How to distinguish XO levels?

Problem description:

From color, taste, age?

Analysis:

X0 is the classification of cognac, not all cognac. According to the storage life of the original wine in oak barrels, cognac is divided into many grades, from low to high, including VS grade (three-star), VSOP grade, XO grade, super grade and so on. VS grade refers to those cognac wines whose original wine age is less than 4.5 years, VSOP grade refers to cognac wines whose original wine age is between 4.5 and 6.5 years, and XO grade is at least 6.5 years (note "above"). The longer the original cognac is stored in oak barrels, the better the quality and the higher the price.

All brandy distilleries use letters to distinguish the quality, as follows: e stands for SPECIAL.

F stands for good

V stands for very (very good)

O stands for old.

S stands for superiority.

P stands for pallor (light and old)

X stands for EXTRA.

XO indicates the year of sprinkling, such as China's 10-year vintage and 20-year vintage.

XO is the grade representative of grape distilled liquor (brandy) and the abbreviation of Extra Old, which means "extremely old".

Brandy is roughly divided into three grades:

The first level is V.S, which means three stars. According to relevant French laws, the minimum age of original wine when blending cognac is at least 1.5 years.

The second level, V.O.V.O.P.V.S.O.P. and so on. The minimum age of the original wine when blending is at least 4-4.5 years.

The third level, X.O., Napoleon, Etra and so on. , is a very old brandy, called fine or best, and the minimum age of the wine when blending is more than 6 years.

Therefore, X.O is different from vintage wine, which refers to non-distilled wine made from grapes harvested in a certain year.

XO is not a brand, it is a grade of spirits brewed from grapes, such as cognac. It depends on how long the wine is stored in oak barrels. XO is the longest storage time, XO is the abbreviation of aged wine, followed by XOP and VS, and Napoleon is the shortest storage time.

Both X.O. and V.S.O.P are the grades of brandy storage year, but they are not the grades of red wine year, which is easily confused by many people!

Tequila wine

1. Brandy

The origin of brandy

There are many theories about the origin of brandy. The most credible thing is that the clever Dutch businessman came up with a good way to transport wine and reduce the traffic during the war: transport the wine after distillation, and then mix it with water at the destination, which greatly reduced the volume. On the other side, the merchants opened the lid of the wine and found that the wine was thicker and more fragrant than before, so they sold it directly in the market and were loved by most people, thus officially starting the production of brandy.

Some people say that brandy is the water of life, some people say that brandy is soju, and some people say that brandy is the soul of wine. If wine (fermented wine) is an elegant and gentle lady, brandy is undoubtedly a gentleman full of * * *. I was lucky enough to meet four such French romantic men the other day.

The first one is Martell. Founder of the oldest cognac factory. Martell was born in 1694. His father is a navigator and businessman. After working in Guernsey for seven years, Martell decided to come to Cognac and fight for his own world. Cognac is a small town in southwest France, which is the best place to produce brandy. Only brandy here can be called cognac. Today, Martell has 700 hectares of vineyards, and 98% of the grapes are white wine. They use fine-grained torrance oak barrels, which are less volatile and last longer. At present, the main operation of the company is still controlled by the family, and the eighth generation Patrick Martell is the general manager.

The second Hennessy His characteristic is the family badge-the arm and the tomahawk. This may be related to Richard Hennessy being the battalion commander under the French emperor Louis XV. When Maurice Hennessy arrived, he invented the grading system. In 1865, he used stars to mark the quality of wine. This system was quickly adopted by others. Hennessy only made barrels from Limousin oak in the forests of central France. In order to ensure that there is no shortage of wood in the future, they bought112 hectares of forest that will mature in 2020. Hennessy also has her own barrel factory. Each board should be roasted with fire for 12- 14 minutes to obtain a strong smell of roasted wood.

The next two are remy martin's brothers. One is V S O P (aged 4-5 years) and the other is XO(8- 12 years). Brandy will not change itself after bottling, and storage only refers to the time in oak barrels. France * * * has strict requirements on the brewing and quality of wine, especially in the cognac region. According to the quality, it is divided into six areas, the best is the center of cognac, which is called "big champagne area", followed by "small champagne area". The semi-brewed wines in these two regions are called "special champagne cognac". At present, only Remy Martin can be crowned with this title. This is also one of the expensive capitals of remy martin. Today, its quality grades are: VSOP, Napoleon (the target is Japanese market), XO, Extra and Louis XIII. The most expensive one, Louis XIII, has been brewed for more than 50 years, and it is bottled with baccarat crystal.

