Brandy legend Pietman Retief

During a presentation I did at Educvin in Burgundy last year, one of the winemakers said it was every so often necessary to take oneΓÇÖs palate out of the comfort zone. ΓÇ£Electro-shockΓÇ¥ he called it. Put something in your mouth that shakes, rattles and burns your flavour sensors, re-awakening them for the next period of wine tasting.

I donΓÇÖt know if this was what Yves had in mind, but I am partial to a double brandy-and-Coke poured to the ratio of a third brandy and two thirds Coke. This hefty dose of spirited sweetness is met with alarm by my cultivated tasting tools, having them cry out in anguish before they are ΓÇô like their possessor ΓÇô lulled into a lovely alcoholic comatose state.

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