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| Looks just like 3 Barrels to me... |
Well of all things wonderful to happen, I found Three Barrels Brandy for sale in the good old USA. No, it's not labeled Three Barrels... it's labeled "Raynal" for some stupid reason, but like you should not judge a book by it's cover, you should not judge "Raynal" by it's stupid name. Pretend it say's "Three Barrels" and we shall all be the better for it. The Three Barrels VSOP ("Very Special Old Pale") brandy recipe is said to stretch back to 1814. They use a base of white grape eau-de-vie from Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Champagne aged in French Oak. The final blend is made from 20 different aged eau-de-vie. They regard it as one of the top-selling brandies in France.
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| Looks even more like 3 Barrels to me... |
How it all started, that is to say me and Three Barrels is that in the UK Brandies and Cognac can be quite spendy. Granted the taxes eventually find themselves in the National Heath system. This stuff, Three Barrels goes from about £ 12 to £ 16 pounds a bottle at Tesco, and well worth it my friend. I have spent many a fine night in the UK knocking back a glass or two with my brother in-laws, although I will state unequivocally, my sister in laws have shared a snifter or two with me as well, as well as my dear mother in law over the years.
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| From the English Website |
Raynal and Cie is the parent company, my question being, if it's A-OK in the UK (no pun intended) to market the stuff at Tesco as Three Barrels... what's the scoop... tell me the poop... why it's called Raynal over here in the good old USA? That said, I knew by the colour, I could tell by the shape of the bottle... and let me tell you, for the money over here, which I paid $12.50 for a bottle ( I bought 3) and haven't regretted the investment although I will freely admit it is disappearing from my liquor closet as we speak.
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| Raynal... Schmaynal... They are going to shut down the operation |
It has a floral bouquet to the taste. Smooth, very nice... it brings back memories of home made Brandies I have tasted in Belgium as far back as the 1980's. It's not strong to the taste as say a snifter of Courvoisier, yet I find it very sophisticated... it's not a trashy Brandy, nor a dull one, in fact I would have to say the people putting this all together back in France are going to lose their jobs.. and that's a sad thing... a spokesperson for the Scotland-based company William Grant who makes a Scotch blend "Grants"... said that, following a review of the French brandy operation, William Grant will close the Raynal & Cie site by the beginning of next year, citing "deteriorating market conditions" for the move. The facility produces the company's Three Barrels and Raynal brands. "The French brandy market has been tough of late," the spokesperson said. "The rising cost of eaux de vie is the type of cost that we can't pass on to the consumer, so we've had to consider other options."
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| Read the lable |
I would venture to say the statement by Grants is bullshit. Three Barrels (or Raynor in the States) is a very affordable great tasting Brandy. I see a corporate bottom liner manager here, a dude who will get his end of the year bonus for saving the company money by putting dedicated workers out on the street. It's an act of meanness really for if you were to taste this Brandy you would be as big a fan as I, so my advice, you find a case of Three Barrels or Raynor, buy it.. buy two.
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| Have a good look |
So to all you Three Barrels - Raynor brandy workers back there in France, thank you and I am so sorry t o learn the
Scottish company that bought you out is shutting you down. There ought to be a law.
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