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Looking for an updated E&J liquor price guide? Depending on when and where you grew up, you might have had a strange introduction to Brandy.
For many of us, we probably remember seeing our parents or grandparents enjoying a brandy after dinner. Or maybe it was one of the bottles our parents always had on hand next to some schnapps and triple sec.
If you were born into a very fancy family, you may know brandy as the liquid being added to flaming desserts like Baked Alaska or Cherries Jubilee. They were all very mysterious and intriguing.
If you grew up in California, France, or Wisconsin, it might be an entirely different story. California and France are regions known for producing grapes and spirits, so brandy was generally more prevalent, but Wisconsin?
Brandy is a way of life in some parts of Wisconsin thanks to the popularity of the Brandy Old Fashioned – a sweet version of the traditional co*cktail.
Nowadays, you don’t have to be old, midwestern, or French to jump on the brandy bandwagon. Brandy, a distilled spirit made from wine, consumption is on the way up and even traditional wine producers are producing more brandy.
That is certainly the case for E&J Brandy.
A Brief History of E&J Brandy
E&J Brandy made its grand entrance into the world in 1975, but its history goes back even further. The E&J in E&J Brandy stands for Ernest and Julio as is Ernest and Julio Gallo, the famous winemakers.
Ernest and Julio Gallo started their winery back in 1933. In addition to wine, they were also passionate about brandy, which is why they added E&J Brandy to their portfolio in the seventies. It wasn’t such a stretch considering the base for brandy production is wine.
It’s safe to say that they made the right call. It only took eight years before E&J Brandy was America’s best-selling brandy in 1983.
This was thanks not only to the quality product but also to the adept advertising campaign that touted E&J Brandy in Sports Illustrated and the New Yorker, among others.
E&J Brandy has added variants throughout the years with extra aging and flavors to stay in touch with consumer tastes but never lost their dedication to quality. E&J Brandy remains near the top in sales in the United States and abroad.
At this point we know that E&J Brandy is popular and is made from wine, but how exactly is brandy made? Most other popular spirits are made by fermenting grains, distilling, aging, and bottling.
Brandy follows a similar path but starts with grapes instead of grains. E&J Brandy specifically starts by picking a mix of California grapes. The grapes are then fermented to make wine.
The wine is then distilled to purify the liquid and produce the alcohol.
The liquid at this point is referred to as eau de vie, which translates to “water of life.”
With a name like that, you might be tempted to stop here in the process, but the next step is to put the eau de vie in oak barrels to age for at least two years and up to more than six years depending on the variety.
The final step in making E&J Brandy is blending the brandy from different oak barrels to find the perfect mix. The brandy is a nice golden brown color that will be darker the longer it’s aged.
What you end up with is a complex spirit that has a smooth, slightly sweet, slightly fruity, and oaky flavor profile.
E&J Liquor Price, Variations & Sizes
E&J Brandy currently offers six different types of brandy that would fall into the standard aged brandy and flavored brandy categories.
Brandy has a standard naming convention, or grading system, that signifies the number of years the brandy has been aged. As brandy is blended, it bases the designation on the age of the youngest brandy in the blend.
Brandy generally will go up in price as the length of aging goes up. For E&J Brandy, there is not a huge jump in price as you move from the VS to the XO. E&J Brandy is both high quality and very economical.
| Type | ABV | Size | Average Price |
| E&J VS Brandy | 40% | 375 ml | From $6.99 |
| 750 ml | From $13.99 | ||
| 1.75 L | From $28.99 | ||
| E&J VSOP Grand Blue Brandy | 40% | 375 ml | From $6.99 |
| 750 ml | From $14.99 | ||
| 1.75 L | From $29.99 | ||
| E&J XO Brandy | 40% | 375 ml | From $7.99 |
| 750 ml | From $15.99 | ||
| 1.75 L | From $34.99 | ||
| E&J Peach Brandy | 30% | 375 ml | From $6.99 |
| 750 ml | From $13.99 | ||
| 1.75 L | From $24.99 | ||
| E&J Apple Brandy | 30% | 375 ml | From $6.99 |
| 750 ml | From $14.99 | ||
| 1.75 L | From $24.99 | ||
| E&J Vanilla Brandy | 30% | 375 ml | From $6.99 |
| 750 ml | From $14.99 |
- E&J VS Brandy is the original and most popular blend. VS stands for very special and means the youngest brandy in this blend was aged for at least two years.
- E&J VSOP Grand Blue Brandy has been offered since the 1990s and the VSOP stands for very superior old pale. The youngest brandy in this blend was aged for at least 4 years.
