Brandy — and its relatives Cognac, Armagnac, Weinbrand, Applejack, Schnapps, etc. — is a great spirit for winter, especially if you’re looking for a break from whiskey. The generally sweeter, dry, and fruitier juice (usually made from a range of fruits) is also a nice pick to keep around during the holidays. It’s ideal for pouring with friends, a great way to mark the season, and a nice surprise for giving as a gift.
To that end, I’m calling out 20 bottles of the brown juice that rule. I’m pulling in brandies from all over Europe and the U.S. with grapes and apples as the main source for fermentation and distillation. Multiple regions are covered and all the price points are below $100. For the most part, you should be able to find these pretty easily as well.
If you’re looking for that perfect last-minute gift or bottle to bring to a holiday party, this list is full of options. Naturally, I did rank these bottles according to taste. I’m lucky enough to get to taste a ton of brandies every year and even judge them at multiple spirits competitions, so… my well of options to draw from was pretty deep.
Alright, let’s dive in!
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20. Hennessy VS Cognac
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $45
The Brandy:
Ol’ Henney Lo. This entry point to the wide world of Hennessy is a blend of over 40 brandies (or eau-de-vie) that were aged a minimum of two years. The grapes are exclusively Ungi Blanc and grown in the core regions of Cognac.
Tasting Notes:
Rich chocolate and marzipan lead the way on the nose with a good line of ripe red fruits leaning toward black cherry and blackberry. The palate is lush but light with those bright fruits leading your senses toward a hint of cinnamon and clove wrapped in old leather with a twinge of oak in the background. The end brings back the choco-marzipan vibe with a whisper of red berries sourness.
Bottom Line:
This is a great place to start. Standard VS Henney isn’t the best brandy in the world, but it’s a really good one for $45. Plus, this will have instant name recognition thanks to being a tried and true classic.
19. Lustau Brandy Solera Gran Reserva
Age: 40%
Average Price: $28
The Brandy:
This is a shockingly decent brandy at this price point. The Gran Reserva expression is aged in used Amontillado sherry casks for around three years under the Spanish sun in Jerez, Spain.
The Taste:
Orange, coconut oil, oak, vanilla, toasted almonds, and baking spices lead the way. There’s a real sense of freshly ground nutmeg and allspice that leads to a rich buttery fruit cake full of sun-dried fruits. Espresso and dark chocolate bitterness cut in and highjack the spices, sending them to a warm and sunny end with a hint of dry Spanish grass.
Bottom Line:
Lustau is so well revered in distilling circles that Ireland’s iconic Redbreast Irish Whiskey uses their used barrels to age one of their best high-end expressions. That makes this a great pairing for Redbreast Lustau if you want to grab two bottles to drink this month!
18. Asbach Uralt
ABV: 38%
Average Price: $35
The Brandy:
Germany’s Asbach is the closest you’ll get to “cognac” outside of France. The brandy was re-designated “weinbrand” (wine brandy) after the French dialed in their appellation designations for cognac and prohibited anyone outside the region from using that term for their brandy back in 1892. The grape distillate is made from German-grown grapes but aged in French Limousin oak (like cognac) for up to three years. The end result is a blend of two to three-year-old brandies.
Tasting Notes:
Aspach starts off with nice woody vanilla, buttery caramel, and notes of ripe and almost juicy apricot. Warm pepper spiciness comes into play with a rush of dark, sweet fruits, light and dry nuts, and a touch of light but acidic wine. The end is heavy on the alcohol with a slightly creamy vanilla edge.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic German brandy that’ll hit high marks for any cognac fan. It’s also a great cocktail brandy, especially for Brandy Alexanders or eggnogs.
17. Starlight Distillery Applejack Brandy
ABV: 41.5%
Average Price: $30
The Brandy:
This apple brandy is made in Indiana from mostly locally-grown apples from the Huber farms. The on-site pressed juice is fermented and then distilled in an old 80-gallon copper pot still. That juice is then left to mellow in charred new American oak barrels until it’s just right.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one bursts with freshly picked sweet apples with a hint of woodiness, core, and stem next to bright summer flowers and a dash of honey sweetness. The palate follows the same path while really leaning into the essence of a fresh apple with a lovely sweetness and a hint of spiced apple butter over an English muffin with a bit of cinnamon butter on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is distinct and delicious, especially if you’re looking for a bit of summer apple orchard that slowly darkens toward buttery winter spices in your glass.