Remy martin Company has a special wooden barrel factory, and the raw material must be oak trees that have been growing in the neighboring Limousin area for more than 100 years. After the oak is sawn into strips of different sizes, it needs to be air-dried outdoors for more than 3 years to give off the bitter taste in oak. When making barrels, nails and glue are never used, only white rattan can be used. Its capacity is smaller than that of ordinary barrels, which increases the contact area between wine and barrel wall. Colorless shochu turns golden amber after being stored in barrels for several years, which greatly increases the flavor of the wine.

Classic brandy

RemyMartin Special

Remy martin X O

Grade: premium champagne cognac

Description: XO, which has the longest brewing time, is full of mellow flavor. Due to long-term storage, the rich fragrance of oak barrels and the floral fragrance of high-grade champagne cognac can cooperate with each other to achieve perfect results. To achieve this perfect cooperation, it takes a lifetime of wine cellar masters.

Tasting record: dark golden yellow, amber, reddish, transparent as crystal. It exudes a faint scent of daffodils and jasmine, and has a variety of bowls of wine and fresh walnuts. Elegant oak aromas mixed with vanilla and chocolate. There are also sweet hard-shelled fruits like apricots and figs, and spices like crocus. The entrance is very mellow. The aging of the years makes it rich in connotation and achieves a perfect and harmonious state. The aftertaste lasts for ten minutes.

Hennessy X.O

Hennessy X O

Grade: Grand Champagne Cognac

Description: It is brewed from "Water of Life" in the center of "Grand Champagne District" in Cognac District. The aging time is calculated in ten years and blended with thousands of selected "Water of Life". This is the best brandy. This cognac gives off a unique fragrance, and the aftertaste in the mouth can last for a very long time.

Tasting record: dark golden yellow, fiery red, reddish brown, clear and flawless. It exudes a strong aroma, such as the aroma of pot wine, walnuts, daffodils and jasmine, as well as a touch of passion fruit and litchi. Its oak fragrance is mixed with vanilla and cigar box. It is not difficult for drinkers to detect the elegant fragrance and faint resin fragrance of tail flowers, violets and roses. The mellow taste of Lin Maoshan oak makes the taste of wine last in the mouth and turn into the taste of sandalwood. The aroma and wine taste are extremely detailed, and the aftertaste can last for one hour.

King Martell

King Martell

Legend has it that in ancient times there was a god who turned into gold and went down to earth to pursue the yearning love. Beautiful legends symbolize the eternal and precious dreams of mankind. On the other hand, gold is a highly respected metal in legend.

Just because of the unchangeable loyalty of gold, greedy souls refused the temptation of honor and wealth one by one.

Cognac is the crystallization of patient pursuit of perfection and the representative of wealth and honor. Brandy can last forever only because of its amazing and proud cognac.

Nowadays, in order to share a beautiful dream with you, the Martell family deliberately combines perfect cognac with eternal gold, just like persistent gold diggers and slow-polished bartenders, and has written the legendary history of mankind with actions. Martell Winery is also an ideal and lofty desire, which has created a world-renowned cognac-Martell, the king of gold.

Remy Martin Louis XIII

Remy Martin Louis XIII

Grade: Grand Champagne Cognac

Description: It is brewed from the "Water of Life" in the center of Cognac District (Grand Champagne District) and aged for ten years. It is the best cognac with thousands of selected "Water of Life". Famous wine bottles complement each other. Remy martin Louis XIII is not only an excellent treasure that wine spectator dreams of, but also a rare work of art, and its crystal glass bottle is hand-made by French Bacara Glass Factory. This cognac gives off a unique fragrance, and the aftertaste can last for a long time.

Tasting record: dark golden yellow, fiery red, reddish brown, clear and flawless. It exudes a strong aroma, such as the aroma of wine, walnuts, daffodils and jasmine, as well as a touch of passion fruit and litchi. Its oak fragrance is mixed with vanilla and cigar box. It is not difficult for drinkers to detect the elegant fragrance and faint resin fragrance of iris, violet and rose. The mellow taste of Lin Maoshan oak makes the taste of wine last in the mouth and turn into the taste of sandalwood. The aroma and wine taste are extremely delicate, and the aftertaste can last more than 1 hour.

Hennessy Paradies

Hennessy Paradies

In the year of grape harvest, Hennessy family usually collects several barrels of the best dry brandy, thus establishing a precious wine cellar with a history of nearly 200 years. 1979, Hennessy family decided to use these precious resources to brew the most fragrant dry brandy-Hennessy Cup. The "water of life" selected to make a cup of Mo-Stop ranges from 50 years to 100 years, and then stored in oak barrels. This process makes this cup of Mo-Stop have a unique refreshing fragrance.

