Hot traditions of the peoples of the world: national alcoholic drinks. Hot traditions of the peoples of the world: national alcoholic drinks Drinks are called in different countries
We continue the theme of national alcoholic beverages, and today another ten outstanding alcoholic beverages from different parts of the world are waiting for you.
Surely you know and drank many of them, but you may have never even heard of others.
Whiskey. Scotland
Of course, we couldn't help but mention the holy grail among alcoholic beverages - whiskey.
The right to be called the birthplace of whiskey is shared by Scotland and Ireland.
The Scots are sure that they owe the appearance of whiskey to Christian missionaries who learned the recipe from the Crusaders.
The Irish, in turn, consider the "father" of whiskey to their patron saint - St. Patrick.
From the medicinal drink of the Scottish monasteries, whiskey quickly turned into a national drink, which was drunk by both peasants and nobles.
Whiskey is made from various grains (barley, wheat, corn, rye) through the processes of malting, distillation and aging in oak barrels.
The strength of the drink is from 35 to 50 degrees, but sometimes there are whiskeys and stronger.
There are four types of whiskey:
malt, grain, blended (blended, malt with grain) and bourbon (American whiskey made from corn).
Martini. Italy
Next in line is one of her friends' favorite drinks - martini, an Italian vermouth named after the Martini & Rossi distillery.
The word martini itself has already become an eponym (a brand name that has become a household name), and often "martini" simply means vermouth.
The history of vermouth goes as far as 2 centuries ago, when fortified wine with artemisia and star anise flowers was used as a medicine.
However, the popularity of this drink was provided by sales agent Alessandro Martini and herbalist Luigi Rossi.
Coming to the company "Distelleria Nazionale Di Spirito Di Vino", engaged in alcoholic products, they focused on vermouth: Luigi brought out the perfect martini recipe, with the addition of unique compositions of herbs and spices, and Alessandro dramatically increased sales. Martini has become a frequenter of glamorous (and not so) parties, a favorite of stars and a symbol of a successful, luxurious life.
Remember the James Bond cocktail?
Becherovka. Czech
Czech liquor "Becherovka" with a strength of 38 degrees belongs to fernets.
Like many alcoholic beverages, Becherovka was originally used as a remedy for stomach pains.
An apothecary from Karlovy Vary, Josef Vitus Becher, first began selling this liquor in 1807, and 34 years later his son Gustav registered the trademark "Johann Becher" and laid the foundation for the production of Becherovka.
The process of its production is unique: a mixture of several dozen herbs in canvas bags is dipped in alcohol and allowed to brew for a week, after which the resulting tincture is poured into oak barrels and water and sugar are added.
The drink received its current name in the last year of the Second World War, when, after the liberation of Czechoslovakia from the invaders, the Johann Becher company was nationalized, and the name was changed to Becherovka.
Kirschwasser. Germany
Kirschwasser, which translates from German as cherry water, can be called cherry brandy.
This is a strong drink, the distillation of which uses pitted sweet cherry mash.
It is the bones that give the drink a light almond hue.
Initially, only one type of cherry, morellos, was used to produce Kirschwasser, but other sweet varieties are now allowed.
Kirschwasser is used both solo and in cocktails, and in Switzerland it is even always served with cheese fondue.
Schnapps. Germany.
Schnapps is the name of a group of double distilled spirits.
The distillation uses a variety of fruits, potatoes or herbs, and as you can guess from this, there are countless varieties of this "fruit moonshine". Despite the strength of the drink, it has a mild warming effect, leaving a fruity aftertaste after drinking.
In the homeland of schnapps, in Germany, there are traditional methods of drinking the drink: it is not recommended to mix it into cocktails and dilute it with anything.
If you are going to mix it with something, then only with freshly squeezed juices.
The traditional way of serving schnapps is in cognac makers, into which about 20-30 ml of drink is poured and a fruit, usually a pear or apricot, is dropped.
Metaxa. Greece
Metaxa is known to everyone as Greek cognac.
The "father" of metaxa is Spyros Metaxas, who created this drink in 1888.
The unique taste of metaxe is given by herbal infusion, which is added to brandy along with grape wine.