16. Ciroc VS French Brandy
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $30
The Brandy:
Ciroc is a “French Brandy” since it’s not made in Cognac. The distillate is made from French grapes and follows classic French brandy traditions otherwise from fermentation to distillation to aging.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a creamy sense of Nutella that leans a little nuttier than chocolatey with a hint of soft orchard wood, grape skins, and a whisper of vanilla husk. The palate is full of lush dark chocolate with a layer of dried red berries swimming in vanilla cream with a flake of salt and a hint of wet oak. The end leans into red fruit leather with a final dusting of dark chocolate just kissed with vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is always a surprise. It’s good brandy that’s very affordable. I tend to use it more for cocktails, but it’s perfectly fine over some rocks too.
15. HINE Rare VSOP Cognac
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $75
The Brandy:
HINE Rare is a masterfully crafted cognac. The juice is a blend of eaux-de-vie (water of life) made from wines from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne growing regions. That spirit then is barreled in oak where it spends six to 12 years maturing. The results are then married, proofed with soft mineral water from local springs, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Old oak barrels are tempered by rich and almost creamy notes of vanilla that lead towards a burst of summer wildflowers on the nose. The taste embraces those flowers with hints of jasmine next to violet next to lavender that’s counterpointed by plum pudding nuttiness, woody spice, and a hint of that vanilla cream. The end is long-winded and really leans into the brightness of those florals as the woody spice warms your senses.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic that’s not overly done, which makes it great for passive brandy fans looking for an easy-drinking experience.
14. Laird’s Rare Apple Brandy Aged 12 Years
ABV: 44%
Average Price: $92
The Brandy:
This brandy from New Jersey harvests its apples from the misty Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. 30 pounds of apples go into each bottle of brandy. The juice then rests in American oak for 12 years before it’s blended, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
You’re greeted with apples stewing in butter, spice, raisins, and brown sugar. Hints of vanilla and oak join the party and a sense of salted caramel arrives to drive all those stewed and spicy apples toward a nice sweet/savory feel. The end isn’t too long but leaves you with a warm apple pie vibe.
Bottom Line:
There’s a lovely sense of real apples on the profile that merge with a mild spiciness. This is another easy sipper that’s perfect for a change of pace from heavy dark liquors.
13. St-Remy Signature French Brandy
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $30
The Brandy:
St-Rémy is a classic French gateway brandy. Their newest expression aims to get new folks into brandy with an accessible entry-level expression. The juice in this case is aged in new oak casks for a short spell before going into used casks for a final, short maturation. That brandy is then blended, proofed, and bottled for the “new” brandy consumer.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a hint of old wood that’s wet and somehow slightly grainy (there’s no grain in this, obviously) countered by a minor note of grape must and vanilla. That wet oak carries onto the palate and mixes with light winter spices, a hint of raisin, and green orchard leaves. The end is light and touches on a whisper of orange and lemon citrus oils.
Bottom Line:
This is another great option for a great price. It really shines in a cocktail, try it in a brandy old fashioned.
12. Bisquit & Dubouche Cognac VSOP
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $73
The Brandy:
This fairly new Cognac comes from the famed Maison Fondée Cognac, which has been producing great brandy for over 200 years. The juice in the bottle is made from grapes harvested in the Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fin Bois, and Bons Bois regions of Cognac and built to suit a modern, American palate.
Tasting Notes:
Hints of tannic oak mingle with vanilla candies and a dash of winter spice in a plum jam on the nose. A twinge of dried roses leads the palate as layers of orchard fruit skins mix with apricot jam, woody cinnamon sticks, and a hint of sour cherry. A minor note of salt arrives to counter that sour cherry late as gooseberries and warming spices round out the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is getting into complex sipping territory with a bourbon vibe. If you know someone who loves bourbon but wants to get into brandy/cognac, then this is play.
