The first records of distilled grains spirits appeared in Ireland and Scotland in the 1400’s. Over time, these spirits became known as whiskey, which is the anglicized version of the Gaelic word uisce beatha (Ish-ca Baa-ha) which means water of life. English colonization spread whiskey making it to both Canada and the United States and the types of whiskey they made evolved based on the grains that grew well in those climates and soils. Before the 1800’s, whiskey was largely stored in barrels simply for transportation. But, around the turn of the 19th century, people noticed that whiskey stored in barrels had a better flavor and aroma and so began purposefully aging whiskey before selling it. As distilling technology improved, it expanded the variety of whiskey styles that could be made to match the preferences of the drinking public.
Lees brandy has no specific geographic designation so it can be made anywhere in the world.
Lees brandy is unique in that it is the distillate of the residual alcohol and yeast cells that are separated out during the winemaking process. Lees brandy can be difficult to make because the yeast can easily be burned during the distillation process and impart unpleasant flavors to the spirit. Lees brandy can be made from the lees of any fruit fermentation. If the lees come from a fruit other than grape, the US government requires the name of the fruit to be included on the label (eg. cherry lees brandy).
The residual solids in wine making that can consist of dead yeast, fruit skins, pulp, tartrates and or stems. A number of white wine making traditions include the fine lees (yeast cells) during aging to give the wine yeasty or bready flavors. Similarly, some cognacs are distilled with the fine lees to add complexity during maturation.
Crystallized tartaric acid that falls out of suspension when a wine has been stored for a while at a cool temperature.