Now only one plant in Athens has the right to produce metaxa and produces more than 12 million bottles annually.
Metaxa has rightfully become the legendary national Greek drink.
Interestingly, metaxa is the first alcoholic drink that has been in space.
Maotai. China
China's national drink Maotai, Chinese vodka, is one of the most expensive vodkas in the world.
The cost of one bottle can reach $750.
This drink with a strength of 35-53% is obtained by distilling kaoliang (a cereal plant of the "sorghum" type).
The Maotai got its name from the city of the same name in the province of Guizhou.
In addition to the status of "national", Maotai received the status of a "diplomatic" drink due to the fact that not a single business meeting or banquet is complete without a bottle of Maotai.
Despite the quality of raw materials and perfected production, alcohol intoxication from maotai comes instantly.
Be careful!
Cognac. France
The amber-golden double-distilled drink has the name of the city of Cognac in the French department of Charente, in which there are zones with vineyards.
Only a drink from this region has the right to be called cognac.
All other drinks of similar production, produced by distillation of white wines, even if made in France, are called brandy.
However, in Russia it has long been customary to call any brandy cognac, so we can often find Russian cognac, and Armenian, and Dagestan.
One of the main indicators of the quality of the drink is the aging time in oak barrels, in which it acquires its golden color.
Let's get acquainted with the classification of excerpts:
V.S.(Very Special) or three stars - cognacs that have been aged in a barrel for at least 2.5 years;
V.S.O.P.(Very Superior Old Pale) - cognacs aged less than 4 years;
V.V.S.O.P.(Very-Very Superior Old Pale) - cognacs aged for at least 5 years;
X.O.(Extra Old) - cognacs aged over 6 years.
Sambuca. Italy
A partygoer, aniseed sambuca liqueur, is now popular not so much because of its bright and unusual taste, but because of its unusual presentation.
Everyone, if they haven’t tried this drink, then definitely saw how the bartender demonstrates a small fire show, setting fire to the sambuca, and after drinking, the drinker inhales the vapors from the overturned glass through a straw.
The birthplace of sambuca is Italy, where the Saracens brought its progenitor - an aniseed drink, used both as a medicine and as an "amusement" during a feast.
In addition to anise, sambuca contains a mixture of herbs, which is still a secret and is known only to manufacturers.
Calvados. France
Completes our today's list of Calvados (emphasis on the last syllable!).
A strong alcoholic drink of about 40% is most often apple or, less commonly, pear brandy.
At its core, Calvados is a distilled cider.
As early as 1553, mentions of attempts to distill cider date back, and the drink owes its name to one department of Normandy.
Later, the right to manufacture Calvados was assigned to the French departments of Calvados, Manche and Orne.
In Normandy, there is a tradition called "Norman Hole" where calvados is consumed between courses during long feasts to increase appetite.
Each country has its own national alcoholic drinks, which over time in their own way began to embody the traditions and culture of the people, and even became unofficial symbols of places and regions.
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For example, schnapps is associated with German burghers, you definitely want to drink sake in a Japanese restaurant, and when you see a bottle of tequila, desert Mexican landscapes with rare thickets of agave come to mind. Many tourists are happy to bring local alcohol as travel souvenirs instead of banal fridge magnets. Let's find out in which country which alcohol you should try in order to get to know the local culture;)
Absinthe 
Absinthe is a very strong drink with a rich history. Appeared in Switzerland, but was incredibly popular in France and the Czech Republic, especially among bohemians. The main component of absinthe is an extract of bitter wormwood, which contains thujone, which is believed to cause hallucinations. So, probably, it was in the days of Arthur Rimbaud, Van Gogh, Aleister Crowley and many other poets and artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries,
who were inspired by the “green fairy” (the so-called absinthe). Now the production of absinthe is controlled much more strictly, and therefore the content of thujone in it is reduced. This, however, does not prevent absinthe from remaining a mysterious bohemian drink, which is sold in large quantities to tourists in France and the Czech Republic.
Calvados
The French, of course, know a lot about life - and in alcoholic beverages. France gave the world champagne, various wines, cognac and, of course, calvados.
