Spirits Showdown

Front 1

What are the subzones of Armagnac AOP?

Back 1

1. Haut Armagnac

2. Bas Armagnac

3. Armagnac-Ténarèze

Front 2

What two other AOP's share the geographical AOP borders of Armagnac AOP?

Back 2

Floc de Gascogne AOP and Côtes de Gascogne AOP

Front 3

What is the minimum ABV of Armagnac AOP?

Back 3

40%

Front 4

What are the predominant grapes used in Armagnac AOP?

Back 4

1. Ugni Blanc

2. Colombard

3. Folle Blanche (Picpoul)

4. Baco Blanc (the only hybrid grape authorized in any French AOC/P appellation).

Front 5

What is the only hybrid grape authorized in any French AOP?

Back 5

Baco Blanc

Front 6

What kind of still is used in Armagnac AOP? How many distillations are normally performed?

Back 6

One distillation in a Copper continuous still. However, it may be distilled twice in a Charentais pot still.

Front 7

Currently, an Armagnac labeled *** or VS is aged for how long?

Back 7

The youngest spirit included in the bottling rested 1-3yrs in oak.

Front 8

Currently, an Armagnac labeled VSOP or Napoleon is aged for how long?

Back 8

The youngest spirit included in the bottling rested 4-9yrs in oak.

Front 9

Currently, an Armagnac labeled XO or Hors d'Age is aged for how long?

Back 9

The youngest spirit included in the bottling rested at least 10yrs in oak.

Front 10

Currently, an Armagnac labeled XO Premium is aged for how long?

Back 10

The youngest spirit included in the bottling rested at least 20yrs in oak.

Front 11

If you see a year (i.e. 1995) on a bottle of Armagnac, what does it indicate?

Back 11

This indicates the vintage of the wine used to make the spirit. It does not indicate the year in which the spirit was distilled.

Front 12

How large are the casks used in Armagnac?

Back 12

400-420L

Front 13

Which of the following can be added to Armagnac AOP spirits for adjustment?

- Sugar

- Oak Chips

- Caramel

Back 13

All of these can be added.

Front 14

What is coupage?

Back 14

The blending of barrel selections.

Front 15

What is the petite eaux?

Back 15

It is the addition of distilled water and armagnac to the blend prior to bottling to achieve an appropriate strength of spirit.

Front 16

Are vintage bottlings more common in Armagnac or Cognac?

Back 16

Armagnac

Front 17

How long must a vintage Armagnac age in oak before release?

Back 17

10yrs. The equivalent of XO.

Front 18

What crossing produced Baco?

Back 18

Folle Blanche x Noah (An american hybrid)

Front 19

What is boisé?

Back 19

A liquid of boiled oak chips that is sometimes added to spirits to add flavor.

Front 20

What are the geographical designations of Cognac AOP?

Back 20

1. Grand Champagne

2. Petite Champagne

3. Fins Bois

4. Bons Bois

5. Borderies

6. Bois Ordinaires (Bois á Terroirs)

Front 21

What grapes are allowed in the production of Cognac AOP?

Back 21

Colombard, Folle Blanche, Montils, Sémillon, Ugni Blanc; plus a max. 10% Folignan (Folle Blanche x Ugni Blanc).

Front 22

What is the most prominent grape in Cognac production?

Back 22

Ugni Blanc

Front 23

What is Cognac AOP distilled in? How many times?

Back 23

They must be distilled twice in a copper Charentais pot still.

Front 24

Why are base wines for brandies generally better if they are lower in alcohol?

Back 24

They are more difficult to distill if the alcohol is greater than 10%.

Front 25

What is the brouillis?

Back 25

The product of the first distillation from the copper Charentais still in Cognac AOP. Produces a spirit of roughly 28-32%.

Front 26

What is the bonne chauffe?

Back 26

The product of the second distillation in Cognac AOP.

Front 27

Name the four parts of the bonne chauffe.

