GIN 

- This alcoholic beverage made by distilling or redistilling rye or other grain spirits

VODKA - Originally distilled from fermented wheat mash.

RUM - Distilled from cane juice, or from the scummings of the boiled juice, or from treacle or
molasses, or from the lees of former distillations.

WHISKEY - Distilled from grain, potatoes, etc.,

TEQUILA - An alcoholic liquor distilled from the fermented juice

BRANDY - An alcoholic liquor distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice.

Brandy[edit]
 40-60% ABV (80-120º proof)
Brandy (short for 'brandywine', from Dutch brandewijn—'burnt wine') is a general term for
distilled wine. In addition to wine, this spirit can also be made from grape pomace or fermented
fruit juice. Unless specified otherwise, brandy is made from grape wine. It is normally consumed
as an after-dinner drink. Brandy made from wine is often colored with caramel coloring to imitate
the effect of long aging in wooden casks; pomace and fruit brandies are generally drunk un-
aged, and are not usually colored. Cognac is the most highly regarded spirit in this category.

Cachaça[edit]
With Cachaça you make the famous long drink Caipirinha. Cachaça is made by the distillation
of fermented squeezed sugar cane, and is a very common drink in Brazil. It is also called Pinga
or Aguardente. People drink it mostly pure, straight up, room temperature, no ice, nothing on it,
on a very small glass like tequila type glass, or vodka type glass. In Brazil it is an inexpensive
drink, but not in Europe, since it has to be imported. There are some old brands that can cost
quite a lot. It can be found in many supermarkets all around Europe. A simple drink can be
made with Cachaça, honey and lemon, serve in the same small glass, no ice, room
temperature. Cachaça can be used also as an ingredient in many long drinks,
called Batidas (shaken) with fruits, sweet condensed milk, and a lot of ice. The most famous
long drink is Caipirinha, very refreshing, and very strong: one whole lime cut in 8 equal parts
(don´t peel), two soup spoons of sugar, squeeze both inside a glass with a thick stick, smash
the lime with the sugar until all the juice is mixed with sugar, (serve with the cutted lime wedges
on stick bagasse in the glass)(use a long glass type, or short fat glass), add a lot of Cachaça
usually 60-70ml, and a lot of ice, mix, drink, and forget.

Gin[edit]
 37.5% ABV (75º proof)
Gin is a spirit, or strong alcoholic beverage. It is made from the distillation of an agricultural
source and juniper berries, which provide its distinctive flavor. The taste of ordinary gin is very
dry, and as such it is frequently mixed with other beverages. It should not be confused with sloe
gin, a sweet liqueur traditionally made from sloes (the fruit of the blackthorn) infused in gin.
The most common style of gin, typically used for mixed drinks, is "London dry gin", which refers
not to brand, marque, or origin, but to a distillation process. London dry gin is a high-proof spirit,
usually produced in a column still and re-distilled after the botanicals are added to the base
spirit. In addition to juniper, it is usually made with a small amount of citrus botanicals like lemon
and bitter orange peel. Other botanicals that may be used include anise, angelica root, orris
root, cinnamon, coriander, and cassia bark. The dry character and forward juniper flavor of
these gins allows them to be mixed with comparatively sweet ingredients without becoming
overwhelmed, whereas sweeter or more subtle gins might disappear, making the cocktail more
like a vodka cocktail with none of the classic aromatic gin character.
A well-made gin will be very dry with a smooth texture lacking in harshness. The flavor will be
harmonious yet have a crisp character with a pronounced juniper flavor.
Compound gin is gin where the juniper flavoring is added to the neutral spirit and there is no re-
distillation

