Cheers the Chinese New Year with XO Cognacs

The holidays continue at Vinnin Liquors as we gear up to celebrate the Chinese New Year on January 31st, which marks the beginning of the year of the horse. People born in the year of the horse are adventurers known for their sex-appeal. Sounds to us like they’d throw a great party. Join us in raising a glass to them. And by glass, we mean snifter—filled with one of our favorite XO cognacs:

Martell Cordon Bleu, Remy Martin XO , & Hennessy XO

Hennessy Paradis, Remy Martin Extra, & Remy Martin Louis XIII

At Vinnin Liquors we’re all about spirits. And so is the Chinese New year. Traditionally, during the 15-day celebration of the new year, people in China focused on welcoming the spirits of their ancestors back home for a bit, praising the friendly spirits of deities, and scaring away the evil ones.

It just so happens that scaring away the evil spirits can be a lot of fun. For one, they don’t like the color red. What better reason to make your Chinese New Year’s Party a red carpet affair? The spirits also don’t like fire. And what they hate are fireworks, so stock up. If you launch the first firework of the New Year, good luck is coming your way.

Of all the traditions that take place for Chinese New Year, feasting on the eve of the holiday has long been considered the most important. Prepare long noodles to symbolize long life and cook up some full-moon-shaped dumplings to symbolize perfection, as well as the family unit.

Now that we’ve gotten the menu straightened out, let’s talk libations. Cognac is the Chinese drink of celebration and the perfect choice to ring in a new year as it symbolizes health, love and prosperity.

Cognac is a form of brandy that comes from the six grape-growing regions of Cognac, France. Grapes are fermented and distilled in copper pot stills to produce an alcohol called eau-de-vie, translated as “water of life.” This alcohol is then aged in oak barrels. Cognacs that are aged for a minimum of 6 years, though on average more like 20, are considered XO, “Extra Old” cognacs. They’re best served neat in a snifter, with a dash of water if you like.

Due to their superior quality, some might frown at drinking XO cognacs any way other than neat, but if you prefer a cocktail, we won’t tell. Here are some ideas for those of you who fancy a cocktail. Cheers!

What are the differences from a Tawny, Ruby, LBV, and Vintage port?

Between Ruby and Tawny Ports the difference is in the amount of time both has spent aging in casks prior to blending and bottling.  
 
Ruby Port is younger, has spent less time in the cask, usually only a few years. Ruby ports retain more of its natural color, and get more sweetness and fruity characteristics from the grapes then Tawny ports. As a result, its colors are more of a deep, ruby color.  
 
Tawny Ports get aged longer in the cask, sometimes as long as 20 years, and as it matures, more of its color fades to a brownish, tawny color. In addition, its flavors are less sweet, have deeper, more complex characteristics.

 

Vintage Port and LBV both present a selection of very fine full bodied reds from a single year. The difference between the two styles lies in the way each is matured. Vintage Port is kept in wood for only twenty months or so before being bottled where it continues to age while being on the shelve.

Late Bottled Vintages are bottled later, remaining in wood between four and six years. During this relatively long period of wood ageing, an LBV matures and settles down. It is ready to drink when bottled, does not need to be decanted and can be served by the glass for several weeks after the cork is drawn.

Late Bottle Vintages were created to have a more high quality but very affordable port which is immediately drinkable compared to the alternative of a Vintage port.