The birthplace of this drink is the Lower Normandy region. In fact, Calvados is a brandy made from apple or pear cider. As in the production of wine or cognac, different spirits from different varieties of apples are blended to make Calvados, different distillation methods and aging times are used to obtain drinks with a rich golden color and rich apple flavor.
Until the beginning of the twentieth century, Calvados was considered a simple, peasant drink. But over time, more and more people appreciated the wide and harmonious palette of taste - ripe fruits and candied fruits, honey and nuts, which are complemented by subtle notes of tobacco, spices and wood. Now Calvados has rightfully taken its place among the elite alcoholic beverages.
A significant role in the popularization of calvados was played by the German writer Erich Maria Remarque - a big fan of this drink, passed on this habit to the characters in his books.
Calvados is a traditional French drink. However, if you want to experience the atmosphere of northern France, you can buy calvados in Ukraine- in the duty free of our airports.
Rakia
Rakia is a Balkan alcoholic drink made from fermented fruits and aged in oak barrels. There are different types of brandy, depending on the raw material. For example, slivovitz is made from plums, and “muscat” is made from grapes. Rakia is a folk drink, so in every region of Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia or Romania it is prepared in its own way. When visiting the Balkan countries, be sure to try rakia in small, local restaurants serving a home-made drink - the owners are proud of their recipes and will be happy to tell you more about their favorite rakia.
Rakia is drunk both chilled and heated, with cloves, cinnamon and orange peel.
Tequila
Cacti, sombrero hats, Mayan civilization and tequila are the unofficial symbols of Mexico. Tequila is drunk all over the world, but the very first agave drink was created by the Aztecs as a medicine more than half a thousand years ago, so tequila is a contemporary of one of the most mysterious peoples in the world.
Tequila is not made from cacti, as many mistakenly believe, but from the pulp of one variety of agave, which must grow for 12 years before its leaves are suitable for the production of a drink.
There are five types of tequila:
MyDutyFree reminds you: alcoholic drinks are only good in moderation!
Strong national drinks can be divided into three groups depending on the production technology:
Drinks obtained by distillation (distillation) of alcoholic infusions of vegetable aromatic raw materials - aquavit (Sweden, Norway, Denmark), anise tinctures, absinthe (France, Spain, Switzerland), pastis (France).
Drinks obtained by fermentation and distillation of saccharified carbohydrate-containing raw materials that do not provide for a long technological exposure before bottling - schnapps (Germany), sake (Japan), maotai (China), chacha (Georgia), araki (Turkey), bambuse (Indonesia), pulque (Mexico), peysakhovka (Israel, Ukraine), cachaca (Brazil), etc.
Drinks obtained by fermentation and distillation of saccharified carbohydrate-containing raw materials, with long exposure - whiskey (Scotland, Ireland), rum (Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Martinique), tequila (Mexico), metaxa (Greece), brandy (different countries) , cognac (France, Charente department).
