Here ya go

Brandy has a unique rating system to describe the quality and condition of each brandy by alphabet abbreviations. It usually comes with brand name on the label. V.O. indicates that the brandy was aged at least 4 years. V.S.O.P. means it's been aged for minimum of 8 years. Napoleon, Extra, Vieille Reserve all mean minimum of 5 years of aging.


* C = "Cognac"
* E = "Extra"
* F = "Fine"
* O = "Old"
* P = "Pale"
* S = "Special"
*
V = "Very Special"

A.C.: two years old, aged in wood.
V.S. : "Very Special", three year in wood. It's often called "Three Star."
V.S.O.P.: "Very Superior Old Pale" Minimum aging, Five year in wood, It's often called, "Five Star."
X.O.: "Extra Old" Minimum aging of Six years. X.O.s include Napoleon and (Vieille) Reserve.
Napoleon: at least 4 years old, mostly much older than 4 years
Varietal: Armagnac, which has a label, showing Varietal means it may be produced by one kind of grape.
Vintage: It must be stored in the cask until the time it's bottled with the label showing the vintage date on.
Hors D'age: It means too old to determine the age.

_____________________________

The reindeer are getting on so Santa decided to upgrade this year

Interesting. I don't drink, but I think I'll memorise that for future reference .

That really was interesting - thanks for the info Darkov

@Santa Darkov: thanx loads, pal! How come you know all this stuff? A connoisseur?

Life is only given once ... and most often by accident

Lol, no I don't often drink brandy, I prefer vodka myself but my uncle used to be a connissuer, or call himself one lol and I always wondered why they called it "Napoleon" brandy so I got him to explain it to me. Rather interesting stuff eh.

_____________________________

The reindeer are getting on so Santa decided to upgrade this year

@Esq: You don't drink? How come you're still alive?

Osmosis, I guess.

Don't forget Spanish brandies and Italian grappa

@Santa darkov: vodka?? What kind of vodka do you have there at your place? The stuff supplied by Russian smugglers or what? Anyway, I honor youor choice, thoough I douobt you have any idea what good schnaps tastes like (sorry, that's my prejudice concerning all foreigners). Anyway, if you want to taste the best bear in the world, come to my place BTW, I wouldn't discard brandy - it' real good stuff, yoou just need to get used to it ( I did)
@Indy: Spanish brandies??? lol, it's the first time I hear about that. You're kidding, right?

Life is only given once ... and most often by accident

42 Below and Smirnoff. 42 Below is a New Zealand brand that is surprisingly good stuff. It won the gold medal in the Monde World Selection in Brussels this year and some famous magazine rated in no. 2 a couple of years ago though I don't think you can beat authentic Russian vodka lol. Also there is the KGB brand but I prefer Smirnoff on the whole. Schnapps, ha that's good stuff. When I go on my OE I'll make sure to visit Austria and Germany, pick up some authentic stuff. Ever tried Jagermeister or Pistolero? Now that's good stuff

_____________________________

The reindeer are getting on so Santa decided to upgrade this year

I tried Jaegermeister, and I can honestly say it's not worth its price (though I don't argue that it's good - tyhere are just better ones ). I'll try and search for this 42 Below - should be good stuff. Smirnoff is real good, but, again, not the besty of the best. You say you can't beat Russian vodka, heh? Ever tried Lithuanian Golden?
I'm enjoying the conversation, being a very spiritual man (i.e. addicted to spirit (ethanol))

Life is only given once ... and most often by accident

while we are on the subject of worshiping the spirits of the ether worlds --- step into the temple of the Druid, pull up a boulder and crack open a nice bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey.

makes me all warm n' cosy on the inside, just like TLR



"My sig is in the post but the man in the shop promised I will find it witty and topical when it arrives."

@Druid...now thats the good stuff! my wife's father got mee hooked on irish Whiskey! Funny though,,,he's a scottsman lol.

And jegermeister is cheap here in the states...and it is dreadful stuff...

i love Baileys Irish Creme..either in a cup of coffee or straight on the rocks. Also a wee nip of scotch whiskey also never hurts...now i am not a major drinker but i also like guiness as well. I am not a beer person but Guiness and Dark Ale for some reason are pretty damn good!

"To live is to die....but living is to die slowly..why waste time on trivial things just play as hard as you can"

@ dark_shadow just to annoy you then i had best let you know what i'm up to this evening.

it's 19.15, just got home. be back out in 15mins and off to Dublin. several pints of the black stuff (Guinness)---the propper irish type--- shall be had in the company of some good old friends. on returning to the homestead the compulsory night cap --- Jemmy with ice and talk until eighter the sun rises or everybodeys' eye lids set.

back to work in the morn., hopefully with a hangover so i can justify being in a bad mood about not getting a lie in.