Rum[edit]
 37.5 - 57% ABV (75 - 114º proof)
The production of rum dates back to the seventeenth century. It is distilled from either fermented
sugarcane-juice or fermented molasses, and can be nearly colorless and faintly aromatic with a
light body, or dark brown with a heavy body, flavorful and having a rich aroma.
Most of the world's rum comes from the Caribbean. Puerto Rico is home of the white or silver
rum which is clear and light in body and flavor. Puerto Rican golden and amber rums have a
deeper color and flavor, while Jamaican and Cuban rums are rich and full-bodied.
The distillation process decides the flavor and aroma of the rum, with continuous- or patent-still
distillation giving a light-bodied rum, and the traditional pot still a richer and heavy-bodied rum.
Some rums are given additional flavor by the addition of herbs, spices or fruits.
The color of the rum depends on how the rum is aged. Most rum is aged in charred oak casks
giving it a brownish or yellowish color, frequently enhanced with caramel, while rum aged in
steel tanks remains colorless.
In bartending, rum is one of the most important liquors. It is used in a variety of classic cocktails
including the Cuba Libre, Mai Tai, Daiquiri and Piña Colada. It can also be served neat (straight)
or on the rocks.

Schnapps[edit]
 20 - 40% ABV (40 - 80º proof)
Schnapps is a type of distilled beverage. The word "schnapps" is derived from the German
word Schnaps and refers to usually clear alcoholic beverages distilled from fermented grains,
roots, or fruits, including cherries (Kirschwasser), apples, pears, plums, and apricots. German
Schnaps has no sugar or flavoring added, but American schnapps typically do have these
additives. German Schnaps has a light fruit flavor and is similar to eau-de-vie. Its alcohol
content is usually around 40% by volume.
American schnapps (such as peach schnapps and butterscotch schnapps) are different from
true German Schnaps. They are produced by a method that does not involve fermentation.
They are made from grain alcohol, to which flavoring and sugar are added. Their alcohol
content can be as low as 15% by volume.
Tequila[edit]
 40% ABV (80º proof)
Tequila is a spirit made primarily in the area surrounding Tequila, a town in Mexico. It is made
from the Tequila agave - the blue agave. Tequila is most often made at a 38–40% alcohol
content (76–80º proof), but there are also several varieties of Tequila produced with 43–46%
alcohol content (86–92º proof).
Mexican law no longer requires that tequila be entirely composed of blue agave distillates, and
lower-quality tequilas known as mixtos may contain up to 49% other, more cheaply obtained
distillates, resulting in many off-flavors and a generally unpleasant taste. These tequilas are
often labeled as "gold", and are often artificially coloured to resemble the natural gold color of
aged tequilas such as reposados and anejos. Be sure to only purchase tequila which is clearly
labeled "100% de agave", even for mixing purposes.
Many people prefer the simpler but more vegetal taste of blanco (un-aged and clear colored,
also known as silver or platinum) tequilas for cocktails, but slightly aged reposado tequilas may
do equally well, so experiment. However, anejo tequilas (aged longer in a series of different
barrels) are almost always very complex and subtle, and should be drunk neat or on the rocks,
as mixing them would mask much of their interest and be a waste.

‘’TEQUILA- is a spirit made primarily in the area surrounding tequila, a town in Mexico. It is
made from the Tequila agave - the blue agave. Tequila is most often made at a 38-40% alcohol
content (76-80% proof), but there are also several varities of tequila produced with 43-46%
alcohol content (86-92% proof).

Vodka[edit]
Vodka is purified by distillation from a fermented substance such as grain or molasses, and it
usually has an alcohol content of 35% to 50% by volume (70 - 100º proof). Vodka consists
primarily of water and alcohol (ethanol), and sometimes various flavorings. 

