Spirits
Brandy de Jerez, cognac, mezcal. Where wine ends and distillate begins.
Guides coming soon
Full guides are on the way. Until then, browse the glossary terms below.
← Back to Liquid LibraryGlossary
Age statement
Legal claim on the label stating the minimum age of the youngest component in the bottle; applies to whisky, cognac, rum and some tequilas.
→ StyleArmagnac
France's oldest grape brandy, from Gascony, typically single-distilled in a continuous alembic armagnacais and frequently bottled as a vintage.
→ TechniqueCask finish
Secondary maturation in a different cask type after primary ageing; whisky moves from ex-bourbon to sherry, port, Sauternes or rum casks for added complexity.
→ StyleCognac
French grape brandy from the Charente, double-distilled in a copper alembic charentais and aged in French oak across six official crus.
→ TechniqueColumn still
Continuous distillation tower with stacked plates; produces very high abv in a single run and enabled the mass production of neutral alcohol and light spirits.
→ StyleLondon Dry Gin
EU-regulated gin style requiring juniper dominance, botanical redistillation and maximum 0.1 g/L sugar; no geographic origin attached.
→ StyleMezcal
Mexican agave spirit with geographical indication across nine states; roasted agave hearts give the characteristic smoke and the wider terroir-driven category.
→ TechniquePot still
Copper batch-distillation vessel with a swan-neck top; preserves more congeners and flavour than continuous distillation, with lower yield.
→ StyleRhum agricole
Rum distilled from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice rather than molasses; the Martinique AOC since 1996 sets the strictest production standards in the category.
→ StyleSingle malt whisky
Scotch whisky from a single distillery, 100% malted barley, distilled in pot stills and aged minimum three years in oak casks in Scotland.
→This is the reference. For reviews, opinion and podcast conversations about spirits: see the blocks below.
About spirits, not in the Library
Reviews, opinion and market news under Articles. 5 pieces.