The Best Brandy Bottles In 2023
According to the Distilled Spirits Council, around 16.5 million 9-liter cases of brandy were sold in the U.S. in 2021, up from 15 million in 2019. It's clear that, while many still look at brandy as the prerogative of older men in smoking jackets, the spirit is definitely gaining popularity in the States and around the world.
For the uninitiated, brandy is a liquor distilled from grapes or other fermented fruit such as apples, apricots, or pears. Brandy can be either young or aged; the latter is the case with Cognac (via Eater). Usually golden or amber in color, brandy is typically subtly sweet and fruity with hints of oak, a flavor that's the result of a maturation process undertaken in wooden barrels. While the tipple is often drunk neat at room temperature or on the rocks, it's also commonly used as a base spirit in cocktails such as the Brandy Alexander, Sidecar, and Vieux Carre (via MasterClass).
How we selected products
Just like whiskey and Scotch, different varieties of brandy can be as diverse and divergent as chalk and cheese. After all, a Cognac brandy produced in France will taste very different from a more modern take on the amber pour, as if so often taken by American liquor brands. As such, when it comes to brandy, it's important to know what you are after before you put down your money. Are you looking for a classic sipper to indulge in on cold winter nights? Or do you want a more fruity liquor to elevate your cocktails? The choice is yours but, either way, it pays to think about it first.
Our mission to bring you a list of the best brandy bottles in 2023 took us to some far-flung corners of the internet, where we examined both community and expert opinions about different takes on this amber beverage. In particular, we looked at different types of brandy, as well as ingredients, origin, maturation process, and affordability. Without further ado, here are the results of our efforts to bring your attention to the best bottles of brandy available in 2023.
Best brandy overall
Uncompromisingly French, the Rémy Martin XO Brandy is the signature blend of the iconic Rémy Martin distillery. More specifically, this Cognac is made from grapes sourced from the Petite and Grande Champagne vineyards (via Drizly). These have both been ranked as the two most superior crus, or wine-growing regions, in Cognac, France, as BBC Good Food reports.
First released in 1981, Rémy Martin XO (the XO stands for extra old) contains a blend of up to 400 eaux de vie aged between 10 and 37 years in French Limousin oak (via Distiller). While, according to Liquor.com, some XO Cognacs can taste overwhelmingly woody due to the length of the maturation process, Rémy Martin XO doesn't suffer from this malady. Instead, the pour tastes bright without losing the richness and full body so characteristic of XOs.
Named after a grape grower who started selling Cognac in 1724, Rémy Martin has received an almost perfect rating of 4.9 out of 5 from Drizly. One reviewer on the platform called the spirit the next level of sophistication from Rémy Martin VSOP, writing glowingly of "that nice warming, smooth experience. The flavors of overripe grapes [are] of fruity, spicy with a subtle hint of bitterness."
Purchase the Rémy Martin XO Brandy from Drizly starting at $106.99.
Best South American brandy
Referred to as "an elevated drinking experience," the Singani 63 Brandy is literally just that, given that it's distilled high in the Bolivian Andes. The clear — or unaged single-variant white grape — brandy is crafted from Muscat of Alexandria grapes, which were brought to the region by Spanish missionaries around 500 years ago.
Singani 63 is the brainchild of film director Steven Soderbergh, who fell in love with the brandy while filming "Che" in Bolivia in 2007. Two years later, Soderbergh partnered up with the Casa Real Distillery to create Singani 63. After a bit of back and forth, Singani was finally recognized as a brandy by the U.S. in 2021 (via Singani 63).
Despite its name, Singani 63 is bottled at 80 proof. According to Drinkhacker, the Singani 63 is very similar to pisco from neighboring Peru and Chile, with a brisk pour that's also rich with aroma and citrusy notes both on the nose and the palate. The finish is surprisingly refreshing with a subtle hint of mushroom and menthol.
Purchase the Singani 63 Brandy from Drizly starting at $36.99.
Best brandy for cocktails
Layered and fruit-forward, the Bertoux Brandy is a California-produced brandy designed to shine in mixed drinks. This tipple was crafted by a renowned bartender Jeff Bell and an acclaimed sommelier Thomas Pastuszak. As such, the pour is ideal for mixing into classic brandy cocktail concoctions such as an Old Fashioned, Highball, or Sidecar drink. In fact, Bertoux Brandy is named after Jean Bertoux, a French inventor who patented the forerunner of the Sidecar, so you know it's got some serious cocktail creed (via Distiller).
Bertoux Brandy is a solera-style blend that combines pot-distilled brandies aged between three and seven years in American and French oak barrels, according to K&L Wine Merchants. While the brandy has been invented for cocktails, it's also more than suitable as a sipper. Not big on complexity, the affordable pour comes with a classic grapey nose that features subtle notes of lemon and clove. It goes down smoothly with a candied grape flavor at the front and notes of wood at the back (via The Hooch Herald).
