What do Brandy and Whiskey have in common?
As you know, these are two of the most famous drinks in the world, and despite their differences in ingredients and production methods, they do share other characteristics.
To give you a general idea of both beverages, here is a brief summary of their key points:
Ingredients used in its production:
Brandy is made from spirits and fermented wine that are aged for varying periods of time in wooden barrels. Whiskey, on the other hand, is made from malted grains such as barley, wheat, rye, and corn, and like brandy, it is aged for a specific period in oak barrels.
Production methods:
Brandy is produced using a process based on the distillation of wine in copper stills. As a point of reference, it takes 3 liters of wine to produce one liter of brandy. That is why brandy is known as the 'Spirit of Wine'. Whiskey, on the other hand, is produced through a process of distilling fermented malt.
Product storage:
Once the production process is complete, the next step is aging. To achieve the optimal condition required for consumption, brandy and whiskey use a very similar system: aging in American oak barrels that have previously stored sherry. This is the key. Sherry has a wide range of varieties, from dry to sweet wines, which will have a decisive influence on the flavor, nuance, and color that the brandy and whiskey will subsequently acquire.
Why choose Jerez:
Because of the interplay of aromas and flavors that both beverages inherit from sherry. Brandy selects aged barrels in Jerez for their ability to “mature” it, imparting nuances that can only be acquired through the drink’s contact with oak wood. The same is true for whiskey. Every year, producers of well-known whiskey brands visit the wineries of the Marco del Jerez region in search of the coveted Spanish oak that has been steeped in sherry over the years. Only in this way will they obtain the color and flavor that a good whiskey must possess before consumption.
As you can see, brandy and whiskey, despite being different beverages, share similarities in both their production and aging processes to achieve the highest levels of quality. The color, flavor, nuances, aroma, etc., of both beverages are qualities that depend directly on the type of wine that was previously aged in the barrel used for aging brandy or whiskey.
Why choose Cardenal Mendoza to begin your journey into the world of brandy:
Cardenal Mendoza has extensive experience in the production of brandies. We offer a considerable variety, ranging from our Cardenal Mendoza 'Clásico'—which has aged for 15 years in barrels that previously held Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez wine—to 'Carta Real,' aged for 25 years and winner of numerous international awards, to our flagship product 'Non Plus Ultra,' which has spent 50 years in oak barrels waiting to be tasted. A unique brandy with exceptional characteristics.
So don’t think twice—give it a try, alongside Cardenal Mendoza, a drink that’s perfectly suited to the palates of whiskey lovers.
The Brandy awaits you.
