The Wine Reference🍷 SupportJerez: Brandy de Jerez
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Brandy matured in the sherry bodegas of Jerez, picking up rich flavours from the casks.
How it's made
Aged in ex-sherry casks using the solera system. Categories are Solera, Solera Reserva and Solera Gran Reserva.
Wine, mostly from Airén grapes grown in La Mancha and other parts of Spain, is distilled into wine spirits. Holandas are distilled to under 70% abv in pot stills and keep the most flavour; stronger column-distilled spirits are also used.
History
Spanish brandy grew from wine spirits shipped from Jerez to Dutch traders, who called them 'holandas'. Pedro Domecq launched Fundador in 1874, one of the first branded brandies of Jerez.
Ageing and label terms
Ageing takes place in American oak casks seasoned with sherry, using the solera system. Solera: at least 6 months; Solera Reserva: at least 1 year; Solera Gran Reserva: at least 3 years, in practice often much longer.
Styles
Light, fruity Solera brandies for mixing, and rich, dark Solera Reserva and Gran Reserva brandies with raisin and walnut notes from Oloroso or Pedro Ximénez casks.
Rules and protected names
Brandy de Jerez is a protected geographical indication. It must be aged in the sherry triangle of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and bottled at least 36% abv.
How to serve and classic cocktails
Neat in a small glass after dinner. In Spain it is mixed with cola or coffee (carajillo), and it makes a rich Sidecar or a brandy Old Fashioned.
With food
Dark chocolate, turrón, almond cakes, aged Manchego and slow-cooked oxtail.
Good to know
The spirit is distilled elsewhere in Spain, but only brandies aged in the Jerez area may use the Brandy de Jerez name.
Producers
- Cardenal Mendoza (Sánchez Romate)
- Lepanto (González Byass)
- Gran Duque d'Alba
- Fundador
Bottles to try
Sánchez Romate Cardenal Mendoza Solera Gran Reserva
Raisins, figs, toffee, coffee and sweet spice.
Strength: 40% · Age and cask: Solera Gran Reserva, casks seasoned with oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry
A classic Brandy de Jerez from Sánchez Romate, a house founded in 1781. It ages in a solera system of sherry-seasoned American oak butts, which gives its dark, rich, sweet style.
Serve: Neat, or with coffee after dinner
González Byass Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva
Elegant and dry: dried figs, walnuts, vanilla, toffee and a long oloroso finish.
Strength: 36% · Age and cask: Solera Gran Reserva, aged in sherry-seasoned American oak casks
Unusually for Brandy de Jerez, Lepanto is made only from Palomino grapes from Jerez and distilled in copper pot stills. It then passes through a solera system in the González Byass bodegas.
Serve: Neat after dinner
Williams & Humbert Gran Duque d'Alba Solera Gran Reserva
Rich raisin, toffee and roasted nut, round and sweetish with sherry depth.
Strength: 40% · Age and cask: Solera Gran Reserva, ex-oloroso and Pedro Ximénez butts
One of Jerez's benchmark old brandies, aged by the criaderas and solera system in sherry-seasoned American oak butts at the Williams & Humbert bodega.
Serve: Neat after dinner or over a single large ice cube
Fundador Solera Reserva
Light and sweet: raisins, caramel and a touch of oak.
Strength: 36% · Age and cask: Solera system, ex-sherry American oak
Launched by Pedro Domecq in 1874 as the first Spanish brandy sold under a brand name. Aged through the solera and criadera system in casks that once held sherry.
Serve: With cola or ginger ale, or neat with ice
Also a wine region: Jerez-Xérès-Sherry wine guide.
More brandy regions
Explore all spirits in the interactive guide
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