Armenian cognac is a serious competitor to its French counterpart. It is two representatives from different countries that occupy leading positions in popularity, quality, history. Winemaking in Armenia began very, very long ago, about 3500 years ago. Since 1999, Armenian brandy has been produced according to a new standard, which obliges the manufacturer to use only grape alcohols grown in Armenia. However, it is not easy to distinguish an authentic Armenian brandy without being in Armenia.
Modern standards of Armenian brandy
Now the famous drink of Armenia must go through all stages of production only in its homeland, from harvesting grapes to bottling. It is this kind of drink that can be called Armenian brandy.
Also, manufacturers of counterfeit products cannot use the name of the products of the Yerevan Brandy Factory. By the way, you can get acquainted with the official distributors of cognacs from Armenia on the Internet.
According to the new GOST, Armenian cognac must meet certain properties. Genuine Armenian cognac has a transparent color from light brown to dark brown with a slight sheen, has a taste and bouquet without any foreign taste and smell. The volume fraction of ethyl alcohol must be at least 40%. In the technical conditions for a specific type of cognac, a certain volume of ethyl alcohol and the mass concentration of sugar are established.
How to choose an authentic cognac in a store
When choosing a brandy in a store, you can hardly find many ways to distinguish the authenticity of brandy. The simplest, but no less effective, is considered to be a test for the consistency of the liquid in the bottle, called Armenian brandy. So, genuine cognac with a limitation period of at least three years will never be liquid like, for example, tea. An inverted bottle of cognac can help identify the cognac for authenticity. High-quality Armenian brandy does not drain all at once, but leaves behind a weighty drop at the bottom of the container of a darker color and thicker consistency than the rest of the liquid in the bottle. Also, more air bubbles rising after small ones indicate the permissible density of the drink for Armenian brandy.
The packaging and appearance of the bottle for cognac are of great importance. The plug must be sealed without any damage. Very often, manufacturers of counterfeit products crookedly stick the label on the bottle, as well as on the cork. You should carefully inspect all stickers, labels, and the container itself as a whole, whether there is any damage on it. Cognac companies attach great importance to their logo and the shape of the bottles so that customers can immediately notice the individuality of the packaging.
Therefore, the high price consists of expensive quality, branded packaging and transportation of goods from Armenia. Cognacs with a shorter aging period are cheaper.
Taste qualities of Armenian brandy
They drink not only Armenian cognac from tulip glasses. Pour an eighth of the bottle into a glass and hold the bottom in your hands for about five minutes. By changing the temperature, the cognac begins to exude aroma. Armenian cognac can have different flavors. In addition to the well-known flavor tones of chocolate, cigars, nuts, there are also little-known shades of orange, cinnamon, old port and even resin. If you gradually sniff a glass of cognac, you will notice a gradually emerging aroma, starting with woody notes of cedar or mahogany. The aroma changes and may first resemble the smell of tobacco, then vanilla, fruit, chocolate. The main thing is that genuine cognac does not have a pungent smell of alcohol. If the cognac has been aged for at least five years, then there will be many components in the aroma. In a fake drink, such a combination of deep flavor components is simply impossible. Real Armenian cognac leaves an aftertaste that usually lasts a long time. It is recommended to combine cognac with coffee, chocolate, lemon.
