Is There Any Brandy in the House?

By Frank Whitman

In old movies, the kind where the men wore suits and the women dresses, there was always a scene where someone was distressed.  Usually it was the heroine who had been surprised, attacked, flabbergasted or confronted into a near faint. The response from the leading man was usually, “Get her some brandy.”

Back then, brandy was standard in home bars along with whiskey, and gin (vodka is a fairly recent addition).  The old-world spirit was served neat (especially if you were distraught) or with soda, in a hi-ball or a cocktail. 

That’s not the case today.  I’ll bet you don’t have any brandy in the house. 

Brandy is distilled from fermented grape juice (AKA wine) and was made in most of the grape-growing regions across Europe.  The wine used was not always the best, yielding some pretty rough stuff, usually consumed locally.  Some was good enough to be bottled for shipping or export. 

A range of ages

Well-aged in oak barrels, Cognac and Armagnac from France are the best-known. Italy has its grappa, a clear and sometimes fiery liquid that has its own following. These fine brandies, commanding high prices, come from major houses like Martell, Hennessy, and Remy Martin as well as small artisanal producers. 

It’s the middle of the market that has disappeared since the era of those black and white movies.  There are some inexpensive bottlings from well-known large California producers. They have some brandy character, but not much nuance. 

Brandy is an essential classic cocktail ingredient.  Names like Sidecar and Brandy Alexander or a French 75 (in its original brandied form) conjure up flavorful drinks from a bygone era. Brandy is also welcome in a Hot Toddy or during the holiday season in Glog, Milk Punch or Eggnog. 

But what brandy to use?  Not pricey, high-end Cognac or mass-produced Cali brands. The field is not crowded with attractive choices at the $30 give-or-take price point. 

Recently, we held a tasting of Asbach German brandies, one of the most popular brands in Europe.  Four different bottlings, increasing in age from 3 to 21 years were sampled with sausages, cheeses, pâté and smoked salmon.  

Asbach is double-distilled in Rüdesheim, a picturesque wine village along the Rhine in the heart of some of the best vineyards in Germany. Their flagship brandy is aged in French oak barrels for three years. By French law, it can’t be called Cognac, but there is a connection.  Founder Hugo Asbach learned his craft in France and began making “Rüdesheim Cognac” in 1882.  It has a traditional brandy aroma of grapes tinged with oak that expands with spiced nut and plum flavors.  

With just enough alcohol bite, the three-year-old shines through cocktails and eggnog.  It also adds depth to sautéed dishes when used to deglaze a pan of, say, well-browned pork chops or seared sirloins. 

The three year is $33 at Total Wine.  There is also an eight-year-old version, more complex and smoother, better for sipping for around $55, but you have to seek it out. Even more exotic are the seldom-seen 15 and 21 year-old bottlings. 

The other night, I mixed up a shaker full of Asbach brandy, Cointreau, and lemon juice to make a couple Sidecars for Marsha and me. Served in depression glass stems, they took us right back to those black and white movie days.  Next time, I think we’ll dress up.