Day 342 Drink: Busnel Fine Calvados

The French have had apple orchards and made cider for centuries. Since the 1500s, apple brandy has been distilled. Calvados was given name protection in 1942 by the appellation contrôlée and three regions can now make the drink.

Busnel Calvados has been produced at the Distillerie Busnel in the Pays d’Auge region of Normandy since 1820. Sixteen pounds of apples are used to distill each 750 milliliter bottle of Busnel Fine Calvados, which is aged for at least 2 years in oak.

Busnel Fine Calvados is an 80 proof brandy that pours a tarnished brass color and has a fruit and oak nose. The flavor starts with a warming sensation that opens to a slightly bitter apple skin note, which mellows into a long finish.

Day 213 Drink: Germain-Robin Coast Road Reserve

Germain-Robin has been making fine brandies in California since importing an antique Cognac still in 1982. The distillery uses grapes that are harvested exclusively from Mendocino County.

Germain-Robin Coast Road Reserve is an 80 proof brandy that uses pinot noir, French colombard, grenache and Ehrenfelser (a riesling-sylvaner cross) grapes. It is a blend of older and younger brandies, giving the drink a depth and fresher notes. The brandy is a bright brass color that has a slightly floral aroma. Nice fruit notes with peach and apricots, with a finish that has some lingering herbal qualities.

Tuesday Tasting: Four Craft Spirits

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we try four spirits sent to us by Craft Distillers.

The folks at Craft Distillers in Ukiah, Calif., were nice enough to send along four small sample bottles of recent releases. These folks handle products put out by Germain-Robin and St. George Spirits, among other producers. The samples covered quite a bit of ground, but were all unique and impressive.

Maison Surrenne Ancienne Distillerie: This Cognac is 100 percent petite Champagne and aged for 10 years. Nice whiskey color. Booming nose leading with oak and vanilla. Warming flavor, upfront toffee and vanilla, with a very smooth finish.

Los Danzantes Mezcal Reposado: Straw color. Starts with a grassy, slightly medicinal nose. Firm flavor of smoke and clear agave character. Faint spice in the finish.

Aqua Perfecta Pear Liqueur: Pinot gris color, with a fresh floral aroma. Nice ripe just-picked pear flavor. Extremely light and smooth.

Hangar One Fraser River Raspberry Vodka: Pink red hue, with a distinctive fruit nose. Tart raspberry flavor notes with just a slight balancing sweetness.

Cognac Harvest 25 Percent Below Predictions

Cognac is the most famous brandy in the world and its made from a grape most people have not heard of, the ugni blanc. Disease in the vineyards, including mildew, are cutting this year's harvest of the ugni blanc significantly.

Cognac can come from only one small region of France. With demand for Cognac growing, a bad year hurts brands like Martell and Hennessy because they are unable to count on a reliable supply of grapes.

The Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac says production could be off by 25-30 percent. That will likely cause prices to climb in future years.

New York Law Boosts Small Distilleries

In 1976, the New York Farm Winery Act gave impetus to vineyards around the state and enabled the development of a force in the American winemaking industry. Now Gov. Eliot Spitzer has signed a bill that makes it legal for farmers to distill what they grow.

The new law makes it easier for distilleries to get off the ground and will likely cause a number of wineries from Long Island to Lake Erie to immediately go into the brandy business. One apple farm near Syracuse, Beak & Skiff, says it plans to start making vodka using apples grown at the farm when the law kicks in in three months.

The emergence of artisan distilleries across the U.S. is a throw back to a time when frontier farmers would distill so that they could more easily ship perishable farm commodities and had a cash crop to help fund farm expenses.

Tuesday Tasting: Delamain Grande Champagne Cognac

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we head to France for a taste of Cognac.

Cognac is a French brandy. Brandy takes its name from the Dutch word “bradewijn,” which means “burnt wine.” The French must have felt it easier to market Cognac than burnt wine. Many things can be used as a distillate to make brandy. Made in a pot still from colombard, ugni blanc and folle blanche grapes, Cognac can only come from the Cognac region along the Atlantic coast of France. It takes 10 gallons of wine to make a single gallon of brandy.

Kobrand was nice enough to recently send me a range of five Cognacs from a single Grande Champagne producer, Delamain.

Delamain Grande Champagne XO Cognac: Golden blond Cognac with nice fresh oak and vanilla notes. Slightly sweet and flowery.

Delamain Vesper: Copper colored Cognac with a slight caramel nose that wraps earthy, oak and crème brulee flavors in a tight package.

Delamain Grande Champagne Extra: Golden colored Cognac that has a subtle vanilla aroma and notes of smoke, orange peel and almonds in a slightly bitter flavor profile.

Delamain Tres Venerable: Tarnished brass color and a mellow oak aroma. Wonderfully full flavor with alternating sweet and spicy notes. This is a blend of older Cognacs. The finish is long and invites another taste.

Delamain Reserve de la Famille: This single barrel Cognac has a nice copper color and subtle floral nose. The flavor profile is a gentle combination of oak and vanilla.

Can Armagnac Make You Live Longer?

Researchers in France believe that Armagnac may help ward of heart disease, reduce obesity and help people lead longer lives.

Armagnac is a brandy that comes from the Gascony region of France. Researchers at the University of Bordeaux are studying why residents of Gascony live an average of five years longer than people in the rest of France. One answer might be a daily slug of Armagnac.

