Wine Talk: Israel’s forgotten brandies

Stock is a well-known international company that was founded in Italy in 1884 by an 18-year-old named Lionello Stock.

Twenty years ago there was a large market for Israeli brandies. However, high domestic taxes and the fact that brandy just drifted out of fashion have contributed to an ongoing decline in Israeli brandy, which has continued until today. This is sad because Israeli brandies are good and deserve better. 

 The brandy with the highest profile is Stock 84. Stock is a well-known international company that was founded in Italy in 1884 by an 18-year-old named Lionello Stock. The Jewish-owned company settled in Trieste and was a great success until the rise of Hitler and Mussolini. Then the distilleries were pillaged, closed or nationalized. Because of this, Stock had to rebuild his company again towards the end of his life and chose to make a start in other countries such as America… and Israel.

In 1938 he began to produce brandy in Ramat Gan.

The company’s Stock 84 Brandy, now a major international brand, is still made in Israel under license by the Barkan Winery, which is owned by Tempo Breweries. It remains the biggest-selling brandy in Israel.

The Carmel Winery began distilling excess grapes to produce brandy in 1898. Carmel’s brandies include the Extra Fine, which is Israel’s oldest brand of wines or spirits, and the label has remained virtually unchanged. More well known is the Carmel 777 Brandy, which is more than 50 years old. The name 777 was chosen because of the importance of this number in the Jewish religion.

Carmel 100 Brandy was launched to celebrate the winery’s 100th anniversary.

Carmel’s brandies have won gold medals in international competitions. The most prestigious prize was the trophy for Best Brandy Worldwide at the International Wine and Spirits Competition awarded to the Carmel 100 Brandy in 1998 – an outstanding award for an Israeli brandy.

In the early 1990s, the Tishbi Winery gained the advice and support of Sidney Back of the Backsberg Winery in South Africa in an innovative venture. They decided to purchase an authentic alembic still from Cognac with the objective of making Israel’s first Cognac-style brandy. The resulting three-year-old brandy was an instant success, winning the coveted trophy for Best Brandy Worldwide at the IWSC in London in 1996. It was no mean feat for two Israeli brandies to win this prestigious trophy twice in three years.

The Extra Fine, Carmel 777 and Stock 84 are available in supermarkets. The Cave and Carmel 100 brandies may be found in quality wine shops, while the rarer Jonathan Tishbi and Carmel 120 brandies are available only in the shops at the wineries themselves. No doubt they will continue to be appreciated by those connoisseurs and brandy lovers, who know what others are missing.

ENTRY LEVEL, NIS 70+

Stock 84, VSOP

It is made from a number of grape varieties, distilled in a continuous still and aged for up to four years in large oak casks. The result is light and fiery, popular with those looking for “bite.”

Extra Fine Brandy, two years old Extra Fine is aged in oak for two years.

The result is a light style, but it is still quite fruity. Ideal for use in cooking or mixing in cocktails.

Carmel 777 Brandy, three years old Carmel 777 is aged for three years in small oak barrels. It is a light, fruity, spirited brandy, representing good value in an aperitif style.

SPECIAL PURCHASE, NIS 200+

Carmel 100 Brandy, eight years old

This brandy was matured in barrels previously used for wines, so it can be said to have a “wine finish.” The youngest component is eight years, but there are older brandies in the blend. Elegant with an aroma of dried fruits and a touch of rich sweetness.

Stock XO A newly released XO brandy, produced by the Barkan Winery, which makes Stock brandy in Israel under license. It is described on the Stock website as “dark, rich and smooth.”

LUXURY, NIS 500+

Carmel 120 Brandy, 10 years old

Rare expression of 2,000 bottles only, produced to commemorate Carmel’s 120th harvest. There are components of 15-year-old and 27-year-old brandies in the blend. It has a rich, fruity nose, a warm middle palate and a long, lingering finish.

The Cave Brandy, 10 years old A brandy produced by the Binyamina Winery and matured for 10 years in a genuine cave, from which it receives its name. It is sold in a stylish glass decanter. It is rich, full bodied and deeper colored than the others, with an attractive sweetness in the finish.

SUPER LUXURY NIS 1,300+

Jonathan Tishbi Brandy, 16 years old

This is an estate brandy named after the owner of the winery. It was made from grapes grown in Tishbi’s own vineyards, double distilled on its lees in an authentic Charentais still. It was then aged in oak barrels.

It is sold in a traditionally frosted brandy bottle.

Adam Montefiore works for Carmel Winery and writes regularly about Israeli wine for international and Israeli publications.

adam@carmelwines.co.il

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