Cocktails with Brandy
Brandy is a spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit, usually aged in oak. Labeled just "brandy", it’s the grape kind; fruit brandies carry their own names — Calvados from apples, kirsch from cherries.
ABV40%That is the strength of most bottles and the legal floor for Cognac. Stronger bottlings exist.
How it's used
Brandy is the base of classics such as the Sidecar, the Brandy Crusta and Between The Sheets, and of flips and sangarees. In a citrus shake, lemon and liqueur cover a lot of ground, so a VS or VSOP holds its own where an XO is wasted.
Substitutes for Brandy
An excellent one-for-one swap. Cognac is the safest bet: young ones give a sharper drink, while older ones are richer.
Another grape brandy that stands in at the same amount.
Bourbon or aged rum
Work in a pinch in the same amount, but the grape character is lost.
Not substitutes. Distilled from pomace, they make a much harsher, more rustic drink.