Back 27

1. Tête (head)

2. Coeur (heart)

3. Secondes (second cut)

4. Queue (tails)

Front 28

Which of the four parts of the bonne chauffe are discarded? Which is kept?

Back 28

The Tête (head), Secondes (second cut), and Queue (tail) are discarded while the Coeur (heart) is kept. Leaving about 40% of the original volume.

Front 29

Which forests does Cognac AOP generally source from?

Back 29

Tronçais and Limousin

Front 30

What does VS or *** mean on a bottle of Cognac AOP?

Back 30

The youngest spirit rested in oak for at least 2yrs.

Front 31

Name some alternative labelling terminology for VS in Cognac AOP.

Back 31

***

de Luxe

Grand Choix

Surchoix

Front 32

What does VSOP mean on a bottle of Cognac AOP?

Back 32

The youngest spirit rested in oak for at least 4yrs.

Front 33

What are two alternative labelling terms for VSOP in Cognac AOP?

Back 33

VO and Réserve

Front 34

Currently, how long does a producer have to age an XO Cognac in cask?

Back 34

The youngest spirit in the blend must be at least six years old. The minimum requirement will move to 10yrs in 2018. In practice the better producers far exceed the minimums (often 15-20yrs).

Front 35

What is Fine Champagne?

Back 35

Produced from a blend of Grand Champagne and Petite Champagne grapes in the Cognac AOP. Must be minimum 50% Grand Champagne grapes.

Front 36

To use the geographical designations in Cognac AOP, what portion of the grapes in the spirit must be from that region?

Back 36

100%

Front 37

What are the brandy AOPs of France?

Back 37

1. Cognac AOP

2. Armagnac AOP

3. Fine de Bourgogne AOP

4. Fine de Bordeaux AOP

5. Fine de la Marne AOP

Front 38

What is weinbraund?

Back 38

German Brandy. An example of a producer is Asbach.

Front 39

Name four brandy styles from five different countries and their corresponding grapes and a producer.

Back 39

1. Cognac (Ugni Blanc - France - )

2. Brandy de Jerez (Airén and Palomino - Spain)

3. Pisco (Most often Muscat - Chile or Peru)

4. Weinbraund (various grapes - Asbach...who uses Cognac grapes)

Front 40

What is Germain-Robin?

Back 40

Brandy producer based out of Ukiah, CA, which is in Mendocino.

Front 41

What are alquitaras?

Back 41

A name for spanish copper stills in Jerez.

Front 42

Describe the production of Brandy de Jerez.

Back 42

Brandy de Jerez uses the Airén and Palomino grapes and ages in used american sherry oak barrels. They use the solera method in Brandy de Jerez. Distillation is in an Alquitara which is the spanish name for their copper stills.

Front 43

How long must a Brandy de Jerez labeled "Solera" be aged?

Back 43

1yr on average

Front 44

How long must a Brandy de Jerez labeled "Solera Reserva" be aged?

Back 44

3yrs on average

Front 45

How long must a Brandy de Jerez labeled "Solera Gran Reserva" be aged?

Back 45

10yrs on average

Front 46

Name three examples of pomace spirits from three different countries.

Back 46

1. Marc - France

2. Grappa - Italy

3. Bagaceira - Portugal

Front 47

What are the three apple and pear eaux-du-vie appellations of Normandy?

Back 47

Calvados AOP

Calvados Domfrontais

Calvados Pays d'Auge

Front 48

Calvados is traditionally distilled in what and how many times?

Back 48

In a continuous copper still once or in a copper pot still for a double distillation.

Front 49

Differentiate between the three Calvados AOPs.

Back 49

Calvados Pays d'Auge AOP is the premier region and is distinct by limiting pear cider in its production to 30%.

Calvados Domfrontais AOP is the newest appellation and requires a minimum 30% pear cider use in its production. It is also distilled by continuous distillation and min 3yrs in cask.

Front 50

What proportion of Calvados AOP production must come from bitter varieties?

