Along with the great wines produced in Georgia are they alos produce very fine brandies & cognacs. The 2 industries go hand-in-hand and comprise a fine export products market for this tiny nation. The brandies are superb in color, taste & body. They have been winning awards for a long time in international circles and are considered to be some of the finest in the world.

Georgian wines also produce superb brandies & cognacs. The following list & descriptions can give you a true insight into these relatively unknown but superb vintages.

Egrisi is the ancient name of Western Georgia. The brandy has a characteristic gentle flower flavor inherent in all Georgian brandies. It is made of the local grape varieties cultivated on the slopes of the Caucasian mountains. Egrisi was first produced to mark the 200th anniversary of the Georgiyevsky Treaty by which Georgia joined Russia. The brandy contains 40 % alcohol, 0.7 % sugar. Its age is six years.

A great vintage brandy, Vartsikhe, is manufactured since 1954. The brandy is blended of 6-7 year-old alcohols produced in the Vartsikhe and Mayakovski districts in Western Georgia. The brandy is characterized by pale golden color, a light yet well-developed bouquet, a harmonious taste. Displayed at the international and All-Union exhibitions since 1958, the Vartsikhe brandy has been awarded 3 gold & 2 silver medals. Its strength is 42 vol.%, sugar content 12 %.

Gremi, was first produced in 1961 to mark the 40th anniversary of Soviet Georgia and having been in production ever since. The brandy is blended of alcohols made in the Kvareli & Gurdzhaani districts in Eastern Georgia and in the Sachkhere district in Western Georgia. The average age is 9 years. Gremi has an amber color, a flowery fragrance & a fine as well as an harmonious taste. For its supreme taste and other properties it was awarded 4 gold & 2 silver medals at the international and All-Union exhibitions. The strength is 43 vol.%, the sugar content 7 %.

Kazbegi, is made of 10-year old alcohols produced in the Zestaphoni, Gurdzhaani & Ambrolauri districts in Eastern & Western Georgia. The brandy of golden color is characterized by a harmonious bouquet and a slightly pungent taste. The latter is the result of a high alcohol content in the brandy. The brandy has been manufactured since 1973. At international & All-Union exhibitions Kazbegi was awarded 2 medals, 1 gold & 1 silver. Its strength is 45 vol.%, sugar content 7 %.

Abkhazeti, is made of mature alcohols produced in Mukhraani, Digomi and Gori, Eastern Georgia. The average age is 10 years. Abkhazeti is characterized by pale-green colour, a well-pronounced bouquet and a gentle harmonious taste. Produced since 1970, the brandy was awarded one silver medal at an international exhibition. Its strength is 42 vol.%, sugar content 1.2 %.

OC (Russian abbreviation for "ochen stary" meaning very old or very senior & pronounced as "ahss") --is another a vintage Georgian brandy. It is the oldest brand of Georgian brandies, it was first produced in 1901 to mark the 100th anniversary of the unification of Georgian with Russia. OC brandy is characterized by a fine bouquet with a vanillic flavor, a gentle & harmonious taste. These noble properties are the result of blending 12 year-old alcohol brands produced of certain grape varieties in Georgia. Since 1955 this brandy has been successfully competing with the best cognacs and brandies produced in the world. At the international and All-Union exhibitions it was awarded 6 gold & 3 silver medals. The strength is 43 vol.%, the sugar content 7 %.

The top-quality “40 Year Jubilee” brandy was first produced in 1961 to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Soviet power in Georgia. The brandy is made by mixing alcohols distilled in 1892, 1915 and 1925 in Tsinandali and Dighomi districts. The brandy has golden colour, a well-developed fine bouquet, a harmonious soft taste with a soapy touch. The brandy owes these excellent properties to a high quality of the brandy of 40 years. In the period from 1964 to 1965 the brandy was awarded with 3 gold medals at international competitions. The alcohol content is 43 vol.%, the sugar content is 7 g/l..

The top-quality “50 Year Jubilee” brandy is made of alcohols distilled in Dighomi and Tsinandali districts of Eastern Georgia in 1905 - 1915 and 1925. Its average age is 50 years. The brandy was first produced in 1967 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. The brandy has dark-golden color, a well-developed fine bouquet with a vanilla-soapy touch and a full harmonious taste. At international competitions the brandy was awarded 4 gold medals for its lusty properties. The alcohol content is 43 vol.%, the sugar content 7 g/l..

The top-quality “60 Year Jubilee” brandy is made of alcohols distilled in eastern & western wine-making districts of Georgia. The average age is 60 years. The brandy was first produced in 1977 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. This brandy is characterized by dark-golden color, a well-developed fine bouquet with a vanilla-soapy touch & a full & harmoniously velvety taste. Alcohol content is 43 vol.%, sugar content 7 g/l.

Sources:

Kartveli Wines & Spirits, Irakles Duzhmadze, pamphlet in Russian & Georgian 1990

http://www.mildiani.com

http://www.georgianvino.com

http://www.selectwinesllc.com/repofgeor.html

http://www.askaneli.ru/English/index.html

http://www.sttoxml.com/sites/kst-georgian-wines/index.htm

http://www.winefromgeorgia.com

http://www.alaverdi-wine.com/alaverdi-wine-listing.php