A brief description of some strong national drinks belonging to the first two groups is as follows:
Aquavit (Akvavit or Aquavit) 40-50% vol - made from potatoes, grains, cumin and / or dill seeds, citrus peel. Features of the preparation technology - double distillation of fermented mash, filtration, aromatization with alcohol infusions of cumin and / or dill, citrus zest. Assortment - Danish Aalborg, Taffel, Aalborg, Jubilaeums, Malteser Kreuz and Norwegian Lysholm Lineie, Loitens Export; Swedish O.P. Anderson;
Absinthe (Absenthe) 43-72% vol. - made from alcoholic infusions of wormwood, anise, coriander, fennel and other spicy-aromatic raw materials, chlorophyll (for tinting). Features of the technology of preparation - distillation. Assortment - Absenthe, Hills, Xenta, Staroplezen Absinth, Red Absinth, King of spirits, Zelena musa, Fruco Sculz, Vincent van Gogh;
Pastis (Pastis) 40-45% vol. - made from rectified ethyl alcohol, star anise, green anise, fennel, licorice or extracts of these plants. Features of the preparation technology - distillation of alcohol in the presence of seeds or other parts of plants or the addition of distilled natural extracts of anise-containing plants to the alcohol base. Assortment - Pastis de Marseille, Pernod, Ricard, Pastis 51, Pernod 45, Pontalier;
Schnapps (Schnapps) 31-57% vol., usually 38% vol. - is made from various fruit and berry raw materials (apples, cherries, plums, apricots, raspberries, etc.), potatoes, wheat malt, barley. Features of production technology - double distillation. Assortment - Kirschwasser, Mirabell, Himbeergeist, Zwetschgenwasser. Aprikosengeist, Williams Bime, Mickey Finn's (Germany);
Sake (Sake) 16-21% vol. - made from polished rice, rice malt. Features of the cooking technology - hydrothermal processing of rice (steaming), fermentation for 25 days, filtration, pasteurization, short-term exposure (1-3 months). Assortment - Junmai-shu Special pure rice sake, Special honjozo sake, Ginjo-shu, Daiginjo-shu, Junmai Daiginjo-shu, Choya Sake, Sakura Sake (Japan);
Maotai (Moutai) 33-65% vol. - made from high quality kaoliang, a variety of Chinese sorghum, wheat. Features of the preparation technology - eight stages of distillation, alternating with fermentation. Assortment - Moutai Liquor, Han Emperor Moutai, Guizhou Chun, Moutai Chun, Guizhou Techun (China);
Cachaca (Cachaca) 39-41% vol. - Made from sugar cane juice. Features of the preparation technology - fermentation of sugar cane juice, distillation, aging in barrels of balsamic wood and freyjo before bottling from 6 months. up to 3 years, the bottles are hand-woven with Brazilian straw. Assortment - Rega Fulo, Toquinho, Ypioca Gold, Ypioca Prata, Ypioca Crystal, Ypioca Oura (Brazil).
Strong alcoholic drinks with a long exposure are characterized by increased strength - 40-70% vol. However, the main feature of their preparation is aging in charred and uncharred oak barrels. This group of drinks includes whiskey, rum, brandy, cognac, tequila. However, brandy and cognac are usually considered independently, after grape wines, since their other feature is the production of cognac spirit from wine materials. Therefore, the production of brandy and cognac, as a rule, is usually combined with the preparation of grape wines.
Whiskey is a strong alcoholic drink obtained by distillation of fermented grain wort (based on rice, corn, dry barley malt) and aging of raw alcohol in oak barrels charred from the inside. Whiskey is characterized by a light brown color, a burning taste, as well as a hint of grain and slight burntness.
Depending on the used grain raw materials, rye, corn (maize) and mixed whiskey are distinguished.
The wort is prepared from grain, to which about 25% of the stillage filtrate is added - the remains after the distillation of alcohol. This contributes to the enrichment of the wort with aromatic substances that give the finished product the aroma of grain supplies. In addition, b-amylase is activated and starch saccharification is accelerated. The fermentation of the filtered wort is carried out by yeast races XII and M, which results in the maximum yield of ethyl alcohol and the accumulation of an increased amount of by-products of alcoholic fermentation, which give the whiskey a specific aroma. After distillation of the mash, a colorless alcohol with a pungent odor, a strength of 65-70% by volume, and also with a significant content of other volatile substances (acids, esters, aldehydes, fusel oils) is obtained.
Alcohol is diluted with water to 50% strength, then poured into oak barrels, the inner surface of which is charred, and kept for more than 4 years. When aging from charred oak staves into alcohol, phenolic substances are slightly extracted and complex processes of interaction between these and the initial substances of raw alcohol occur. The maturation and aging of whiskey, which improves its taste and aroma, is similar to the processes occurring in rum and cognac, but the charred surface of the barrel slows down the extraction of coloring and other substances, so an intense brown color does not appear. Before release, the whiskey is blended with rectified alcohol of the highest purity, sugar syrup (to soften the taste), distilled water and filtered. Fortress whiskey 45% vol. and higher. It is often consumed diluted with water, or soda, or tonic.