Whisky, whiskey[edit]
 40 - 53.5% ABV (80 - 107º proof) and higher (barrel proof)
Whisky (Scottish Gaelic: uisge-beatha}, or whiskey (Irish: uisce beatha), refers to a broad
category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented grain mash and aged in
wooden casks (generally oak).
Different grains are used for different varieties, including: barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye,
wheat, and maize (corn). Whisky derives from the Gaelic word for "water" (uisce or usige), and
is called in full uisge-beatha (in Scotland) or uisce beatha (Ireland), meaning "Water of Life". It is
related to the Latin aqua vitae, also meaning "water of life". It is always Scotch whisky, and Irish
whiskey; other countries may use either spelling.
Types of whisky[edit]
Whisky or whisky-like products are produced in most grain-growing areas. They differ in base
product, alcoholic content, and quality.
Scotch whiskies[edit]
Scotch whiskies are generally distilled twice, though some are distilled a third time. Laws
in many countries require anything bearing the label "Scotch" to be distilled in Scotland
and matured for a minimum of three years in oak casks. Whiskies do not mature in the
bottle, only in the cask, so the "age" of a scotch is the time between distillation and
bottling. This reflects how much the cask has interacted with the whisky, changing its
chemical makeup and taste. If Scotch whisky is from more than one cask, and if it
includes an age statement on the bottle, it must reflect the age of the youngest whisky in
the blend. Many cask-strength single malts also omit the age as they use younger
elements in minute amounts for flavoring and mellowing.
The two basic types of Scotch are Malt and Grain.

 Malt is whisky made entirely from malted barley and distilled in an onion-shaped pot
still.
 Grain is made from malted and unmalted barley along with other grains, usually in a
continuous column still. Until recently it was only used in blends—but there are now
some "Single Grain" scotches being marketed.

Malts and Grains are combined in various ways

 Vatted malt is blended from malt whiskies from different distilleries. If a whisky is
labeled "pure malt" or just "malt" it is almost certain to be a vatted whisky. This is also
sometimes labeled as "Blended Malt" whisky.
 Single malt whisky is malt whisky from a single distillery. However, unless the whisky
is described as "single-cask" it will contain whisky from many casks, so the blender
can achieve a taste recognizable as typical of the distillery . In most cases, the name
of a single malt will be that of the distillery (The Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Bowmore),
with an age statement and perhaps some indication of some special treatments such
as maturation in a port wine cask. Some single malts (often made to attract a premium
price from less sophisticated drinkers abroad) will be given a special name.
 Blended whiskies are normally cheaper whiskies made from a mixture of Malt and
Grain whiskies. A whisky simply described as Scotch Whisky is most likely to be a
blend in this sense. A blend is usually from many distilleries so that the blender can
produce a flavor consistent with the brand, and the brand name (e.g. Bell's, Chivas
Regal) will usually not therefore contain the name of a distillery. However, "Blend" can
(less frequently) have other meanings. A mixture of malts (with no grain) from different
distilleries (more usually called a vatted malt) may sometimes be referred to as a
"Blended Malt", and a mixtures of grain whiskies with no malts will sometimes carry
the designation "Blended Grain".
Japanese whiskies[edit]
Japanese whiskies generally fit within the Scotch tradition and can be categorised using
the above typology.
 Irish whiskeys[edit]
Irish whiskeys are generally distilled three times and must be aged in wooden casks for a
period of not less than three years. [1] Unpeated malt is almost always used, meaning they
have none of the smoky character of scotch, and are more suitable for mixing.
Canadian whiskies[edit]
Canadian whiskies have the regulatory requirement [2] of being aged for at least three
years in a barrel. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain whiskies.
American whiskeys[edit]
American whiskeys include both straights and blends. To be called "straight" the whiskey
must be one of the "named types" listed in the federal regulations and aged in oak casks
for at least two years. The most common of the "named types" are;

 Bourbon, which must be between 51% and 79% (inclusive) corn (maize).
 Rye, which must be at least 51% rye.
 Corn, which is made from a mash made up of at least 80% corn (maize). The whiskey
is distilled to not more than 80 percent alcohol by volume. It does not have to be aged
but, if it is aged, it must be in new uncharred oak barrels or used barrels. Aging
usually is brief, i.e., six months. During aging the whiskey picks up color and flavor
and its harshness is reduced.
All straight American whiskeys except straight corn whiskey must be aged in new casks
that have been charred on their inside surface. American blended whiskeys combine
straight whiskey with un-aged whiskey, grain neutral spirits, flavorings and colorings.
These definitions are part of U.S. law. Not defined by the law but important in the
marketplace is Tennessee whiskey, of which Jack Daniel's is the leading example. It is
identical to bourbon in almost every important respect. The most recognizable difference
is that Tennessee whiskey is filtered through sugar maple charcoal, giving it a unique
flavor and aroma.
Pure pot still whiskey[edit]
Pure pot still whiskey refers to Irish whiskey made from a combination of malted and
unmalted barley and distilled in a pot still.
Welsh whisky[edit]
Indian whisky[edit]
Indian whisky is an alcoholic beverage that is labeled as "whisky" in India. Much
Indian whisky is distilled from fermented molasses, and as such would be considered
a sort of rum outside of the Indian subcontinent.

