Since brandy was separated from cognac polling in 2020, Torres has been topping the list, with this year seeing 10% of the bars polled for brandy having Torres as a first choice. The brand is the most widely distributed brandy outside of cognac, so it’s no surprise that it’s a popular choice in the world’s best bars.
Up a place from last year is Metaxa. While not strictly a brandy (on account of its wine content), in order to be pragmatic the brand is included alongside the bestselling brandies, and rightfully so it seems. Nine per cent of the bars polled voted for Metaxa as their first choice, just over half that of Torres.
Following closely behind was a new entry for 2023, Lustau. The brand saw 6% of bars vote it as a first choice for their top selling brandy. Its sherry brandies range from a Solera Reserva at the lower end to its Gran Reserva – Family Reserve at the high end of its brandy selection.
Sticking to the theme of new entries this year are St-Rémy and Avallen. St-Rémy is a traditional French brandy that has been working to bring the category into modern drinking, with its series of cask finishes doing just that. The series recently concluded with the release of Finished in Calvados Casks, using oak casks that previously held calvados produced by Château du Breuil in Normandy.
Made with “nothing but apples, water and time” as the brand states, Avallen is a calvados that looks at the category through a sustainable lens. With this and the heightened consumer awareness around sustainability of late, the brand is alongside Torres as the second top trending, so there’s clearly a demand for modern brandies in bars.
How we did it
The Annual Brands Report results are the culmination of a survey of 100 bars from around the world which have been nominated or won international awards. The report offers a picture of the buying habits of the world’s best bars – not only which brands sell best, but also what’s trending to indicate the brands that are hot right now.
To view the page-turner edition of the Brands Report click here.
The Brands Report will be serialised on drinksint.com throughout January.