How to tell the authenticity of cognac The most serious fake wine in Chinese mainland is cognac, and the fakes in cognac are concentrated in three brands: Hennessy, remy martin and Martell. This is because these three brands have the highest popularity, good quality and relatively high prices. These brands are divided into many grades according to the years of storage in oak barrels. For example, Hennessy has ICHARD, XO, SOV, VSOP and so on. Remy martin has Louis XIII, XO, remy martin Super Club, VSOP, Samsung VS, etc. Martell has XO, CORDON BLEU, NOBLIGE, VSOP, etc. The price of these grades. 200 1 In the first quarter, counterfeit famous wines and foreign wines were found in shopping malls, hotels and restaurants of different grades in Beijing. Relatively speaking, there are more counterfeit cases in hotels and restaurants.

Several common methods to identify cognac are:

(1) According to the requirements of relevant laws and regulations, foreign wine labels should have Chinese logo and sanitary inspection and quarantine seal, so foreign wine without Chinese logo and sanitary inspection and quarantine seal may be fake wine.

(2) The genuine label is clearly identifiable and has a good outline; The label of fake wine is illegible and irregular.

(3) Authentic liquid is golden yellow and translucent; The liquid of fake wine is dim and its luster is poor.

(4) The metal anti-counterfeiting cover on the genuine bottle cap is integrated with the bottle cap, while the anti-counterfeiting cover on the fake wine is glued.

(5) Genuine anti-counterfeiting marks can have different pattern changes at different angles, and anti-counterfeiting lines can be torn off; The anti-counterfeiting logo of fake wine is dim, the pattern transformation is not obvious, and sometimes anti-counterfeiting lines are printed.

(6) The genuine metal security cover is well-made, with neat plastic packaging and good luster; Fake wine bottle caps are rough in workmanship, poor in plastic packaging material, thick, poor in luster, fuzzy in trademark and poor in stereoscopic impression.

2. American and Canadian whisky

■ American bourbon

Bourbon whisky originated in Bourbon, Kentucky, USA. Because the ancestors of Bourbon Town were mostly French immigrants who immigrated to the United States in the 16 and 17 centuries, it was named to commemorate the Bourbon Dynasty. In the United States, the production of whisky with corn as raw material began at 1789, which was created by Pastor Jelliga in Goth, Kentucky, USA. The early corn whisky gradually evolved into bourbon after continuous research and improvement by later generations.

1964 federal law strictly stipulates that Bos whisky should be distilled from fermented corn paste, rye and barley malt, in which the corn content should be greater than 5 1% (the corn content of ordinary bourbon whisky is 65% ~ 80%). In addition, the distilled alcohol must be aged in white oak barrels baked outside for more than two years-the mellow alcohol obtained through the above process can meet the national legal standard of bourbon in the United States.

■ Kimball bourbon

Established in 1795, Jinbin Winery is one of the oldest enterprises in Kentucky. The unique secret recipe of American Kimbin Bourbon has been handed down from generation to generation for six generations, and it is the oldest member of one of the few famous brands of American Bourbon. Kimbin Bourbon whisky (packaged on a white background) has a four-year aging period, and the wine is smooth and mellow. It is a representative brand of American bourbon with an alcohol content of 40%, belonging to the mild taste family of bourbon.

■ Canadian whisky

The development of Canadian whisky is closely related to the United States. On average, about 70% of Canadian whisky is exported to the United States every year. /kloc-In the middle of the 0/8th century, the first winery in Canada was established in Quebec to produce whisky. In the early days, rye was the main raw material of Canadian whisky, so wine showed a strong grain flavor. The production of whisky with corn as the main raw material began in the19th century, with a softer taste.

During the prohibition of alcohol in the United States, the American market was greatly expanded by smuggling a large number of whiskies. Even today, the United States is still the largest exporter of Canadian whisky. The mild taste of Canadian whisky is different from that of American bourbon, and it is an excellent choice for non-strong whisky lovers.

3. Felt gin

Jin Jiu was first produced in Holland in16th century. This is a kind of wine distilled from fermented grain juice. The cereals used are corn, barley, wheat and rye. Its main flavoring substance is gin, so it is also called gin. There are also some other flavor plants, including coriander, blackcurrant, calamus (root), sweet orange peel, Artemisia, cardamom, almond, angelica, fennel, lemon peel and so on. Traditionally, we call the collection of nuts, spices, berries, roots and bark used for seasoning "the collection of plant medicinal materials".

