Needless to say, cognac can be called only the drink for which grapes are grown, and all stages of production were carried out in the homonymous region of the province of Poitou Charentes in France? All other distillates of this type are called brandy. And even those that are made according to all the canons of cognac craftsmanship. But in the Soviet Union, laws on the classification of “quality controlled by origin” have never been heard. And even if they knew about him, they did not pay attention to these requirements. Therefore, we sold “Soviet Champagne” and Georgian, Armenian, Moldavian and Transcarpathian cognacs. This tradition of brandy has survived after the collapse of the USSR. Well, we will follow it. In this article we describe the Georgian brandy "Galavani" 5 stars. The composition of the drink, its taste characteristics and reviews of real customers were studied and analyzed by us. We hope that a short essay about this brandy will make you a good choice.
Georgian brandy "Galavani" 5 years: producer
The history of this drink is rooted in the 80s of the nineteenth century. In a small village of Askana, in the wine region of Kakheti, a certain Antimoz Chkhaidze decided to start making distilled beverages. He built a factory where the production process combined the traditions of French and Georgian cognac art. Antimoz Chkhaidze kept his products in kweri - huge clay amphorae that burrowed into the ground at the very neck. This method was practiced in Kakheti in ancient times. The factory produced cognac, chacha and wine. The products of the family business, thanks to its excellent quality, became famous far beyond the borders of Georgia. Soviet power in the bud destroyed all private enterprise. Only after the collapse of the USSR, in 1998, the great-grandchildren of Antimoz Chkhaidze - Jimscher and Gocha Askaneli - were able to revive the work of their ancestor. At their factory and produced, among other alcoholic products, brandy "Galavani".
Technology
In 2005, the Askaneli Brothers company refitted its factory in accordance with modern requirements for the production of brandy and wine. New equipment was purchased and the best specialists in blending cognac spirits were invited . Askaneli Brothers Factory is a full cycle enterprise. This means that the company has its own vineyards that supply raw materials. Vast cellars are located under the plant, where spirits ripen and wine grows. The Askaneli brothers did not renounce the cultural heritage of Kakheti. Some drinks are made in the traditional way. The product range of this family-owned enterprise includes four types of chacha and 32 types of wines. Galavani cognac and eleven other brands of brandy are supplied not only to other regions of Georgia, but are also exported to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and even some European countries.
Awards and popularity rating
The Askaneli Brothers wine house is one of the main producers of strong alcohol in Georgia. His products are regularly awarded at exhibitions and competitions such as Decanter, Best Drink and Prodexpo. Cognac "Galavani" - a whole family of brandy. The youngest brother of the family is three years old. The average is five. The oldest brandy over the name "Galavani", which is sold in Russia, is eight years old. But let's look at the age of cognac. After all, this is a blending drink. It may contain ten or more cognac spirits of different ages. The manufacturer marks its products according to the youngest of them. In this article we consider the five-year-old cognac “Galavani”. His rating is also average - between three and eight years of his brothers. Reviews call it excellent value for money and often award it with a rating of 4 out of five. Of course, his eight-year-old older brother is tastier and more complex. But the one is not expensive as an example (more than a thousand rubles per bottle versus 750). Three-year brandy is the most budget option. It captivates a beautiful bottle, which is not a shame to put on the table in front of the guests, and the price is five hundred rubles. But such cognac is not suitable for relishing.
Decor. How to distinguish an original from a fake
Reviews urge you to study the label and the bottle, so as not to pay in vain money for counterfeit. Georgian cognacs are in great demand in Russia, and the dishonest manufacturers of fakes profit from this. So, what do you need to know to buy real Georgian brandy five-year-old Galavani, and not ethyl alcohol with flavorings, tinted with tea leaves? For this drink, the manufacturer chose a bottle that gradually tapers up. This is not a bell or a pyramid. The bottle has a mild, but traceable transition to the neck. Particular attention should be paid to the label. The trade barcode of Georgia is 486. It is with these three numbers that the inscription under the “zebra” should begin in the lower right corner of the label on the back. All the labels on the original product are clear, without washouts, made in a beautiful capital font. The neck is filled in black plastic with the inscription GalAVani. In a special round window of the original bottle appears the number 5 - the age of the youngest of the blending alcohols. A bottle of clear glass makes it possible to consider the color of cognac. This is a drink of dark golden amber hue.