Cognac
Cognac (/ˈkɒnjæk/ KON-yak or /ˈkoʊnjæk/ KOHN-yak; French pronunciation: [kɔ.ɲak]) is a variety
of brandy named after the town of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing
region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cognac production falls under French Appellation d'origine contrôlée designation, with production
methods and naming required to meet certain legal requirements. Among the specified grapes  Ugni
blanc, known locally as Saint-Emilion, is most widely used. [2]The brandy must be twice distilled in
copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. Cognac
matures in the same way as whiskies and wine barrel age, and most cognacs spend considerably
longer "on the wood" than the minimum legal requirement.
Cognac is a type of brandy and, after the distillation and during the aging process, is also called  eau de
vie.[3] It is produced by double distilling white wines produced in any of the designated growing regions.
Grapes[edit]
The white wine used in making cognac is very dry, acidic and thin. Though it has been characterized as
"virtually undrinkable",[4] it is excellent for distillation and aging. It may be made only from a strict list of
grape varieties. In order for it to be considered a true cru, the wine must be at least 90% Ugni
blanc (known in Italy as Trebbiano), Folle blanche and Colombard, while up to 10% of the grapes used
can be Folignan, Jurançon blanc, Meslier St-François (also called Blanc
Ramé), Sélect, Montils or Sémillon.[5][6]Cognacs which are not to carry the name of a cru are freer in the
allowed grape varieties, needing at least 90% Colombard, Folle blanche, Jurançon blanc, Meslier Saint-
François, Montils, Sémillon, or Ugni blanc, and up to 10% Folignan or Sélect.
Fermentation and distillation[edit]

A Charentais style alembic cognac pot still

After the grapes are pressed, the juice is left to ferment for two or three weeks, with the region's native,
wild yeasts converting the sugar into alcohol; neither sugar nor sulfur may be added. [7] At this point, the
resulting wine is about 7% to 8% alcohol.[7]
Distillation takes place in traditionally shaped Charentais copper alembic stills, the design and
dimensions of which are also legally controlled. Two distillations must be carried out; the resulting eau-
de-vie is a colourless spirit of about 70% alcohol. [4]
Aging[edit]
Once distillation is complete, it must be aged in Limousin oak casks for at least two years before it can
be sold to the public. It is typically put into casks at an alcohol by volume strength of about 70%.[4] As
the cognac interacts with the oak barrel and the air, it evaporates at the rate of about three percent each
year, slowly losing both alcohol and water.[4] This phenomenon is called locally "La part des anges", or
"The angels' share". Because the alcohol dissipates faster than the water, the alcohol concentration
drops to about 40% over time.[4] The cognac is then transferred to large
[4]
glass carboys called bonbonnes, then stored for future blending.  Since oak barrels stop contributing to
flavor after four or five decades, longer aging periods may not be beneficial. [4]
Blending[edit]
The age of the cognac is calculated as that of the youngest component used in the blend. The blend is
usually of different ages and (in the case of the larger and more commercial producers) from different
local areas. This blending, or marriage, of different eaux-de-vie is important to obtain a complexity of
flavours absent from an eau-de-vie from a single distillery or vineyard. Each cognac house has a master
taster (maître de chai), who is responsible for blending the spirits, so that cognac produced by a
company will have a consistent house style and quality. [8] In this respect it is similar to the process of
blending whisky or non-vintage Champagne to achieve a consistent brand flavor. A very small number
of producers, such as Guillon Painturaud and Moyet, do not blend their final product from different ages
of eaux-de-vie and therefore produce a "purer" flavour (a practice roughly equivalent to the production
of single malt Scotch whisky).[9] Hundreds of vineyards in the Cognac AOC region sell their own cognac.
These are likewise blended from the eaux-de-vie of different years, but they are single-vineyard
cognacs, varying slightly from year to year and according to the taste of the producer, hence lacking
some of the predictability of the better-known commercial products. Depending on their success in
marketing, small producers may sell a larger or smaller proportion of their product to individual buyers,
wine dealers, bars and restaurants, the remainder being acquired by larger cognac houses for blending.
The success of artisanal cognacs has encouraged some larger industrial-scale producers to produce
single-vineyard cognacs.