The alcohol content of gin is 34% to 47%. Its main producers are Britain, the Netherlands, Canada, the United States, Brazil, Japan and India.

Main production processes:

1. Pulping

(1) Grains are mashed, soaked in hot water and cooked under pressure.

(2) Add barley malt.

ferment

Adde artificially cultured yeast.

3. Distillation

High-quality neutral liquor (96% alcohol content) was obtained by patented distiller process.

4. Rectification and seasoning

Some processes are to distill juniper and other plant medicinal materials together with distilled liquor 1 time or multiple times. Another process is to distill the medicinal plants, and then add the distillate to the distilled liquor.

watering

Add soft water to reduce its alcohol content, so as to achieve the required concentration.

6. Filtering and bottling

Special matters

1. Category

(1) London dry gin. It is a colorless dry gin with a light taste, and the basic wine is absolutely pure (alcohol content is 90%) because it has been distilled three times.

② Dutch gin. This is a highly flavored and very fragrant gin with an alcohol content of 35%. This is because the aging process is also carried out in oak barrels under the supervision and management of the state because of its legal constraints.

Old Tom gin. Gin is sweetened with syrup.

(4) wild plum wine. This is a gin-based wine flavored with wild plums.

Pay special attention to

Rectification refers to the process of removing residual impurities in alcohol after distillation.

Lightweight felt wine

Light felt wine was first used by manufacturers near London, who printed London dry gin on bottle labels, but now it is in the United States or other countries.

Wine producers in this country also use the last two English words. The word dry is used in all felt wines on the market, and the bottle is marked dry.

CIN, extra dry gin, extra dry gin, London dry gin, etc. Are of the same nature, indicating that this wine is not

Sweet, no original flavor.

Plymouth felt wine

In addition to London felt wine, London felt wine is also produced in Paris, England, which is stronger and more fragrant than London felt wine.

Old Tom thinks that wine

Old Tom is a kind of sweet felt wine produced in London. There are several legends about this wine. Among them, the one recorded by Lord Kinross in his book is more logical. He thinks old Tom is a British spy. He rented a house in London and nailed a cat-shaped signboard to sell wine. Two pipes connected his house. When pedestrians want to buy wine, they can throw money into the thick tube in the cat's mouth and mutter something. Then he poured the wine out of the tube below, and the buyer drank it in the tube. This may also be the ancestor of vending machines.

American felt wine

American gin is slightly different from London gin, but both can be made into a good mixed drink.

Dutch felt wine

Dutch or Dutch gin tastes sweet, and it's refreshing whether you drink it straight or with ice. It is basically made of barley malt, and its taste comes from juniper. The Netherlands is the only country with a monopoly wine hotel. It has been chilled or added with ice cubes and a slice of lemon, making it the best substitute for dry martinis.

Felt wine needs no aging. Its delicacy is distilled from various spices. However, some felt wines in the United States will turn pale gold after aging for a period of time.

Color, called gin, is very old, but it is not indicated on the trademark. If it's light yellow felt wine made in Holland, it's all dyed with caramel.

Color. The most popular felt wine cocktail is martini cocktail, but it is only one of hundreds of felt wine cocktail recipes.

Classic gin (gin)

Gordon's gold

Gordon king

/kloc-In the 6th century, the pioneer of felt wine introduced it from Holland to Britain, and it became the national wine of Britain 200 years later. 1769, Alexander Gordon founded his felt winery in London. Gordon Felt Wine is alcohol obtained by heavy distillation, brewed with juniper and various herbs. Today, Gordon felt wine has become the best-selling felt wine in the world, with a daily sales volume of up to four bottles per second.

Gordon Li Jintang: I mean.

One part Gordon's Felt Wine, six parts tonic water, * * * Pour into a tall glass with ice and a slice of lemon.

Tankerei

beauty

1898, Gordon Company merged with Charles Gary Company to form Gary Gordon Company. Felt wine is the best wine in felted wine. It is rich and dry, with a unique gin flavor and other vanilla ingredients. It is now one of the most famous imported felt wines in the United States and has been widely praised by people all over the world.

Dry martini: d

Two ounces of Gordon or liqueur with linoleum, one-eighth of extra dry martini absinthe, * * * pour into a glass filled with half a cup of crushed ice and stir, and decorate with olives.

Beef gin

British guards

British Guardian is the representative brand of British gin. Its pure taste is an ideal choice for gin lovers. It is suitable for pure drinking and can also be used as the base wine for preparing various cocktails. Adding a few slices of lemon and ice cubes to a pure drink is even more indescribable. It is suitable for any cocktail based on gin, which may be the reason why people have always loved British guards. Have you tried?