Back 50

70%

Front 51

How long must Calvados VS age before release?

Back 51

2yrs

Front 52

What are three alternative labeling terms for VS in Calvados AOP?

Back 52

Fine, Trois Étoiles (***), or Trois Pommes

Front 53

At a minimum how old is the youngest spirit in a Calvados Vieux or Réserve bottling?

Back 53

4yrs

Front 54

At a minimum how old is the youngest spirit in a Calvados Napoleon/XO/Hors d'Age bottling?

Back 54

6yrs

Front 55

What is Barack Palinka?

Back 55

Apricot eau-du-vie from Hungary

Front 56

What is Kirschwasser?

Back 56

Black cherry eau-du-vie

Front 57

What is Poire Williams?

Back 57

pear eau-du-vie from Williams (Bartlett) pears

Front 58

What is the name for raspberry eau-du-vie?

Back 58

Framboise

Front 59

Name four types of plum brandy.

Back 59

Slivovitz - blue plums

Mirabelle - mirabelle plums

Quetsch - damson plums

Prunelle

Front 60

What is boukha?

Back 60

A Tunisian fig brandy

Front 61

What are the four major styles of rum?

Back 61

light rum, dark rum, demerara rum, rhum agricole

Front 62

In what states of Mexico is tequila produced?

Back 62

Jalisco is the main one

Guanajuato, Tamaulipas, Nayarit, and Michoacán are minor producing states

Not sure if these are legally the only states allowed

Front 63

In which state is most Mezcal produced?

Back 63

Oaxaca

Front 64

What agave species do mezcal producers use? Tequila?

Back 64

Mezcal distillers typically use maguey (Agave americana) or espadin agave (Agave angustifolia) rather than blue agave (Agave tequiliana), which the tequila producers utilize.

Front 65

What is Boonekamp?

Back 65

Herbal, spiced spirit from Germany. It is like Underberg. A bitters.

Front 66

What is Pisang Ambon?

Back 66

A banana based spirit from the Netherlands

Front 67

What is Amarula?

Back 67

A well known cream liqueur from South Africa made with cream and fruit from the Marula tree.

Front 68

What is the flavor in Amaretto?

Back 68

Almond and Apricot

Front 69

Name five whiskey-based liqueurs.

Back 69

Southern Comfort

Drambuie

Glen Mist

Glayva

Irish Mist

Front 70

What is Kümmel flavored with? Where is it from?

Back 70

Caraway. Denmark

Front 71

What is Krupnik?

Back 71

Polish spirit with honey, herbs, and spices

Front 72

What are the regions of production for Scotch?

Back 72

Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Islay, Campbeltown, and the Islands

Front 73

Speyside was formerly a subzone of which Scotch region?

Back 73

Highlands

Front 74

Where are Glenora Distillers? What do they Make?

Back 74

Nova Scotia, they make scotch-styled whiskey.

Front 75

Match the following distilleries to the state of production?

Whistlepig

Balcones

Clear Creek

Germain-Robin

Back 75

Whistlepig - Vermont

Balcones - Texas

Clear Creek - Oregon

Germain-Robin - California

Front 76

Match the following producers to their country of origin:

1. Matusalem

2. Mount Gay

3. Plantation

4. Zacapa

5. Flor de Caña

6. Angostura

7. Barbancourt

8. Bacardi

Back 76

1. Matusalem - Dominican Republic

2. Mount Gay - Barbados

3. Plantation - Barbardos

4. Zacapa - Guatemala

5. Flor de Caña - Nicaragua

6. Angostura - Trinidad & Tobago

7. Barbancourt - Haiti

8. Bacardi - Puerto Rico

Front 77

Westland Distillery is a producer of what spirit out of where?

Back 77

Scotch-styled single malt whiskeys out of Seattle, WA.

Front 78

Name two Calvados.

Back 78

Coeur de Lion Hors d'Age XO

Lemorton Reserve Domfrontais