Grades[edit]

VS (Very Special) cognac is aged for at least two years in cask

XO (Extra Old) cognac is aged at least six years

"Champagne cognac" is produced from grapes grown in the Grande Champagneand Petite
Champagne zones of the Cognac region of France

According to the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), the official quality

grades of cognac are the following:

 V.S. (Very Special) or ✯✯✯ (three stars) designates a blend in which the youngest
brandy has been stored for at least two years in cask.[10]
 V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale) or Reserve designates a blend in which the youngest
brandy is stored for at least four years in a cask.[10][11]
 XO (Extra Old) or Napoléon currently designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is
stored for at least six years.[10] The minimum storage age of the youngest brandy used in an
XO blend will be increased to ten years in April 2018; this rule was originally scheduled for
implementation in 2016 but was postponed due to inadequate stocks. [12] The Napoleon
designation, previously unofficial, will then be used to specifically denote those blends with a
minimum age of six years that do not meet the revised XO definition.[13]
 Hors d'âge (Beyond Age) is a designation which BNIC states is equal to XO, but in
practice the term is used by producers to market a high-quality product beyond the official
age scale.
The names of the grades are in English because the historical cognac trade, particularly in the
18th century, significantly involved the British

Producing regions[edit]
Cognac is also classified by crus, tightly defined geographic denominations where the grapes
are grown. Their distinctive soils and microclimates produce eaux de vie with characteristics
particular to their specific location.

 Grande Champagne (13,766 hectares (34,020 acres)) The soils in Grande Champagne

and Petite Champagne are characterized as shallow clay-limestone, over limestone and
chalk.[15]
 Petite Champagne (16,171 hectares (39,960 acres)) Petite Champagne eaux de
vie have similar characteristics to those from Grande Champagne. Cognacs made from a
mixture of Grande and Petite Champagne eaux de vie (with at least 50% Grande
Champagne) may be marketed as "Fine Champagne".[15]
 Borderies (4,160 hectares (10,300 acres)) The smallest cru. This denomination's soil
contains clay and flint stones resulting from the decomposition of limestone.[15]
 Fins Bois (34,265 hectares (84,670 acres)) Heavier and faster aging eaux de vie ideal for
establishing the base of some blended cognacs. The soils here are predominantly red clay-
limestone and very stony, or otherwise heavy clay soils.[15]
 Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires (together 19,979 hectares (49,370 acres)). Further out
from the four central growth areas are these two growing regions. With a poorer soil and
very much influenced by the maritime climate, this area is 20,000 hectares.
 Bois à terroirs The soils of Les Bois (Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires, and Bois à terroirs) are
sandy, spanning coastal areas and some valleys.[15]
The cognac-producing regions called Champagne should not be confused with the northeastern
region of Champagne, a wine region that produces sparkling wine by that name, although they
do share a common etymology.

