Description
Samvel Ship Brandy 700ml is a brandy from Armenia and part of the Samvel range, which names each of its bottlings after a figure, in this case a ship. Armenian brandy is distilled from white grapes grown in the country and aged in oak casks, a tradition that has made it one of Armenia’s most recognised products.
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Brandy has been made in the Ararat Valley since the late 19th century, and Armenian brandy became widely known across the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union, where it is still often called konyak. In recent years Armenian leaders have encouraged using the word brandy instead.
The style is traditionally based on local white grape varieties such as Voskehat, Garan Dmak and Mskhali. The wine is double distilled and the spirit rests in oak barrels, which gives Armenian brandy its amber colour, dried fruit notes and soft texture.
In Armenia brandy is usually poured neat at room temperature into a tulip glass or snifter and sipped slowly, often with dark chocolate, dried apricots, nuts or a slice of lemon. A few drops of water can open up the aromas, and it also works in a classic brandy cocktail such as the Sidecar.
- Brandy from Armenia
- Samvel Ship bottling
- 700ml bottle
Expect the typical Armenian brandy profile of dried apricot, raisin and vanilla from the oak, with gentle spice and a warm, rounded finish.
Armenian brandies are commonly grouped into ordinary brandies, aged for roughly three to six years, and aged brandies with ten years or more in oak, which are usually kept for slow sipping. Armenia’s brandy industry ranges from large houses such as the Yerevan Brandy Company, maker of Ararat and owned by Pernod Ricard since 1998, and the Proshyan Brandy Factory, to smaller producers bottling their own blends. Warming the glass in your hand for a minute brings the aromas forward.
A distinctive choice for brandy drinkers curious about Armenian styles, whether new to them or already familiar, and a characterful bottle for the home bar.
