Brandy de Jerez is a tremendously versatile drink which can be enjoyed in many ways. It’s noble origin and traditional ageing process confer on it special organoleptic characteristics which are expressed in subtly different ways by each of the bodegas which belong to the Denomination.
It is a drink with a long history and therefore there is a more traditional form of enjoyment, in which brandy is shown in all its fullness.
However, Brandy de Jerez is also a modern, contemporary beverage, whose enjoyment also extends to a wide variety of consumption methods.
Here are some recommendations.
It’s noble origin and traditional ageing process confer on it special organoleptic characteristics which are expressed in subtly different ways by each of the bodegas which belong to the Denomination.
Alone in the glass, Brandy de Jerez displays all its fullness: its extraordinary colors and nuances, its fragrant and evocative aromas and its warm, deep and full of sensations taste.
We recommend serving it at a temperature of between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius and in a wide glass of fine crystal.
Growing numbers of people are enjoying Brandy de Jerez at very low temperatures – almost freezing in fact. The bottle should be kept in the freezer – the alcohol level will prevent the brandy from freezing – and the brandy should be served directly from the freezer in little shot glasses (or “chupitos” in Spanish). The Brandy de Jerez served this way becomes a modern and lighthearted digestif.
Brandy de Jerez has intense aromas and flavours which will survive, although diluted when served over ice. Much pleasure can be had from brandy in a balloon glass or a tumbler with good solid ice cubes which melt more slowly, keeping the brandy cool and prolonging the enjoyment of the drink.
Of course, we must not omit to mention in this section one of the most classic, traditional and creative ways to enjoy Brandy de Jerez: the popular “carajillo” in which brandy is mixed with a good black coffee and served either hot or cold over ice. It is delicious and gives a surprisingly good feeling (the word originates from the Spanish word for courage “coraje”).
There can be few greater pleasures for the smoker of fine cigars than to accompany a favourite cigar with a glass of Brandy de Jerez. Here, various different and interesting matches can be made with the different styles of Brandy de Jerez – more or less dry, or aged in barrels with different types of Sherry seasoning – with different types of cigar depending on the origin of the tobacco and the brand and type of cigar.
From classic recipes to the very latest creations, Brandy de Jerez is an ingredient of incalculable value for “mixologists” all over the world. Its intense character and personality along with the huge number of brands and their enormously varied range of nuances provide the perfect base for all sorts of cocktails, long drinks, aperitifs, digestifs etc.
Mixed drinks are a very popular way to drink Brandy de Jerez, by simply adding a soft mixer drink such as cola, ginger ale, fruit juice or tonic water. Whichever is the preferred soft drink, the quality and personality of the Brandy de Jerez will provide the ideal counterpoint, along with some ice, for the very best mixed drinks.