Gastronomic qualities
The merits of the five-year-old Galavani brandy can be found on the label on the back of the bottle. The manufacturer reports that the alcohols were made in one of the best wine-growing regions of the country - Kakheti. Cognac of Georgia “Galavani” (5 years) has a harmonious and full taste. Shades of honey and almonds are felt in it. The drink has a delicate and rich bouquet with floral nuances. The manufacturer promises a long finish, which will caress the palate with velvety notes. And the color of dark amber will delight your eye, bringing not only gastronomic, but also aesthetic pleasure. But the composition poured into a beautiful bottle of liquid is somewhat depressing. The manufacturer himself admits that, in addition to cognac distillate, softened water and syrup, the drink contains caramel dye "simple color E150a." However, he immediately reassures the potential buyer that the level of harmful substances in brandy does not exceed the regulations established by the Customs Union Technical Conditions.
How to serve and drink
Cognac and brandy do not cool before serving. On the contrary, if you warm the glass a little in the palm of your hand, the drink will more fully reveal its gastronomic qualities. It is best to use Galavani cognac as a dutya, that is, after a meal. It is drunk well in its pure form. The soft taste of this brandy will emphasize the quality of freshly brewed black coffee. Excellent cognac behaves as part of alcoholic cocktails. Its harmonious taste goes well with juices and other drinks. In Georgia, it is not customary to use such distillates in one gulp, such as vodka. It is necessary to give cognac time to stand in a glass. So an excessive charge of alcohols will disappear from it, as a result of which you will hear distinct floral notes in the aroma of the drink. Warming the glass in the palm of your hand, tilt it slightly to the sides, admiring the “oil” marks on the glass. Take a sip of the drink, feel the whole gamut of honey-nut shades. The aftertaste will give you new sensations - the heat spreading over the body and the velvet chocolate caressing the palate.
Luding-Trade LLC: what is it and what is the role of this institution?
Users who have visited Georgia greatly praise the Galavani brandy. Reviews characterize him as one of the best brandy brands in the country. All those who have tasted the drink in his homeland give the product five points. Far from such encouraging reviews on the product of the same name bought in Russia. The Askaneli Brothers authorized importer and distributor is Luding-Trade LLC. The tasks of this limited liability company include arranging all customs formalities at the border when transporting goods and distributing them across the trading networks of the Russian Federation. But for some reason, such activity affects the quality of the drink. Russian users heard in the taste of cognac not honey and almond notes, but aromatic essence. As a result, the popularity rating of Galavani brandy dropped from five to four points.
Price
In Russian stores, the brandies of this wine house occupy the lower and middle segments. The three-year Galavani can be bought for five hundred rubles for a half-liter bottle. This is a simple drink to drink with coffee or as part of cocktails. Five-year cognac is more refined. It has a complex taste that you should feel while drinking brandy in its pure form (and not on an empty stomach, since tannins will make themselves felt). The price of such pleasure is from 700 to 950 rubles. The eight-year-old Galavani brandy is highly praised by users. Reviews recommend buying it for special events. After all, its value "bites": more than a thousand rubles per half-liter bottle. But, if you compare it with French cognacs, such a price does not seem excessive.
Georgian brandy five-year "Galavani": reviews
Inexperienced users claim that after such a brandy, the head does not hurt and there are no stomach problems. This brandy is drunk easily, there are no fusel impurities in it, it does not tear at the throat. Brandy will appeal to ladies and lovers of soft drinks.