11. A De Fussigny Superieur Cognac
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $58
The Brandy:
This brandy is hewn from grapes grown in the Petite and Grand Champagne regions of Cognac. Once fermented and distilled, the juice spends years resting in old oak until it’s just right for batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a soft butteriness to the nose with a lush creamed vanilla sauce next to singed cinnamon bark and apple bark with a fleeting sense of burnt toffee. The palate leans into the butter toffee with a flake of salt next to blooming orchard trees and orange marmalade over scones with thick cream and a whisper of Earl Grey soaked in dry white wine on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is just nice. It’s straightforward but has a nice depth thanks to that butteriness and bright floral fruits.
10. Cardenal Mendoza Gran Reserva
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $52
The Brandy:
This Spanish brandy has some serious pedigree. The juice is made from Airen grapes grown in Jerez. That then goes into former Pedro Ximenez sherry casks where it rests for 15 long years. The result is a deeply flavorful snifter that’s second to none.
Tasting Notes:
Roasted nuts, orange-infused dark chocolate, espresso beans, and brown bread greet you. The sip embraces the oak, nuts, and coffee as the body of the brandy feels like sharp beams of golden light flooding through darkly colored stained glass. The fruit is fairly dried and plummy and the sweetness edges ever-so-slightly toward molasses. The end is dry, bold, and leaves you warmed to your soul.
Bottom Line:
This is a quintessential Spanish brandy and a bar cart must-have. It also makes a mean old fashioned or sidecar cocktail.
9. Remy Martin 1738 Royal Cognac
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $67
The Brandy:
This high-end offering from Remy really does shine. The brandy is a blend of ultra-refined “Fine Champagne Cognacs” that are hand-selected and small-batched, adding a unique vibe to the expression.
Tasting Notes:
Dark red grapes mingle with sharp Christmas spices, musty oak, rich vanilla, and creamy toffee sweetness. A Christmas cake full of dried and candied fruit, spice, nuts, and buttery rum leads towards a whisper of fallow lavender fields. The end lingers just the right amount of time, touching on the fruit, spice, wood, and velvet texture.
Bottom Line:
This is rich and complex yet still accessible on the palate as a refined cognac with classic flavors. That makes this one a great sipper to have on hand.
8. Omage XO American Hand-Crafted Brandy
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $89
The Brandy:
Omage XO is as close as American brandy can get to being Cognac. The process is essentially the same but made from grapes grown in Central California that are fermented, distilled, and aged locally in that region to the same standards as brandy in Cognac.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a hint of floral honey next to apple and pear and maybe some vanilla sauce with a hint of poppy seed. The palate is lush and layers in woody spice with an even warmth next to soft red berries, a tad more pear flesh, and a little green tea. The end sweetens and fades out pretty quickly leaving you with a touch of oak and toffee.
Bottom Line:
This American brandy is delicious and worth seeking out. It’s complex and has a great depth that works equally well in cocktails as it does poured neat and sipped slow.
7. Père Magloire Fine Calvados
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $42
The Brandy:
This French apple brandy is made from a slow fermentation and single, slow continuous distillation in old copper stills. The juice then is blended with their fruitiest cuvées and filled into barrels made from 100-year-old+ oak trees for a long rest.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is like walking through an apple orchard in full bloom on a summer day with a cup of winter-spice-spiked apple cider in one hand and an apple hand pie in the other. The apple pie vibes continue on the palate with a stewed tart apple cut with cinnamon and clove and smothered in brown sugar and molasses with a whisper of oily vanilla lurking in the background. The end lightens considerably toward a fresh apple cider juice with the pure essence of a woody and sweet apple freshly picked from the tree lingering on your senses.
Bottom Line:
This is just freaking delicious. While it’s great on its own in a snifter, it also makes one hell of a hot toddy.
6. Martell Blue Swift
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $58
The Brandy:
This is classic Martell Cognac taken up a step. The old-school French juice is finished in Kentucky bourbon barrels for a final rest before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a real sense of stewed apples and pears with saffron and cinnamon sugar next to gingerbread and vanilla cake with a fresh almost pine resin darkness next to plump raisins and roasted almonds. The palate has a sense of candied ginger and vanilla cream with more of that stewed apple and singed cedar bark. The end is creamy and lush with a feel of vanilla tobacco wrapped up in cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is a great cognac for a bourbon fan. It’s deep, familiar, and very easy to drink neat or on the rocks.
