🥃 Brandy
Brandy is a strong spirit made from wine spirit and aged in oak. In the EU, a drink sold as brandy has at least 36% ABV and six months to a year in oak.
On a label, the word “brandy” has a legal meaning: it is a strong spirit made from wine spirit and matured in oak. Under EU law, a drink sold as “brandy” or “Weinbrand” has at least 36 % vol. and matures for at least six months in oak casks under 1,000 litres or one year in larger oak containers. 1
The name comes from the Dutch brandewijn, “burnt wine”. Its base is wine spirit: wine distilled to below 86 % vol. Wine distillate distilled below 94.8 % vol. may be added, but it may provide no more than half of the alcohol in the finished brandy. 1
Brandy may not be flavoured or have alcohol added; caramel is allowed only to adjust the colour. It may be sweetened to round off the taste, but with no more than 35 grams per litre, expressed as invert sugar. Any age on the label refers to the youngest spirit in the blend. 1
EU geographical indications in the brandy category include Spain’s Brandy de Jerez and Brandy del Penedés, Brandy italiano, Deutscher Weinbrand and Austria’s Wachauer Weinbrand. Brandy de Jerez is aged in the criaderas and solera system: part of the brandy is regularly drawn from each row of casks and topped up with younger brandy from the previous row. The law places Cognac and Armagnac in the neighbouring wine spirit category, although people call them brandy too. 12
A good example of a geographical indication is Brandy de Jerez: it is aged only in sherry casks of under 1,000 litres, in three municipalities of Cádiz. By ageing it divides into Solera, Solera Reserva and Solera Gran Reserva, so the type name itself hints at age. 5
Why it matters to you. Look for the legal name “brandy” or “Weinbrand”, or a place name from the list of geographical indications. “Cherry brandy” or “apricot brandy” are liqueur names, not brandy made from wine. The WHO stresses that there is no safe level of alcohol, so brandy is for adults only. 14
Facts
| EU category | 5 «Brandy / Weinbrand» |
|---|---|
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 36 % vol. |
| Raw material | wine spirit; wine distillate (distilled below 94.8 % vol.) up to 50 % of the alcohol |
| Minimum maturation | ≥ 6 months in oak casks under 1,000 l or ≥ 1 year in oak containers of 1,000 l or more |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Annex I |
| Country | EU GIs in the category: Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria |
How it connects to Wine
How it connects to Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🍷 Wine
- What is made from it
- 🍷 Mulled wine and fortified wines, 🍸 Liqueurs, 🥃 Pimm's Winter Cup, 🥃 Tuaca, 🥃 Macieira Cream, 🥃 Eggnog, 🥃 GranGala
- Images and sayings
- 🥃 Snifter glass
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape brandies, 🥃 Grape products
- Related to
- 🍇 Rkatsiteli, 🍇 Colombard, 🍇 Quebranta, 🍇 Folignan, 🍇 Select, 🍇 Trebbiano Toscano
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Cognac, 🥃 Armagnac, 🥃 Brandy de Jerez, 🥃 Divin, 🥃 Weinbrand, 🥃 Pisco, 🍎 Fruit brandies, 🍓 Geist, 🥃 Fruit spirit, 🍏 Cider spirit and perry spirit
and 21 more
🌼 Gentian spirit, 🥃 Rum, 🥃 Straight rye whiskey, 🥃 Slivovitz (šljivovica), 🥃 Pálinka, 🥃 Metaxa, 🥃 Pisco (Peru), 🥃 Burgas Muscat Rakia (Bourgaska Muscatova rakya), 🥃 Vinars Murfatlar, 🥃 Pomorie Grape Rakia (Pomoriyska grozdova rakya), 🥃 Suhindol Grape Rakia (Suhindolska grozdova rakya), 🥃 Vinars Vrancea, 🥃 Vinars Târnave, 🥃 Vinars Vaslui, 🥃 Hennessy, 🥃 Stumbras, 🥃 Singani, 🥃 Applejack, 🥃 French brandies, 🥃 Raisin spirit, 🥃 Calvados - In other topics
- 🥃 Bénédictine, 🥃 Bénédictine B&B
Frequently asked questions
How is brandy different from Cognac?