In Russia, a small amount of Soviet whiskey was previously produced. Now its production has been discontinued. The most famous drinks include Scotch whiskey of the following names: White Horse (White Horse), Black and White (Black and White), Johnny Walker, Queen Anne (Queen Anne). Currently, searches are imported to Russia from the USA (Seven Crowh, Jim Beam), Scotland (Johnny Walker, King Robert), France (West Voige Bourbon), Philippines (Spirit, Sir Janes, His Majesty), Canada (Sfagr "ams Bourbon Seve).Unfortunately, there are many fakes of these brands on the Russian market, and some words in the name of the fakes coincide with the names of well-known brands of whiskey, for example, Indian whiskey White Horse, King Charles. The latter is not real whiskey, but a whiskey-based mixed spirit (contains only 6% whiskey).
Rum is a strong alcoholic drink made by aging rum alcohol in oak barrels.
Rum alcohol is obtained by distillation of mash from cane-sugar molasses and other products of sugar cane processing. For fermentation, special races of yeast and pure cultures of butyric bacteria are used, which, along with ethyl alcohol, form a significant amount of by-products: esters, higher alcohols, volatile organic acids, aldehydes, ketones, etc. Mature mash is subjected to separation and complex distillation.
During the subsequent aging of rum alcohol, complex processes of interaction of these substances with each other, as well as with substances extracted from oak barrels, occur, which determines the processes of maturation and aging of rum.
After distillation, rum alcohol has a strength of about 60% vol. It is a clear, colorless liquid with a pungent odor. Alcohol is diluted to 50% strength and new oak barrels are filled with this water-alcohol mixture. Exposure in them lasts 4-5 years. During this period, a specific taste and aroma of rum are formed, compounds that give unpleasant shades of taste and smell are broken down. There is an extraction of phenolic and coloring substances from oak barrels, as well as the processes of polymerization and oxidation of substances. Thanks to these processes, the content of higher alcohols, organic acids decreases and the amount of esters increases. Esters of butyric, caproic and heptanoic acids have a great influence on the quality of rum. Aged rum alcohol is blended with distilled water, sugar syrup and color. It is allowed to introduce solutions of ethyl esters of acetic and butyric acids into rum,
Depending on the extractivity and organoleptic properties, two types of rum are distinguished - light and heavy. Abroad, mainly in Cuba and Puerto Rico, a light rum is produced, characterized by a weak aroma. Heavy rum has intense color, taste and aroma. Previously produced in small quantities in our country, Soviet rum was of the heavy type.
Rum is a clear, light brown liquid with a golden hue, without turbidity and sediment. The taste of rum is soft, slightly burning, the aroma is specific rum. The drink is used for making cocktails, punches, liqueurs, ice cream, confectionery and in its pure form (diluted or undiluted).
Currently, the Russian market sells only imported rum from Italy (Bacardi, Bacardi Blanche, Bacardi Gold), Germany (Bontego Bay), USA (Captain Morgan Bianco, Captain Morgan Blake, Captain Morgan Golden, etc.), England (Malibi) , Philippines (Old Captain), Netherlands (Duncan, Caribbean), Puerto Rico (Ronrigo), Mexico (Monakko). The most famous rum in the world is Captain Morgan. But the rum Old Captain (Old Captain) is just a fake.
Tequila is a strong alcoholic drink obtained by distillation of fermented blue agave juice with or without alcohol exposure. The strength of the finished drink is 38-43% vol.
The birthplace of tequila is Mexico. The drink got its name from the name of the village of Tequila in the province of Haljko.
Tequila varieties are divided into unaged (white - bianco, silver - plata and gold - gold with the addition of caramel) and aged (Reposado - "rested" varieties). Exposure period - from 2 months. up to 1 year, some varieties - 2-3 years. The color of the label serves as an indication of the variety. The inscription "100% agave" indicates that no sugar was added to the agave juice before distillation. The addition of the latter is allowed up to 49%, but this reduces the aromaticity of the drink. Tequila has a delicate aroma, transparency, pleasant taste. The color depends on aging (3-year-old tequila, pale straw color) and adding color (golden color).