Purchase Bertoux Brandy from Drizly starting at $42.99.
Best brandy under $50
Priced at just under $40 per bottle, Courvoisier Sherry Cask Finish Cognac is a bargain. Produced with the U.S. market in mind, the golden-amber pour is aged between two and eight years in French Limousin oak. As its name suggests, the brandy is then matured in sherry casks for around four months (via Distiller).
Released in 2019, Courvoisier Sherry Cask Finish is smooth enough to be enjoyed neat or on the rocks. It's a silky pour with aromas of tangerine, ginger, kumquat, honey-walnut, cola, and leather. Meanwhile, the brandy's palate is characterized by musk, lime leaf, dried cherries, and a subtle note of licorice (via Tastings).
Courvoisier Sherry Cask Finish Cognac has been a hit both with experts and other brandy enthusiasts. The spirit has received a cool 90 out of 100 from Tastings, which places it in the exceptional category. On the community level, one Drizly reviewer rather glowingly described the pour as "the greatest cognac under $50 bucks."
Purchase the Courvoisier Sherry Cask Finish Cognac Brandy from Drizly starting at $42.99.
Best Calvados brandy
Named after the region of its production in Normandy, France, Calvados is an apple brandy that begins its life as a cider. To qualify a spirit as a Calvados, the fruit must be pressed, fermented, distilled, and aged for at least two years, according to Wine Enthusiast. The Calvados Boulard VSOP Brandy is made from over 120 varieties of apples grown on 150 acres of orchards in the Pays d'Auge district, which is renowned for the finest apples in Normandy (via Palm Bay). More specifically, the pour is composed of brandies that have been double-distilled in copper pots and aged between four and 10 years in oak barrels, as per Drinkhacker.
So what can you expect from this amber elixir? On the nose, Drinkhacker detects aromas of crisp apples with notes of cocoa powder and menthol. In terms of flavor, the pour glides over the palate with subtle notes of freshly baked apples, cinnamon, toffee, and vanilla.
Purchase the Boulard VSOP Calvados Brandy from Drizly starting at $14.99.
Best Armagnac brandy
Produced in the Armagnac region of Gascony in southwest France, Armagnac is made using a single distillation process. This tends to give the liquor a richer and more textured flavor profile than its better-known counterpart Cognac, which is usually distilled twice (via Buyer). Already produced in the 14th century when it was used for medicinal purposes, Armagnac is one of the world's oldest spirits, according to In Search of Elegance).
The boldness of the Darroze 40 Year Les Grand Assemblages brandy is typical of Armagnacs. The pour's dominant oaky nose is balanced by notes of dried fruit, leather, toffee, and spices. The silky palate follows suit, blending oak, spice, and fruit. The finale is dry with clearly discernible tannins adding to the experience. While the Darroze 40 Year Les Grand Assemblages may be a little heavy on the wallet, for a brandy that's been aged 40 years, it's a great value.
Purchase the Darroze 40 Year Les Grand Assemblages Brandy from Drizly starting at $189.99.
Best brandy for sipping
The Camus XO Borderies Family Reserve Brandy takes a boutique approach to Cognac. Produced from grapes grown in the Borderies vineyards, the region's smallest cru, the Camus XO Borderies is a single-estate Cognac. While you could easily drink this fine brandy in a cocktail, Camus XO Borderies' flavor is best appreciated when it's sipped neat out of a tulip glass. According to the Cognac Expert, this is the best way to enjoy the complex flavor journey of each sip. An ice cube or a drop of water will also go a long way to enhance the brandy's aromas and taste.
While each barrel of Camus XO Borderies is unique, the liquor in general features complex floral and fruity notes with hints of vanilla and pastries. The palate is creamy and powerful, with a velvety texture and the flavors of spice, dried fruit, and cinnamon. Last but not least, the floral finale comes with subtle violet notes.
Purchase the Camus XO Borderies Family Reserve Brandy from Drizly starting at $186.44.
Best pisco brandy
Once popular in the U.S., pisco, a grape-based brandy from Peru, faded into the shadows after Prohibition. Luckily, with a growing appetite for Peruvian cuisine in the States, the liquor is once again hitting the spotlight (via Drink Spirits).
The Pisco Portón Brandy is a mosto verde pisco, which is blended from Torontel, Quebranta, and Albilla grapes. It's all directed by leading pisco expert and master distiller Johnny Schuler, who works at Hacienda la Caravedo in Ica (via New World Review). The 86-poof brandy's short fermentation process (six to eight months) gives the tipple refreshingly floral characteristics (via Bar and Drink). While pisco isn't usually known for its smoothness, New World Reviews notes that Pisco Portón is about as smooth as pisco can get. It's also full-bodied and earthy with hints of sweetness and citrus.