Companies and brands[edit]

There are close to 200 cognac producers.[1] According to one 2008 estimate[16] a large
percentage of cognac—more than 90% for the US market—comes from only four
producers: Courvoisier (owned by Beam Suntory), Hennessy (LVMH), Martell (Pernod Ricard),
and Rémy Martin (Rémy Cointreau).[4][16] Other brands meeting the AOC criteria for cognac
include: Bache-Gabrielsen/Dupuy, Braastad, Camus, La Fontaine de La Pouyade, Château
Fontpinot,[16] Delamain, Pierre Ferrand,[4] Frapin, Gautier, Hine,[16]Marcel Ragnaud,
[4]
 Moyet, Otard, Meukow, and Cognac Croizet.

Cognac-based drinks[edit]
 Grand Marnier: a liqueur made from cognac and distilled essence of bitter orange
 Pineau des Charentes: a sweet apéritif, composed of eau-de-vie and grape must, made
in the Charente region
 Domaine De Canton: a cognac based ginger liqueur
 Chambord: a liqueur made from cognac infused with black and red raspberries and
Madagascar vanilla
Armagnac (/ˈɑːrmənjæk/; French: [aʁmaɲak]) is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in
the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend
of grapes including Baco 22A, Colombard, Folle blanche and Ugni blanc, traditionally using column
stills rather than the pot stills used in the production of cognac. The resulting spirit is
then aged in oak barrels before release. Production is overseen by the Institut national de l'origine et de
la qualité (INAO) and the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l'Armagnac (BNIA).
 Armagnac was one of the first areas in France to begin distilling spirits, but the overall volume of
production is far smaller than Cognac production and therefore is less known outside Europe. In
addition, it is for the most part made and sold by small producers, whereas Cognac production is
dominated by big-name brands, especially Courvoisier (owned by Beam
Suntory), Hennessy (LVMH), Martell (Pernod Ricard), and Rémy Martin (Rémy Cointreau).
Armagnac is the oldest brandy distilled in France; and, in the past, it was consumed for its
therapeutic benefits. In the 14th century, Prior Vital Du Four, a cardinal, wrote that it had 40
virtues:[1][2]
Armagnac is traditionally distilled once, resulting in 52% of alcohol. This results in a more fragrant and
flavorful spirit than Cognac, where double distillation takes place. Long ageing in oak barrels softens the
taste and causes the development of more complex flavours and a brown colour. Ageing in
the barrel removes a part of the alcohol and water by evaporation (known as part des anges—"angels'
tribute" or "angels' share") and allows more complex aromatic compounds to appear by oxidation, which
further modifies the flavour. Since alcohol evaporates faster than water, the alcohol degree is naturally
reduced by an average of 0.4% per year depending on the characteristics of the cellars (average
temperature and humidity). When the Armagnac is considered as matured, it is transferred to large
glass bottles (called "Dame Jeanne") for storage. The main difference between Armagnac and other
spirits is, that due to its relatively low alcoholic content, it is generally not diluted with water.
Armagnac is sold under several classifications, mostly referring to the age of the constituent brandies.
Armagnac is allowed to be sold under vintages. When Armagnacs of different ages have been blended,
the age on the bottle refers to the youngest component. A three-star, or VS, Armagnac is a mix of
several Armagnacs that have seen at least two years of ageing in wood. For  VSOP, the ageing is at
least three years, and for XO, at least ten. Hors d'âge means the youngest component in the blend is at
least ten years old. Older and better Armagnacs are often sold as vintages, with the bottles containing
Armagnac from a single year, the year being noted on the bottle.
Grapes[edit]
Ten different varieties of Armagnac grapes are authorised for use in the production of Armagnac. Of
these, four are most common:

 Baco 22A
 Colombard
 Folle blanche
 Ugni blanc
Cognac

Type Brandy
Manufactu Various,
rer including Courvoisier, Hennessy, Mart
ell, Rémy Martin
Country of France
origin
Alcohol by 40%
volume
Flavour Varies, though typically with
characteristics combining nuts, fruit,
caramel, honey, vanilla, and/or other
spices[1]
Variants VS, VSOP, XO
Related Armagnac, Vinjak
products
Website www.cognac.fr/cognac/_en/intro.aspx