- E&J XO Brandy was also added to the team in the 1990s and is the most aged of their offerings. XO stands for extra old and means that the youngest brandy in this blend was aged for at least six years.
- E&J Peach Brandy is brandy mixed with natural peach flavor from peach liqueur.
- E&J Apple Brandy is brandy mixed with apple liqueur.
- E&J Vanilla Brandy is brandy mixed with, you guessed it, natural vanilla flavors.
E&J Brandy Alternatives and Comparisons
You can’t find E&J Brandy? Say it ain’t so. E&J Brandy has an extensive distribution, so hopefully, you don’t find yourself in this situation too often, but there are some other brandies that can also fit the bill.
The Christian Brothers Brandy has the most in common with E&J Brandy. Their brandy has a similar price point, wide distribution, and a comparable product line that consists of standard aged brandy and flavored brandy.
If you wanted to drop a bit more money on your brandy, you could move up to Courvoisier or Hennessey. Courvoisier Cognac VS is a fine blend but will cost almost double what E&J VS Brandy costs.
Hennessy Cognac is another very popular blend that costs even more – closer to three times as much as E&J Brandy. Courvoisier and Hennessy are both produced in France.
How to Drink E&J Brandy
To get the best experience out of drinking brandy, it should be served neat, straight up, at room temperature in a brandy snifter.
This combination will allow you to achieve maximum enjoyment with both your sense of taste and smell. Brandy can also be added to an ever-growing list of fantastic co*cktails like the Brandy Old Fashioned or a Brandy Alexander.
Brandy should be stored in a cool, dark place, like a cellar or liquor cabinet. Unopened brandy stored properly will last many years but opened brandy should be consumed within three years for the best flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is brandy the same as cognac?
The relationship between brandy and cognac is just like the relationship of Champagne to sparkling wine or bourbon to whiskey.
Champagne is sparkling wine from a specific region, bourbon is whiskey from a specific region, and cognac is brandy from a specific region in France. All cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is cognac.
2. Is E&J Brandy Gluten Free?
E&J non-flavored brandies are gluten free. Generally, distilled spirits are all gluten free even if their ingredients have gluten. Since brandy is made with grapes, this is not a consideration.
Flavored brandy, however, may contain gluten so these should be avoided. This is due to some natural flavors being wheat-based.
3. What co*cktails can I make with E&J Brandy?
Brandy Old Fashioned
- 3 oz E&J VS Brandy
- 2-3 dashes of bitters
- 1 tsp of sugar
- 1 splash of club soda
- 1 lemon peel (for garnish)
- Pour brandy, bitters, and sugar into a glass with ice. Add a splash of club soda and garnish with the lemon peel.
Brandy Egg Nog
- 1 oz E&J VS or VSOP Brandy
- 1 ¼ oz milk
- ½ oz simple syrup
- 1 egg yolk
- Freshly grated nutmeg (for garnish)
- Pour milk, brandy, egg yolk, and simple syrup into a co*cktail shaker with ice. Shake well, strain into a mug, and garnish with nutmeg.
Brandy Alexander
- 1 oz E&J VS, VSOP, or XO Brandy
- 1 oz dark crème de cacao liqueur
- 1 oz cream
- Freshly grated nutmeg (for garnish)
- Combine brandy, crème de cacao, and cream in a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, strain into a chilled co*cktail glass, and garnish with nutmeg.
4. Why do they drink so much brandy in Wisconsin?
There are some arguments on why brandy became so popular in this midwestern state. The obsession either started at the 1893 Columbia Exposition or during World War II when there were whiskey shortages depending on who you believe.
Regardless of how it started, the brandy craze is still going strong – mostly due to the popularity of the Brandy Old Fashioned. You would think that Brandy would be the official state drink of Wisconsin, but alas, it is actually milk.
Interesting Facts & Myths
St. Bernards with a barrel of brandy around their neck
Contrary to popular belief, St. Bernards don’t walk around with a barrel of brandy around their neck. This myth started with a painting of a St. Bernard from the 1800s and was perpetuated by popular culture and even cartoons throughout the years.
St. Bernards have been used as rescue dogs throughout history, so if you’re reading this while trapped in snow, don’t give up hope. You may want to give up hope that your rescuer will offer you a drink when they arrive.
Fun Fact
E&J Brandy is the official spirit of the BIG3 basketball league. BIG3 is a 3 on 3 basketball league started by Ice Cube in 2017.