Purchase the Pisco Portón Brandy from Drizly starting at $19.99
Best American brandy
While brandy may not be as popular in the U.S. as grain spirits are, it does have its firm supporters. One of the best American brandys on the market today isn't just affordable, but it's got real character. At 90 proof, the Copper & Kings American Craft Brandy has a little more bite than the average brandy, but thankfully not at the expense of depth of flavor.
Shaped as it is by American whiskey culture, the Copper & Kings American Craft Brandy is both rich and spicy, distinguishing it from fruitier brandys (via Drizly). First distilled in copper pots, this brandy is matured in Kentucky brandy barrels and medium-char American oak barrels to ensure balance and a velvety finish. On the nose, the golden elixir exudes honey, caramel, honeysuckle, and cherry wood. Meanwhile, the palate is slightly oily and viscous with notes of honey, tobacco, toasted oak, and dried stone fruit.
Purchase the Copper & Kings American Craft Brandy from Drizly starting at $36.99
Best Jerez brandy
Also sometimes called sherry brandy, Jerez brandy is aged solera style in sherry casks in the Jerez region of Spain, according to Bevvy. More specifically, the González Byass Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva O.V. Brandy is aged in casks that previously housed Oloroso sherry, combining the flavor of the brandy with the aromas of oak and the gentle sweetness of sherry, as per Master of Malt. The mahogany-hued spirit is warm on the palate and features a well-balanced bitter and subtly balsamic finale (via Drizly).
The flagship label of González Byass, Lepanto is named after the location of a 16th century naval battle in Greece. Today, González Byass is the only bodega that continues to produce its brandy completely in Jerez. Also, unlike most Jerez brandy, which is made from Airén grapes, Lepanto uses Palomino grapes. While there's no age statement on the bottles, according to SherryNotes, the Lepanto brand is matured for at least 12 years.
Purchase the González Byass Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva O.V. Brandy from Drizly starting at $68.24
Best apricot brandy
Translating to "blossom of apricot" in German, Blume Marillen brandy is infused with the taste of Klosterneuburger apricots harvested in Austria's Wachau region of the Danube Valley. Steeped in history and tradition, the brandy is a culmination of the Purkhart family's efforts to capture the unique taste of the region, a pursuit they have been involved in since 1932 (via Alpenz).
The Blume Marillen Apricot Eau-de-Vie is a labor-intensive floral brandy the comes with notes of spice and licorice. Over nine pounds of apricots have to be double distilled in traditional pot stills to produce a 750-milliliter bottle of the liquor (via Bitters & Bottles). The 80-proof brandy is ideal for sipping neat at room temperature or can be stirred into cocktails for a touch of fruity sweetness and earthy notes in your next mixed drink.
Purchase the Blume Marillen Apricot Eau-de-Vie Brandy from Drizly starting at $32.
Best brandy for a splurge
Elegant and complex, the Hennessy X.O Cognac Brandy comes with a hefty price tag. According to brandy connoisseurs, however, the pour is worth every dollar. Let's face it: there are much worse things to do with a spare $215 than indulge in one of the finest sippers in the world. Crafted in 1870, the iconic expression was the first-ever X.O, or extra old, Cognac. Today, it's a category that is ubiquitous in brandy circles. Its stunning decanter, which pays tribute to the shape of grape bunches, was designed in 1947 (via Drizly).
The Hennessy X.O Cognac journey begins with aromas of raisins, prunes, leather, and caramel-soaked orange. The sleek palate blends flavors of toasted nuts, cocoa, oak, and cinnamon. The long finale is characterized by sultanas and baking spices (via BBC Good Food). One Master of Malt reviewer has commented on Hennessy X.O's velvety slickness, saying that the pour is "deliciously smooth and warming without the sharp hit at the back of the throat that you get with some cheaper Cognacs."
Purchase the Hennessy X.O Cognac Brandy from Drizly starting at $229.99.
Best grappa brandy
Made from distilled Moscato grape pomace, which is left behind after the winemaking process, Nonino Vigneti Moscato Brandy is an especially elegant pour. Classified as grappa, a particular style of Italian brandy, this pour is the brainchild of the Nonino distillery, which itself was founded way back in 1897. Significantly, the distillery has been credited with revamping and elevating grappa. What was once known as a poor man's drink has now been transformed into a sophisticated pour via a single grape variety brandy put out by Nonino, as per Bon Appétit.
After being fermented in stainless-steel tanks for between six and 12 months, the Nonino Vigneti Moscato undergoes an artisanal distillation process. More specifically, as per the Nonino website, distillation there moves at an especially slow pace to preserve the unique characteristics of the grappa.
Purchase the Nonino Vigneti Moscato Brandy from Drizly starting at $73.87