5. Torres 20 Hors D’Age Brandy
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $62
The Brandy:
This Spanish brandy is a throwback to centuries-old brandy making. The juice starts off with Parellada and Ugni Blanc grapes that are fermented. That wine is then distilled twice in old copper stills before it’s loaded into French Limousin barrels for a long, 20-year rest.
Tasting Notes:
This is pure holiday cake on the nose with plenty of dark spices next to rich dried fruits, candied cherry, orange oils, and fatty nuts with a hint of creamy vanilla. The palate delivers on those notes while folding in a light sense of musty cellar beams and the smoothest cinnamon and clove-spiked vanilla pudding you can imagine — it borders on light eggnog with a little water added. The finish arrives with a subtle push towards the spice and dried fruit and leaves you with a dry sense of orange-infused tobacco and dry walnut shells.
Bottom Line:
This a great pour that just needs a little time to fully enjoy, especially after a big holiday meal.
4. Chateau de Laubade VSOP Armagnac
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $42
The Brandy:
Château de Laubade is a vine to glass experience in Armagnac, France. The Maison uses primarily Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche grapes to make their spirit. The juice then goes into the barrels for anywhere from six to 12 years. The barrels are then hand-selected and small-batched with no more than 20 barrels going into a single batch.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a creamy caramel and vanilla underbelly that leads toward bright and ripe cherries on the nose. That cherry sweetness counterpoints notes of old oak and dark spice as the sweetness edges towards creamed honey. The sip is perfectly-rounded, with zero rough edges. It lingers on your sense as the sweet fruit ends up slightly tart and spicy.
Bottom Line:
This is the cognac behind one of my favorite bourbons of the year from Bardstown Bourbon Company, which makes it the perfect pairing bottle for cognac and bourbon lovers out there.
3. Germain-Robin Brandy
ABV:
Average Price: $88
The Brandy:
This California brandy is made from locally-grown Colombard grapes. After fermentation, the juice is distilled in bespoke Pruhlo Charentais Pot Stills and then aged in French Limousin oak barrels until it’s just right for batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is full of winter spice barks and berries with a sense of pear candy and apple pie over cherry blossoms and apricot jam. The palate follows that path with a sense of peach compote over brioche with butter and woody spices, brown sugar, and orchard florals. The end has a mix of rich vanilla pods with a cinnamon-spiced tobacco vibe next to more apple and pear with a touch of old oak staves.
Bottom Line:
This is nice stuff that’s worth adding to your bar cart asap. It’s refined, so easy to drink, and really hits that sweet spot of fruity and spicy that only great brandies can.
2. D’Usse Cognac VSOP
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $59
The Brandy:
This was Jay-Z’s signature brand. The juice in the bottle goes way back to Baron Otard from the famed Château de Cognac. The new line was re-crafted to suit American palates and includes a blend of Cognacs that are aged at the château for four to eight years before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This starts off very similarly to the last pour with dark and rich chocolate and marzipan but carries on toward old soft leather and mild Christmas cake spices with a hint of vanilla and candied fruit. The taste mingles soft vanilla pods with buttery toffee and woody spices as the fruitiness shines a ray of sunshine through the whole sip. The end has a good sense of dark chocolate and almond with a hint of black tea bitterness rounding everything out.
Bottom Line:
This is another solid cognac from top to bottom. It’s a great sipper that works wonders in cocktails, making it as versatile as it’s delicious.
1. Delord 25 Ans D’Age Armagnac
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $78
The Brandy:
Delord is a single-house operation where grapes are grown organically and sustainably by the family. The grapes are pressed and twice distilled before going into the barrel for long resting periods of up to 25 years before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a deep oak nature to this one. That vanilla spice is supported by bright orange zest, sweet prunes, old bouquets of dried wildflowers, and whispers of allspice. Next, a rush of ripe fruit comes into play: Bright grapes, dark red cherries, juicy plums, peach stones, and zesty oranges all play a role here. It feels like you’re sipping from a fruit orchard in full bloom on a warm summer day in France. Then that’s all counterpointed by this deep and dark woody spice and vanilla tobacco that just pops on the finish, leaving your senses buzzing.
Bottom Line:
This brandy from Armagnac has a lovely level of nuance that makes it worth seeking out. The 25 years of aging gives this a depth that’s just astounding on the palate. And that’s before you get to the amazing price point for such a well-made and long-aged brown spirit.
