Let me tell you just one of my guilty secrets. May I?

Alright, here it is:  As much as I adore fine cognac, I absolutely LOVE the wonderful Spanish brandies of Jerez. There, I’ve said it. It comes as little surprise, of course, that a wine lover should also appreciate brandy. Taking that a step further, it should come as no surprise that a sherry devotee (such as myself) would appreciate the brandies from the famed sherry region of Spain–Jerez–most of all.

Actually, Spanish brandy might just be the oldest distilled spirit in Europe. The process was brought to Andalucia by the Moors in 711 C.E. It seems that while the Moors were not permitted to drink alcohol, they could use the distillation process to produce perfume as well as for antiseptic and medicinal uses. There is no specific evidence of spirit production in the Jerez region until the 16^th century when we know it was used to fortify the local wines in order to stabilize them for transport (coincident with a similar practice at about the same time in Portugal with port wine).

Brandy de Jerez is produced from wine made from Airén and Palamino grapes. It is aged in sherry casks, known as botas, made from American oak. These casks must by law have been used for making sherry for at least three years prior to being used to age the brandy. Unlike cognac which has a static aging process, Brandy de Jerez uses the same criaderas y soleras system that is used for aging sherry. That is, the brandy is blended together, vintage upon vintage, which offers a consistency in flavor over many years. This also allows for greater oxidation and changes the way in which the brandy reacts with the oak and the way that the old and new brandies react together.

The style of sherry that was originally in the cask determines the brandy’s color and flavor. Oloroso casks, for instance, lend aromas of walnut, plum and fig. Pedro Ximenez casks offer sweet raisin notes. And Fino casks show vanilla, fresh fruit and grilled nuts. Add to this the warm climate of the area which helps to soften the character of the brandy and you have a licor which is dark and rich, with lush, brooding fruit notes.

If you are unfamiliar with the brandies of Jerez don’t hesitate to give them a try. You may find you have a new guilty secret of your own!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills