Why is brandy going away?

[Thomas]

In purists terms, brandy is always produced from a fruit. But a great deal of brandy used as a fortification is produced these days from grain.

Distillation may go back to China 1,000 BC. The modern pot still method was perfecetd by Arab Moors in the 12th or 13th century.

Distilled fruit drinks used to be used as truth serum, to get enemies to talk. And its main use in Europe before the late Middle Ages was as a means to preserve dead bodies and to do science experiments, as well as to inlcude in medicines.

At my home, a good brandy pops up regularly between December and March. I am partial to Armagnac.