Brandy



A liquor distilled from wine (such as Armagnac) or other fermented fruit juice (such as the apple-based Calvados). Brandies are aged in wood, which contributes flavor and color. The finest of all brandies is cognac. The name "brandy" comes from the Dutch brandewijn , meaning "burned (distilled) wine."

armagnac [ar-mahn-YAK]

A fine French BRANDY from Gascony, near Condom, a town southeast of Bordeaux. Like cognac, Armagnac is aged in oak for up to 40 years.

calvados [KAL-vah-dohs]

A dry apple brandy made in Calvados, in the Normandy region of northern France. It's often used for cooking, particularly in chicken, pork and veal dishes.