Cognac is a French designation of origin with its own rules: the Charente region, double distillation in a Charentais still, at least 2 years in oak and 40 % vol. Under EU law it belongs to the wine spirit category, while brandy is a separate category with a minimum of 36 % vol.
What ABV is brandy?
Under Regulation (EU) 2019/787, at least 36 % vol. The minimum for wine spirit is 37.5 % vol., and for Cognac 40 % vol.
How long is brandy aged?
At least one year in oak containers of 1,000 litres or more, or six months in oak casks under 1,000 litres. The age on the label refers to the youngest spirit in the blend.
Is cherry brandy made from cherries, like a fruit brandy?
No. The regulation allows “cherry brandy”, “apricot brandy”, “orange brandy” and “prune brandy” only as compound names for liqueurs. They are not part of the brandy category made from wine spirit.
Are sugar and caramel added to brandy?
Yes, within legal limits. Caramel is allowed only for colour, and sweetening up to 35 grams per litre to round off the taste. Flavourings and added alcohol are banned.
Recipes
What to read next
- 🍸 Liqueurs — A liqueur is a sweetened, flavoured spirit: at least 15% ABV and usually at least 100 g/l of sugar under EU rules. “Cherry brandy” and “crème de…” on a label mean a liqueur.
- 🥃 Rum — A distillate of sugar-cane molasses, syrup or juice: in the EU at least 37.5% ABV, no flavourings or added alcohol, up to 20 g/l of sugar; in the US bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof) or more.
- 🥃 Pálinka — Pálinka is Hungary's fruit spirit, an EU-protected name since 2008: only Hungarian fruit, from 37.5% ABV, no added sugar, flavouring or colouring.
- 🥃 Hennessy — Cognac house in the town of Cognac, Charente, founded in 1765 by the Irish officer Richard Hennessy; now part of Moët Hennessy. V.S, V.S.O.P and X.O are age designations: at least 2, 4 and 10 years.
- 🥃 Eggnog — Sweet drink of eggs, milk or cream and sugar, topped with nutmeg; the stronger version is made with brandy, rum or bourbon. In the US, shop eggnog is pasteurised and has at least 6% milkfat.
Similar
🥃 Grape rakia · 🥃 Grape juice · 🥃 Wine vinegar · 🥃 Grape must · 🥃 Raisin · 🥃 Arak
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
- 🏷️ Label, law and health
- 🥃 Christian Brothers Brandy
- 🥃 Sidecar
- 🥃 Weinbrand
- 🥃 Alexander
- 🥃 Porto Flip
- 🥃 Brandy de Jerez
- 🥃 Divin
All (26) →
- 🥃 Alexander
- 🥃 Asbach Uralt
- 🥃 Between the Sheets
- 🥃 Brandy Crusta
- 🥃 Porto Flip
- 🥃 Sidecar
- 🥃 Brandy de Jerez
- 🥃 Weinbrand
- 🥃 Divin
- 🥃 Aguardente Vínica Bairrada
- 🥃 Aguardente Vínica Lisboa
- 🥃 Brandy del Penedés
- 🥃 Brandy italiano
- 🥃 Christian Brothers Apple
- 🥃 Christian Brothers Brandy
- 🥃 Christian Brothers Honey
- 🥃 Christian Brothers Peach
- 🥃 Christian Brothers VS Brandy
- 🥃 Georgian brandy
- 🥃 Macieira
- 🥃 Macieira Five Star
- 🥃 Pfälzer Weinbrand
- 🥃 Stock
- 🥃 Wachauer Weinbrand
- 🥃 Armenian brandy
- 🏷️ Label, law and health
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I, categories 4 (wine spirit) and 5 (brandy/Weinbrand), Art. 13(6), Annex I cat. 33, Annex III (criaderas y solera)
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III: geographical indications of spirit drinks, categories 4 and 5 (consolidated 31.01.2020)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex X, point 1(d): no date of minimum durability for drinks of 10 % vol. or more
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)
- eAmbrosia: Technical file of the geographical indication «Brandy de Jerez» (PGI-ES-01944), Ref. Ares(2016)6709766