Brandy: the ‘Whiskey of Wines’ (Christmas special)

As the weather cools down, we’re going to switch things up with an ‘alt whiskey’ tasting event featuring brandy! Think of brandy snifters, warm fires, a big leather chair, and your best friend at your feet (dog, obviously). Or, think about being a hip-hop star sipping Hennessy–whatever works for you. 🙂 And since this will be in December, count on some holiday-themed ambiance and treats: eggnog (with brandy of course), Christmas cookies, and more!

IMPORTANT: There are at least three viruses going around now; please do not attend if you are not feeling well.

Our whiskey (and other spirits) tasting events are open to friends and their friends, but knowing approximate attendance will help me provide the best tasting experience. So, please RSVP below. We are capacity-limited to 20-25 this time, so this will be a little smaller and more intimate than recent whiskey tastings.

When & Where

Time & Date: 8-11PM on Saturday, December 17, 2022
Location: Chez Boisseau in 360 Condos.

RSVP

Let me know if you will attend by commenting below (with # !) so that we can plan appropriately. (Note: comments from first-time RSVPers won’t appear immediately on the page until I get a chance to approve them since bots have discovered my site… but I’ll be quick.) If you can’t figure out how to RSVP…

Brandies

For this event, we’re exploring brandies–fruit-based distillates (not just fermented, like wine/beer) that are commonly barrel-aged. Grape-based brandies are the most commonly consumed in the US, but there are many different kinds of brandies.

Tasting Events “Rules”

The “rules” have been established and refined over 26 previous whiskey (and “alt-whiskey”) events, for maximum enjoyment.

• Several different brandies will be provided that cover a range of taste profiles for comparison. As always, if you wish to bring a bottle to expand our comparison set and share with friends, please do (not required!)–but if you do then you must take your bottle home with you to enjoy on your own later! (There will be labels and a list.)
• All brandies provided by the hosts and being shared by guests will be posted below as we learn about them (let me know in the comments).
• You do not have to love brandy (yet) to join us and have fun–just be willing to taste and learn a little. Some wine and beer will also be provided, but feel free to bring anything you want if you’re not (yet) into brandy but still want to join the fun.
• There will be plenty of snacks but you should eat a full dinner beforehand if you’re serious about tasting many brandies.
• Parking: There is some street parking in the neighborhood and a state garage in the adjacent block (east). However, because it’s a spirits tasting event and we often end up with 20ish spirits (along with limited parking), we strongly recommend that you carpool and appoint a designated driver or use a rideshare so you can really focus on the tasting. Nobody drives home intoxicated!

Brandy list

Brandies (so far)

1. Chateau du Tariquet Bas Armagnac – Jay
2. Francois Voyer VSOP Cognac – Jay
3. Kinsman – rakia, an apricot brandy, made in Texas! – Jay
4. Maraska Sljivovica – old plum brand – Steve Krant
5. Pierre Ferrand Cru de Cognac – Jay
6. St. George Aqua Perfecta – basil-flavored eau de vie (brandy) – Jay
7. Tesseron X.O. cognac – Reid Wilson

Remember: All bottles brought by guests must be taken home to continue enjoying after the event! We do not do this to collect spirits, only to taste lots of things, share, and have fun!