 40 and 43 degrees. The aroma is low and not harmonious, the taste is spicy and unpleasant, and it has no alcohol or sweet taste, so it must be aged in large oak trees. Aging in barrels improves quality. Generally, it must be stored for at least 2 years, otherwise the name of the brandy must be marked with "immature" and other words. The age of brandy is generally 3 to 8 years, but there are many famous brands that have an age of 25 years or even longer. In order to highlight the aging period and increase the price of wine, there are also eye-catching special marks on the labels of wine bottles. Each of these marks has different meanings.

★3 years old

★★4 years old

★★★5 years old

V.O. 10-12 years old

V.S.O. 12 to 20 years old

V.S.O.P. 20 to 30 years old

F.O.V. 30 to 50 years old

X.O. 50 years old

X. 70 years old

E.Especial special

O.Old old

P.Pale light color, clear , refers to rice and caramel color

S.Superior superior or soft

V.Very very

X.Extra extra, extra high-grade

C.Cognal Cognac

F.Fine Good, exquisite

The meanings of these marks are not very strict. Not only do they represent the age of the wine, but the Strictly speaking, the same mark has different meanings in different regions and manufacturers.

(3) Cognac (Cognac)

As we all know, the most famous origin of brandy is France. However, when people mention the best brandy, they do not generally refer to French brandy. It refers to Cognac. Cognac is a region in southern France, located in the Charente department. The soil, climate, rain and other natural conditions in the Cognac region are particularly conducive to the growth of grapes. Therefore, the grapes produced in this region are second to none in the world, but this does not mean that good grapes can definitely produce high-quality brandy. Cognac is the oldest and most famous brandy producing area in France. The production of brandy in the Cognac area has a long history and unique processing and brewing technology. The reason why Cognac enjoys a high reputation is due to its raw materials, soil, climate, distillation equipment and methods. Closely related to the aging method, Cognac is known as the "King of Brandies".

Cognac is amber in color, clear and transparent, has exquisite taste, heroic style and unique characteristics, with an alcohol content of 43°.

There are many famous Cognac brands, which are sold all over the world. The common ones are:

Remy Martin V.S.O.P (Remy Martin V.S.O.P), Horse