The scientists are looking at how Armagnac is distilled and the oak barrels where it is aged. The study found a low incidence of heart disease in the Gascony region, even though residents consume a diet similar to the rest of France and are heavy smokers.

The researchers study Armagnac on platelets in test tubes and found the drink has a similar positive benefit to the anti-thrombosis drug Plavix. In tests with humans, the brandy was compared to vodka and had a more positive result. The researchers also noted the Armagnac was better than daily doses of aspirin because it did not interfere with blood clotting in the case of a cut or injury.

Tuesday Tasting: A Trio of Spirits from Edgefield Distillery

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we head to Oregon to taste some micro-distilled spirits.

The Edgefield Distillery opened its doors in February 1998. Part of the McMenamin's group that includes brewing, winemaking, distilling, coffee roasting, pubs and hotels, the company turns out whiskey, brandies, gins and a coffee liqueur from its pot still 20 miles outside of Portland. Head Distiller Ty Reeder got his start in the brewery, then trained as a fill-in distiller. He took over the job a few years ago and is turning out some pretty decent products. Recently I had the chance to sample three of Edgefield's offerings.

Edgefield Distillery American Distilled Gin($26): From Oregon, this 90 proof Dutch-style gin is reserved with a nice balance of spices and touches of floral notes.

Edgefield Distillery Hogshead Whiskey ($32): This Oregon whiskey is made from 100 percent barley malt that is pot distilled to 92 proof. The color of new penny copper, it has an attractively sweet base with a nice peppery edge.

Edgefield Brandy ($28): There is a nice oak base to this 80-proof brandy made from the distillation of two Edgefield wines, one aged in French and the other American barrels. Rich vanilla nose, good fruit throughout and very warming.

Bulgarian Rakia Rebellion

America had its Whiskey Rebellion. It appears a Rakia Rebellion just might be brewing in Bulgaria.

For centuries Bulgarians in rural parts of the country have made homemade rakia, a brandy distilled from plums and grapes. Rakia has been a fairly cheap way to get a buzz on. Enter the European Union.

Bulgaria became a member of the European Union at the start of the year. The EU has a provision that calls for an excise tax on any homemade alcohol that is made in a public still. The cost of making 40 liters of rakia would jump from around $13 to $130 under the new rules.

Bulgarians are not about to take this lying down. A national protest is planned for Wednesday. Feb. 14 marks a holiday for St. Trifon "The Pruner" (Trifon Zarezana), to celebrate the annual trimming of grape vines.

Support for the Rakia Rebellion appears fairly strong. More than 250,000 have signed petitions against the EU tax. Bulgaria is one of the poorest members of the EU and making rakia is one way rural citizens have traditionally come together.

Micro-Distilleries in Wisconsin Look to Change Law

Wineries and breweries in Wisconsin can sell directly to visitors. For small operations that face challenges in breaking the strangle hold that larger producers have on the distribution system, sales to tourists can make the difference between earning a profit and going out of business. Small distillers in the state would like to get the legal right to sell direct.

The Wisconsin Wine and Spirit Institute and Mothers Against Drunk Driving have joined forces to block the move.

There is just one distillery in Wisconsin at the moment, but several wineries and fruit growers would like to set up stills to produce brandy and sell it in their tasting rooms. State Rep. Samantha Kerkman sponsored legislation last year to allow samplings and direct sales of spirits at distilleries. After receiving approval in committee, the bill was held hostage in the Rules Committee and never made it before the legislature for a vote. Rep. Kerkman plans to reintroduce the bill during the 2007 session.

Tuesday Tasting: Six Styles of Brandy

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we taste six different brandies from around the world.

The word brandy comes from the Dutch "brandewijn," which means burnt wine. It is made just about anywhere that industrious people can find grapes or fruit and a still. Brandy can range from highbrow Cognac to more down to earth applejack. Grappa, Calvados and Armagnac are all types of brandy. Sometimes you can even find a brandy labeled as a brandy. Most of the good ones result from talented distillers and proper aging. I tasted a range of six different brandies and found an amazing array of styles. All of the brandies tasted were 80-proof.

Courvoisier XO Imperial Cognac: This is a French classic, amber color, with hints of vanilla in the nose, then nuts, orange peel and a long wood finish in the flavor profile. A great drink for the end of an evening.

Marnier-Lapostolle XO Armagnac: While this French region is not as well known as Cognac, this brandy does not take a back seat to many. A nice almond nose, the rich thick flavor profile has hints of mocha and nuts.

RMS Distillery Special Reserve: This 7-year-old alambic brandy is made in the Napa Valley. It has a rich amber color, with a touch of smoke and hints of wood throughout the flavor profile.

Azteca de Oro Solera Reservada: This Mexican brandy is aged for 12 years using the solera method. It is a deep mahogany color with a rich coffee and baker's chocolate flavor profile. It is popular to use this brandy in cocktails, but it stands on its own as a fine drink.

Busnels Fine Calvados: This distillery was founded in 1820 in the Pays d'Auge region of France. They use 16 pounds of apples to make each bottle. It has a copper color and toffee nose. There is a rich layered flavor profile and a slightly oaky finish.

Westford Hills Pear William Eau-de-vie: Made in Connecticut from Bartlett pears, this clear brandy has a pear skin and slightly agave nose, with a distinct crisp pear flavor. It finishes with a warm bite. It could be a nice touch to a vodka martini.