Distiller Notes
Opuntia is a prickly pear spirit, made from the fruit of the Nopal cactus. Its flavor is as singular as tequila’s, an invigorating balance of fresh fruit and desert earth that is all its own. Over a ton of sun-ripened California fruit is fermented into wine and then distilled in each batch. This is a new spirit tradition that belongs to California.
Taking its name from the Dutch term, brandewijn, for burnt or cooked wine, in the broadest sense of the term, Brandy is any liquor made from the distillation of fruit wine. Though any kind of fruit may be used, wine grapes are the most common. Clear Brandy, commonly referred to as Eau de Vie, is unaged and bottled directly after distillation. Finer grape-based Brandies are often aged in oak barrels for anywhere from two years (VS) to six years (XO) or longer, gradually gaining color and complexity as they interact with the wood.