E&J Peach Brandy

E&J Peach Brandy is a California-made, peach-flavored brandy bottled at 30% ABV (60 proof). That is well below the 40% of a standard cognac or grape brandy, and it puts the bottle closer to a liqueur in weight and sweetness. The producer describes it as sweet and fruit-forward. Expect ripe peach and stone-fruit aroma over a soft brandy base, with more sweetness than oak or spice. It carries no VS, VSOP or XO designation, and the details provided give no age statement, so don't judge it by the cask-aged yardsticks used for cognac. Because of the lower proof and the sweetness, it works best chilled rather than at room temperature. Pour it over ice, or keep the bottle in the fridge and serve it neat in a small cordial or rocks glass at roughly 5 to 10°C. A snifter is not the natural choice here. Its main job is as a mixer, and a few drops of lemon or a splash of soda cuts the sugar if you drink it straight. In cocktails, treat it as a fruit modifier, not a stand-in for cognac. Swapping it one-for-one into a Sidecar, Brandy Alexander or Sazerac would make those drinks noticeably sweeter and lose the oak and spice they depend on. For a Sidecar-style sour, use a small measure alongside a drier brandy, plus lemon juice, to add peach without overwhelming the drink. Other good uses are a peach sour with lemon and a dash of bitters, a spritz topped with sparkling wine or soda, a batch of peach sangria with white wine and sliced fruit, and a splash over vanilla ice cream or in a peach cobbler or glaze. Once opened, keep the bottle capped and out of direct sun. The sugar and fruit character hold up best when it is stored cool.