Osborne 1866 Solera Gran Reserva Brandy, 1 x 700ml

Product Information

Status: New application awaiting assignment to an examining attorney. See current trademark processing wait times for more information.

Holandas have a strength below 70% vol. and contain 200-600 grams of volatile substances per hectolitre of pure alcohol All sherry types are used for brandy maturation, but the most common are Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez which have the richest flavours. Often multiple types of casks are used to give the brandy a complex mixture of flavour profiles. Indeed, in the IWSC’s top spirits of 2022, you’ll find a strong selection of whiskies, ranging from modern American bourbon to traditional, aged Scotch. There’s also a strong range of gins, with European entries shining brightly at the awards – you’ll find bottles from Estonia and the UK in the list below.A lot of bodegas also have ultra-premium brandies of very high ages, e.g. El Maestro Sierra Brandy Gran Reserva (40+ yo), Romate Cardenal Mendoza Non Plus Ultra (50+ yo) or Bodegas Tradición Brandy Platinum (50+ yo). Brandy de Jerez or Sherry Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine, just like cognac, armagnac or grappa. You could say it’s a side product of sherry production as the barrels in which the brandy ages are first seasoned with sherry wine. Nowadays their portfolio exists of the younger Veterano and Magno (sometimes Brandy de Jerez, sometimes simple spirit drinks depending on their ABV and age), the lower-end Carlos III and Felipe II ( Brandy Solera Reserva, under 3 years of age) and the more up-market Carlos I, Alma de Magno and Conde de Osborne ( Brandy Solera Gran Reserva, aged for 3 years or more). In 2009 the brands Veterano (from Osborne) and Soberano (from González Byass), once market leaders in the category of Brandy de Jerez, decided to lower their alcohol volume below the required minimum of 36% set by the Consejo Regulador. First to 33% and then as low as 30%. This strategic decision placed them outside of the denomination of origin and meant they could no longer use the name. Instead they are now simply spirit drinks which have totally different rules and therefore a much lower production cost. They’re not necessarily pure wine spirits and they’re much younger than the original Brandy de Jerez. N ose: quite an elegant profile, fresh with bright fruity notes like apricots, grapes and sour citrus. Hints of old wood and leather. Honey coated nuts and a light touch of vanilla. A refined drink, one of the sherry brandies that comes closest to classic Armagnac and Cognac.

The production of sherry brandy starts with a young, neutral, white base wine. Well, neutral is already a positive description. They are rather course wines with a high acidity, not exactly enjoyable on their own.

Mouth: medium body, fairly sweet and oaky. There’s a vague fruity note (maybe orange or peach candy), light hints of Oloroso (dried fruits, raisins, light nuts) and plenty of caramel and cocoa. Some mintiness from the wood as well. The spirits are matured for a minimum of 12 years in Fino sherry casks (ex-Tio Pepe) in a traditional solera system. Recent bottles seem to mention the age on the label but on my bottle this wasn’t the case. Keep in mind that there is a version at 36% ABV and another one at 40% ABV. I guess this is specific to the market you’re in and due to legal requirements or commercial strategy (same thing happens with their entry-level brandy Soberano). Nowadays almost all bodegas are producing one or more types of brandy. Some of the best known brands are Cardenal Mendoza, Terry Centenario, Gran Duque de Alba or Osborne Magno (which gave us the iconic bull image).

the standard Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva which is finished in sweet Oloroso casks (which held Matusalem sherry)Mouth: very smooth, slightly sweeter than expected. Still a light (now slightly syrupy) fruitiness with more pronounced vanilla. Golden raisins, almonds and honey again. Hints of praline and latte in the end. Medium length, raisiny finish.