Burnt Faith is the first brandy to be distilled in London in over 200 years.
As I’m a Sarf Lunduner, Walthamstow is a mystery to me. I know it used to have a famous dog track, and that one of the UK’s finest singer/songwriter/ guitarists Nick Saloman comes from there, but that’s it.
I do know a bit more about Cognac, not just a name but also of course a place in the Charente region of France. There they make much of the world’s brandy with famous brands and often staggering prices.
Brandy is of course synonymous with living the high life, the drink of oligarchs and not for the little people. With Burnt Faith that has changed.
Burnt Faith want to ‘push boundaries and change the way people view Brandy’
Located in Walthamstow, North-East London, the Burnt Faith brandy distillery has a traditional onion-shaped Charentais still, or Alembic,the only one in Britain and which is one of the most beautiful alembics.
These were developed in the early XVI century when the rather poor quality white Charente wines from the region were first made into brandy. The original idea was to simply remove the water in the wine to save space and weight on ships, then to add water at the final destination to turn the distillate back into wine. Then someone tasted the distillate and decided to not bother with the water and brandy was born.
Burnt Faith use a combination of Trebbiano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat Blanc grapes that are aged in four types of cask: Bourbon, Cognac, Cherry Liqueur and Pineau des Charentes, the result is a brandy with aromas of dried apricot and marmalade, and a palate filled with caramel and chocolate.
The striking Burnt Faith bottle, with its distinctive neck shape was designed by design firm Contagious and has a posh purple glass stopper and embossed label.
As a new distillery, sustainability was baked into the design and has influenced production and operational decisions – from still design to minimising the carbon footprint of supply.
Getting brandy out of the rather dusty image of Mayfair Clubs and corporate board rooms, and making it more accessible, is a very good idea. It’s a drink that deserves to be more widely enjoyed even, sacrilegiously in cocktails. See below.
Buy Burnt Faith Brandy – Batch 001 | 40% | £36 | Stockists : Burnt Faith online, Harvey Nichols, The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt
A classic Negroni with a brandy twist.
INGREDIENTS
- 25ml Burnt Faith
- 25ml sweet Vermouth
- 25ml Aperitif
- Orange slice
METHOD
Pour the Burnt Faith, vermouth and Aperitif into a mixing glass or jug with ice. Stir well until the outside of the glass feels cold.
Strain into a tumbler and add some fresh ice. Garnish with an orange slice.
HOW TO SERVE
Serve in a Rocks glass and garnish with an orange slice.