The most famous brands of tequila are: white and silver (Centinela Blanko, Chinaco Blanco Yame Rosales, etc.); aged up to a year (Chinaco Reposado, Yose Cnervo, Cuervo Cold, Camirjo Cold); aged from one to three years (Centinela Anejo, Das Reales Anejo, etc.).
In addition to tequila, in Mexico, another strong alcoholic drink is produced from fermented agave juice - mezcal, which differs from tequila in its sharp taste, herbal aroma and high content of glycerin.
Absinthe
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Tokay Port Wine ( eng. port, port. porto, German portwein). This is a traditional Portuguese drink, which is a fortified grape wine, with a strength of about 17-20 degrees. Port wine is a "serious" drink, as it has the category of "designation controlled by origin". Madeira ( port. madera). This is another type of Portuguese fortified wine. This medium alcohol product usually has a strength of about 20%. A feature of Madeira is the aging of wine material at high temperatures from 60 to 80 ° C. Heres ( eng. sherry, Spanish jerez, port. xerez). A very interesting medium-alcohol drink produced in Spain through the fermentation of grape must under the film of the so-called fleur, a type of sherry yeast. The alcohol content in this type of wine is about 20%. Marsala ( ital. marsala). If we are to believe the words of Admiral Nelson, then this is "a wine worthy of a meal of any most fastidious lord." Moreover, the lord must be very persistent, since the fortress of marsala is about 17-18%. This strong dessert wine from Italian Sicily is somewhat similar to Madeira, but has a higher sugar content. Malaga ( Spanish malaga). Refers to dessert wines, which are the merit of the inhabitants of the Spanish province of Malaga. The strength of the drink ranges between 13 and 22%, and a separate fermentation of three different types of wort in various ways is considered a feature of its production. Tokay ( eng. tokai, hung. tokaji). Experts distinguish this wine, produced in Hungary and Slovakia, as a separate type of alcoholic beverage. The strength of Tokaya is about 10-12%, and its characteristic honey bouquet cannot be found in any wine existing in the world. ( eng. vermouth, ital. vermut, fr. portwein, German wermut). Its creation is attributed to Hippocrates himself, who was “treated” by him back in the 5th century BC. Vermouth is a fortified wine (16-18%) flavored with various herbs and medicinal plants, where the main role is played by wormwood. The championship in the matter of creating vermouth belongs to Italy, and France is on its heels today. Cider ( eng. cider, fr. cider, German apfelwein). This low-alcohol drink (from 2 to 7%) is made by fermenting apple juice without adding yeast. The peculiarity of cider is its obvious champagne. France (the regions of Brittany and Normandy) has distinguished itself as the creator of the highest quality ciders. Perry ( eng. perry, fr. poire, German birnenmost). According to the principle of production and features, it resembles cider, but it is based on pear juice, and the sugar level of perry is much higher. The alcohol content is from 5 to 8.5%. Great Britain, Spain and, of course, France are the main experts in "pear" alcohol. ( fr. champagne). This is the most solemn and mysterious medium-alcohol drink with a strength of about 8-13%, made exclusively in the French province of Champagne by the method of secondary fermentation of wine in a bottle. Hence the bubbles of carbon dioxide in this sparkling wine. Sake ( eng. sake, Japanese酒). The traditional medium-alcohol drink of Japan, the strength of which reaches 14.5-20 degrees. It is easy to guess what the Japanese make their drink from - of course, from rice. So, sake is obtained by fermenting rice. Sato (or hai). This is the name of the traditional wine of Thailand, produced by fermenting rice. The strength of sato is slightly lower than the standard strength of wine - about 7-10 degrees. Absinthe ( eng. absinth, fr. absinthe, Czech absint). Also known as the "green fairy" or "best friend" of Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. More than once, this strongest drink in the world (from 70 to 86 degrees) was driven from many countries for its toxic component - thujone, which can cause hallucinations in a person, and then returned again. It is known that absinthe first appeared in Switzerland, and today it is prepared in the Czech Republic, France, Italy and some other countries. 
