Glossary
Angel's Share: a poetic term symbolizing the portion
of the brandy that evaporates during its long aging.
Brandy (from the Dutch word brandwijn a liquor
produced by distilling wine or other fermented fruits.
Put simply, distillation is the process of boiling
a liquid and collecting the vapors. In the Charentais
distillation method, developed for Cognac in the
Charent River valley of France, brandy is distilled
twice in copper pot stills.
Charentais Pot Still / Alambic: the type of pot
still used in Cognac, and in making Osocalis brandies.
Foreshots: the first low boiling compounds collected
at the condenser. The foreshots may include methanol,
acetone, and light aldehydes or esters.
Heads: The heads are primarily ethanol, but also
contain various flavored cogeners. Many of the floral
and fruity components of the aroma are found in
the heads. The cutting, or la coupe between
the heads and body is carefully done by a master
distiller, as this is one of the keys to a superior
brandy.
Blending: The traditional method of brandy elaboration
combines the best features of eaux-de-vie from various
grape varieties, harvest years, barrels, and aging
details. The blending process takes years, as the
component brandies marry in the cask.
Boiler / chaudière / cucurbite: the
part of the still that contains the wine or brouillis.
The heat is applied to the copper boiler flask to
boil the liquid producing the spirit vapors.
Body / Heart / Couer: The heart is obtained
during the Bonne Chauffe once the heads and the
tails have been discarded, and it is the part of
the distillate that will become brandy. The heart
may be up to about 72% alcohol.
Bonne Chouffe: Also known as "Second Distillation".
The distillation of the so-called "brouillis" will
produce the eau-de-vie.
Brouillis: The distillate that is collected
during the first distillation. It is typically about
30% alcohol by volume. Also known as "low wine".
Cask / Barrel: The barrels used to store and age
the brandy are produced from fine oak wood with
the right grain structure. Everything from the growing
climate of the tree, to the shaving of the staves,
and the flame-toasting of the barrel contribute
to the quality of the finished aged brandy. Typically
brandy is aged in barrels of about 300-400 liters
(~100 gal).
Chouff du Vin: The wine preheater. This
onion-shaped vessel sits high, between the pot and
the condenser. As the hot vapors pass through the
swan neck, they give up some of their heat to the
wine in the Chouff du Vin, which will be
used in the next distillation batch.
Cooling Tank: The part of the still that contains
the water that cools the condenser coil. Careful
control of the temperature and flow rates condense
the alcohol vapors smoothly.
Condensor: the part of the still located after
the swan neck and inside the cooling tank. In this
tapered copper coil, the vapors are condensed to
a liquid phase.
Columbard, Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche: The three
grape varieties permitted for distillation in Cognac.
Follignan is a cross between Ugni Blanc and Folle
Blanche, that is also allowed.
Cutting: the phase of the distilling procedure
that separates the heads or tails from the heart.
Distillate: The liquid that is collected from the
condensation of vapors in the coil.
Eau-du-Vie, eaux-de-vie: the distilled spirits
produced from wine
Marc: The solid remains of the grapes or
fruit after pressing for juice. Used in making grappa.
Mistelle: Fresh grape juice with eau-de-vie
added to prevent fermentation.
Must: the liquid pressed from fresh grapes or fruit.
The must ferments to make wine.
Mutage: Adding alcohol to must in order
to prevent fermentation. Used in making pommeax
and mistelle.
Pomace: The solid remains of the grapes or fruit
after pressing for juice.
Rancio: a term used to describe the complex
aromas derived from long aging in oak casks. It
may be detectable after 5-6 years, and more prominent
after 10+ years of aging.
Seconds / Seconde: the liquid that is collected
in the distillation after the heart.
Second cut
Swan's Neck: The curved portion of copper tube
between the pot or boiler and the condenser. The
swan neck is the top of the vapor path, where each
droplet of vapor may continue downhill to the condenser,
or downhill to return to the pot. Stave: the long,
curved pieces of wood that are assembled to form
a cask.
Still: The device used for distillation, and employed
in the making of brandy. The still consists of the
boiler, the still-head and swan neck, and the cooling-tank
and coil. The traditional Charentais still also
includes a wine pre-heater.
Still-head: the part of the still atop the boiler.
Often shaped like an onion.
Tails: The portion of distillate collected after
the heart. Heavier and higher-boiling molecules
are carried over by the vapors as the distillation
runs to its endpoint. These can include more oily
and astringent compounds that contribute to the
complex flavors of a finished brandy.
Tannin: Found in leaves, stems, and seeds of grapes,
tannins protect wine from degradation by oxygen.
Though tannins do not vaporize from the wine, tannins
are also found in the oak wood of the casks, where
they are slowly dissolved into the brandy. The distinctive
tannins of different oak species and convey some
of the uniqueness of woods from different forests
and growth habits.
Vinasse: The residue left in the still after the
distillation.
VS: Very Special, indicating that the youngest
eau-de-vie in the blend has aged at least two years.
VSOP: Very Superior Old Pale. In Cognac, indicates
that the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend has aged
at least for four years
XO: Extra Old. In the language of Cognac, the youngest
eau-de-vie in the blend at least 6 years old.
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