{"product_id":"bend-it-like-brandy","title":"Bend It Like Brandy","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen it comes to talk of \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrandy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, Cognac usually gets top billing. And don’t get us wrong — it’s \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003edamn good stuff\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. But it’s far from the \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eonly game in town\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\nIn fact, if you point your coordinates to Gascony, you’ll be rewarded with Cognac’s older, less-demanding cousin \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArmagnac\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, which predates Cognac by a good\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e 200 years\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. It also isn’t as much of a stickler for the grapes, stills and barrels it uses in the production process, which gives it some \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ekicky variation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e that’ll keep your palate guessing.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\nThe Spanish also have some skin in the game, using American oak barrels and the \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003esolera aging method \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eto produce their sweet and smooth \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrandy de Jerez\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. And not to be outdone, our Armenian friends — who’ve been producing Brandy since the \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e12th century\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e — double-distill their juice in oak casks and was once the favored tipple of Russian czars.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\nIn this box, we’ve lined up a \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epowerhouse tasting \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eof\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e all three\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e: the well-rounded and fruit-forward \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDomaine Tariquet Bas-Armagnac XO\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, the smooth and seductive \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCardenal Mendoza Carta Real\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e from Spain and the thrilling spice of \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShakmat 23 YO\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, an Armenian Brandy.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\nInstead of turning to Cognac, take a cue from Beckham and bend it… \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003etoward a bottle of Brandy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. Cheers!\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cstrong\u003eSmartass Corner:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n1) In general, Brandy means any kind of distilled spirit made from \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003efermented fruit juice\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. While the fruit is typically grapes, there are a number of Brandies made from\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e apples\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epears\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eother sweet fruits\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n2) The \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpaniards\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e are second only to the people of the Cognac region in the \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003equantity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e of Brandy they make, and they drink\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e far more\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e of their own Brandy than the French in Cognac do.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n3) With the exception of a few producers, Armagnac is distilled in an \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ealembic continuous still\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e (Cognac uses copper stills). And that matters — because of its distillation method, Armagnac is \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003etypically aged longer \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003ethan Cognac, usually upwards of 10 years.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n4) You can have your booze and eat it, too. Yep, Brandy is often used as a cooking wine, and can be added to savory or sweet sauces, as well as desserts, for a rich, fruity punch.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n5) \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNikolay Shustov\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, an Armenian Brandy producer who supplied the spirit to Russian Tsar Nicholas II’s court, was briefly given the\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e permission\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e to label his\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Brandy as Cognac\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. His company eventually became the \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYerevan Brandy Company\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, the\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e largest \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eBrandy producer in Armenia.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n6) It’s said that \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAugustine monks\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e hung Brandy barrels around the necks of St. Bernard rescue dogs to \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003erevive frostbitten travelers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e in the Swiss Alps. Talk about a ‘ruff’ job.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n7) \u003cem\u003e“The most sensible thing to do to people you hate is to drink their Brandy.”\u003c\/em\u003e – \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElizabeth Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Flaviar","offers":[{"title":"2","offer_id":46375948124217,"sku":"lmr1787266097302","price":34.09,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"72","offer_id":46375948156985,"sku":"rpp1787266097303","price":34.52,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"86","offer_id":46375948189753,"sku":"vlv1787266097304","price":33.23,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"292","offer_id":46375948222521,"sku":"uhv1787266097305","price":33.66,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"88","offer_id":46375948255289,"sku":"sue1787266097306","price":27.18,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"974","offer_id":46375948288057,"sku":"slk1787266097307","price":31.07,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0795\/9176\/8121\/files\/bend-it-like-brandy_1.png?v=1787266106","url":"https:\/\/myoutfitstore.shop\/products\/bend-it-like-brandy","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}