Fundador Solera Spanish Brandy (700ml)

It’s no surprise when one considers that thanks to their absorption of Arab culture around the early 8th century, Spaniards were amongst the first Europeans to learn the art of distillation. For a long time most of their output was sold off to the Dutch as raw spirit, until phylloxera hit Cognac in the early 1880s. At that point in history, Spanish brandy hit a golden age, if only briefly it became a desirable and readily available alternative to Cognac.

In present day Spain there are two regions with Denominacion Origin (DO) controlled brandy production and the spirit must be aged in the Jerez region in Andalucía, or the Penedès region in Catalonia to qualify for certification. For the former, most of the grapes grown are Airen and Palomino and distillation actually takes place in La Mancha, after which the distillate is transported via tanker trucks for maturation in Jerez.

Brandy from Jerez is a national favourite and anyone visiting Spain is bound to come across it. Here the Sherry bodegas mature the lions share of it which makes sense, as they already own the barrels to do it. Ageing usually takes place in 500 litre American oak casks, previously having contained any type of Sherry wine for at least three years.

In 1874, Fundador was one of the very first brands to be marketed as "Brandy de Jerez". Today it's made by Pedro Domecq at the oldest bodega in Jerez, dating back to the 1730s. One of the region's most beautiful wineries, the bodega is also known as “La Mezquita”, (the Mosque), a title earned for its gorgeous whitewashed walls and Moorish arches. It remains one of the oldest commercial establishments in the region and a destination for wine tourists, as its cellars are so atmospheric and the wines and spirits of high quality. The brandy styles tend to be less fine and broader on the palate than Cognac, for example, with an emphasis on dried fruits and notes derived from the various sherry casks they mature in. This is reportedly their entry level bottling, made for everyday drinking. 36% Alc./Vol.