So today, let’s have a look not at wine, but distilled wine, commonly known as brandy. The English word “brandy” comes from the Dutch brandewijn meaning “burnt wine” and refers to the distillation process in which the wine is heated. Wine contains water and alcohol but alcohol has a lower boiling point and becomes a vapour at just over 78°C. The most common brandy glass is the traditional balloon-shaped glass, often inelegantly known as a “snifter”. However, some professionals consider that this warms the contents too quickly and a stemmed brandy glass is better.