Due to brandy's reputation as a sophisticated choice of drink and the high price that it can fetch at retail, it is shocking to think that its inventor never intended for it to be a drink. Brandy came into being during the 16th century with its origins cited to a Dutch sea captain. The story goes that the captain was searching for a way to concentrate wine in order to make it easier to transport and lower the cost of import tax, which was measured by volume. The process of distillation was used to remove water from the wine and leave behind a far more condensed liquor, the substance known today as brandy. The original intent was for the wine to only remain this way during transportation and that the distilled water would be re-added before consumption. However, it was soon discovered that the distilled product didn't actually taste that bad and it quickly became a popular choice of beverage throughout Europe.
Recent History graduate living in Newcastle. I like to travel and experience new things, my favourite place on earth has got to be the Great Barrier Reef. To date my greatest achievements include completing the National Pokedex and mastering how to make cheesy nachos.