Buy Brandy Online in NZ

Most of our brandy is French, from Cognac houses Hennessy, Remy Martin and Croizet to the St Remy range. Beyond France there's Metaxa from Greece, Samvel from Armenia, and bottles from Spain, Italy and South Africa.

Types of Brandy

  • Cognac: grape brandy from south-west France, double-distilled in copper pot stills.
  • Armagnac: from Gascony, usually distilled once for a fuller, more rustic character.
  • VSOP: an age grade sitting between VS and XO, with more oak and spice.
  • Greek Brandy: famous for Metaxa, which blends aged brandy with sweet Muscat wine.
  • Solera and Armenian Brandy: Spanish brandy aged through a solera of blended casks, and Armenia's rich grape brandies.

How to Choose Brandy

Think about how you'll drink it. A younger VS or everyday French brandy suits dry ginger ale and cocktails like the Sidecar, while VSOP is good for sipping. XO Cognac, such as Croizet XO Gold, is aged longer for a richer, rounder glass. For gifting, the Remy Martin VSOP gift pack with two glasses comes ready to give, and Metaxa 7 Star Amphora offers a softer, gently sweet alternative to Cognac.

Brandy FAQs

What is the difference between Cognac and brandy?

All Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. Cognac must be made from white grapes grown in the Cognac region of France, double-distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak. Brandy is the wider family, made from wine or fruit anywhere in the world.

What do VS, VSOP and XO mean?

They are age grades showing the minimum time the youngest brandy in the blend has spent in oak. For Cognac, VS means at least two years, VSOP at least four and XO at least ten. Older grades are usually richer, with more dried fruit and spice.

How do you drink brandy?

Brandy can be sipped neat at room temperature from a tulip glass or snifter, or mixed. Aged Cognac and XO are usually enjoyed neat or with a drop of water, while younger VS brandy works well with dry ginger ale, in a Sidecar or in a Brandy Alexander.

Does brandy go off once opened?

Brandy does not spoil once opened, but its aroma slowly fades as air gets into the bottle. Keep it upright, tightly sealed and away from heat and sunlight. A half-full bottle keeps its character longest when finished within a year or two.