Aquavit Aquavit ( eng. aquavit, Swede. aquavit, Norwegian akevitt). Undoubtedly, Russians would like this strong drink (from 38 to 50%) of a yellowish color, as it is made from our favorite potatoes! The idea of creating this “water of life” (literal translation “aqua vitae” from Latin) belongs to Sweden and Norway, which prepare a drink based on alcohol obtained from the processing of potatoes. Arak ( eng. arrack, fr. arak, German arrak). If you drink a lot of this drink, you will sweat a lot. At least, that's what arrack producers say - masters of the Middle East, Southeast Europe and Central Asia. Arak is a strong alcoholic drink (from 40 to 55 degrees), obtained by distillation, and depending on the country, the procedure for its manufacture and the raw materials are very different. Pastis ( fr. pastis). France has been delighting us with this strong drink (40-45%) since 1915. It owes its appearance to the ban that Europe imposed on absinthe at the beginning of the 20th century, which caused a huge demand for its substitutes. Pastis, a substitute for absinthe, is a French aniseed vodka with spices. Mastic ( Bulgarian mastic). You should be careful with this drink, as its 47% strength can even knock down a horse! This strong alcohol is prepared in Bulgaria on the basis of anise extract. However, Macedonian producers are seriously competing with Bulgarians today. Brandy ( eng. brandy). A fairly general term for the products of the distillation of grape wine. The strength of brandy, as a rule, is from 40 to 60%. Below are seven drinks that exist in the world that belong to the “kind” of brandy. Cognac ( fr. cognac). Many critics consider it the most noble of spirits. Cognac is a type of brandy produced in France, in the Charente region, from grapes using a special technology. With cognac in France, everything is strict, its production is clearly controlled by government officials, and the strength of the drink should not exceed 40 degrees. However, there are exceptions. Armagnac ( fr. armagnac). If the French gave the cognac to the world, then, as French wisdom says, armagnac was left to itself. Apparently, he is incredibly good! This strong drink is prepared in Gascony (France) from varietal grapes by distilling grape wine. The alcohol level is about 40%. 
Kirschwasser Grappa ( ital. grappa). A drink that has risen from the very bottom, as initially economical Italians prepared it from the waste left after wine production. Today, grappa is a popular drink with a strength of 40 to 50%, resulting from the distillation of grape pomace. Calvados ( fr. calvados). The credit for creating apple brandy, obtained by distilling cider, belongs to France. The strength of the drink that came from Lower Normandy is 40 degrees. Sometimes Calvados is made from a mixture of apples and pears. Kirschwasser. A drink with a strength of about 40%, obtained by distilling black cherry must. Kirschwasser is a rather old type of alcohol, which first appeared in Germany, and then in the east of France in the 17th century. Slivovitz. By the name, you can guess that this is brandy (45% ABV) from fermented plum juice. The drink is sometimes called rakia, and it is prepared in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Croatia. Metaxa. The drink is named after its creator, the Greek Spears Metax, who in 1888 obtained it by mixing grape brandy with grape wine and adding herbal infusion to this “explosive mixture”. So Spears Metax made Greece the leader in the production of metax, the strength of which does not exceed 40 degrees. Vodka. The main guest at all Russian feasts! The drink is a clear water-alcohol solution with an alcohol content of 40 to 53%. Russia and Poland are considered the main producers of vodka, but for the first time it was prepared by a certain Persian doctor in the 10th century. Schnapps. It is rather a general name for some alcoholic beverages with a strength of at least 40%, obtained by distillation of mash from grain (or fruit). Schnapps comes to the world market from Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Scandinavian countries. Whiskey. As the Scots, the creators of this drink, assure, there is no such person in the world who does not like whiskey, he just has not yet found his variety. Whiskey is a drink with a strength of 40 to 50%, made from grain by malting, distillation and aging. Classic Scotch whiskey is called the fashionable word "Scotch", and Ireland is also considered the traditional producer of the drink. Bourbon. The same whiskey, only American. Bourbon (40-50% ABV) is prepared in the USA from corn using a clever technology. Gin. A strong liquor (38-45%), a favorite of London dandies and English gentlemen. In the 1680s, England “copied” the gin recipe from Holland, where it first appeared and is now the leader in its production. This drink is the result of the distillation of wheat alcohol with the addition of juniper.
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