The brandy that comes out of the still is colorless and has an alcohol content of about 72%. It is then left to age in 350-liter oak barrels, coming from the oak forests of Limousin, located in France.
Important physico-chemical transformation processes of the distillate components take place during the stay in the barrels. The tannins contained in the wood are partly transferred to the distillate to which, with slow evolution over time, they give perfume, flavor and color. Another very important process, which occurs during aging, is oxidation.
Through the pores of the wood, the distillate comes into contact with the oxygen in the air and, through this exchange, chemical reactions take place that develop other aromas and flavors, which are also essential for achieving the final bouquet. For this reason, after a certain period of aging in new barrels, the brandy is transferred to so-called “exhausted” barrels, in which the oxidation processes are accentuated and the contributions of tannins decrease.
During the aging period the alcohol content is slowly lowered from the original 70 degrees up to the final alcohol content of 44/45 degrees. In fact, we believe that this alcohol content is optimal to enhance the characteristics of this noble distillate to the maximum; thus the ideal balance is reached between the concentration of aromatic substances and the “aggressiveness” of alcohol. After the aging period, the distillate is ready for bottling without the need for any subsequent manipulation or processing, except for filtration.
