The term brandy covers a range of products, including calvados, cognac and armagnac. Here, the Good Housekeeping Institute experts have focused their search on the best brandy under £50, with bottles from just £16.45!
Best brandy 2024
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Best brandy
Jean-Luc Pasquet L’Organic 07 Grande Champagne Cognac 7 Year Old
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Best Spanish brandy
Carlos Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez
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Best budget brandy
Lidl RÊVERIE Brandy X.O.
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Brandy cocktails
While brandy is delicious served neat at room temperature, or on the rocks (a balloon-shaped glass works best), it’s also excellent in cocktails.
Try a classic serve such as the brandy alexander (cognac, crème de cacao, and cream) or the sidecar with Cointreau and lemon. We also like it in this honey and pear brandy old-fashioned, for a fun twist on the whisky-based cocktail.
What's the difference between brandy and cognac?
As the famous saying goes, not all brandy is cognac, but all cognac is brandy. In other words, cognac is a type of brandy, made specifically in the Cognac region of France. It’s essentially what champagne is to sparkling wine.
What does VSOP mean for brandy?
VSOP stands for “very superior old pale” and means the youngest brandy in the blend has been aged for at least four years.
Is VSOP or XO better?
While a VSOP cognac must be aged for a minimum of four years, an XO or “extra old” cognac requires a minimum of 10 years (up from six years, as of 2018). However, this legally only applies to cognac and armagnac, so you’ll still find the term used widely on other French brandy to demonstrate that it's “extra old”.
Like Scotch whisky, older expressions are often considered “better”, but as with anything, it comes down to your personal preference.
How we test brandy
The Good Housekeeping Institute tested 17 brandies priced under £50. The panel — made up of WSET-trained wine and spirits experts and consumers — tasted each one neat and blind to avoid brand bias, and then with a small amount of water to further assess the flavour.
They were looking for well-balanced examples, from light and fruity through to more mature examples with oak ageing. Those awarded top marks had a smooth mouthfeel, well-integrated alcohol and complex sweetness.
Read on for the best buys for every occasion.
This article was updated in May to reflect the latest prices and deals, bringing you the best savings for your bar trolley.
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Best brandy
Jean-Luc Pasquet L’Organic 07 Grande Champagne Cognac 7 Year Old
Now 69% Off
Score: 86/100
Our winning brandy is a rich and warming certified-organic cognac, bursting with vanilla, cinnamon, dried figs and uplifting orange zest.
On the palate, caramelised apple is supported by dark chocolate and a little oak on the finish. Our panel couldn't get enough.
Score: 84/100
This armagnac is one Master of Malt’s best-selling brandies, and we can certainly see why.
Nutmeg, cinnamon and candied orange peel dominate the nose, with caramel following on the palate, alongside smoke and toasted nuts which add a well-balanced savoury element. Rich and earthy, it has a velvety smooth mouthfeel that should appeal to all.
Score: 81/100
Proving that Spanish brandy deserves a place on your drinks trolley, this gran reserva is aged in old sherry casks, adding a delicious fruity note to each sip — think spicy orange zest and cooked apple. Brown sugar and treacle add a deep, long-lasting sweetness, making this an excellent digestif.
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Score: 81/100
As one of the biggest names in brandy, Martell’s cognac offers excellent value. Delicious on its own or in cocktails, you can expect a deceptively light, herbal nose that builds into a bold palate of leather, dried fruit and spice. Vanilla and cinnamon sugar add balance, but it’s the spiciness that shines through here.
Score: 79/100
Part of the Gonzalez Byass portfolio (one of Spain's most well-known sherry producers), this brandy is aged for five years in American oak, which is apparent from the first sip. The maturation brings with it coconut, vanilla and a syrupy fruit cake note that will be irresistible to those with a sweet tooth.
Score: 79/100
Holding its own against the big brands, Marks and Spencer’s brandy is aged for five years, resulting in a beautiful drop, offering up apricot, honey, vanilla and toasted coconut.
Testers also described it as having a velvety soft, buttery mouthfeel. Which sounds like a rather nice way of rounding off any meal in our opinion.
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Score: 74/100
If you’re new to the world of brandy, or just don’t want to invest heavily, Lidl has the answer with their budget-friendly bottle. The panel praised the combination of rich, buttery sweetness (reminiscent of condensed milk), alongside the spicy nutmeg, ginger and gentle vanilla.
Although it’s only available in-store, if you like the sound of warm apple tart in liquid form, we’d say it’s well worth seeking out.
Score: 70/100
Sneaking in at just over £50, this Italian brandy uses a combination of French and Slavonian oak, as well as ex-red wine barrels, each imparting their own unique characteristics to the finished liquid. And while it’s not the most aromatic, the palate is more pronounced, with a sweet combination of caramel, toasted pecans and lemon curd. Who needs dessert?
Score: 70/100
We couldn’t bring you a brandy round-up without including Courvoisier. The household name is, as you might expect, a safe bet however you wish to serve it.
A beautifully balanced cognac with honeyed sweetness, ginger and creamy coconut — we can understand the recent surge in popularity with a younger audience.
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Score: 70/100
Another excellent value option for those on a tight budget, Aldi’s “very special” cognac (meaning it’s been aged for a minimum of two years), is perfect for cocktails. There’s an underlying earthy element, with cinnamon, almonds and a little salinity layered on top, finished with a whiff of incense.
Score: 70/100
With rich dried fruits (such as figs and dates) and buttery toffee on the nose, it will come as no surprise that this cognac is aged in a combination of French oak and ex-sauternes barrels (a deliciously sweet dessert wine). However, it’s actually a lot more savoury on the palate than you’d expect, with toasted walnuts and almonds, leading to a spicy, leathery finish.
Tested byCallum Black
Food and Drink Testing Manager
Callum is our Food and Drink Testing Manager and has been part of the world of professional catering for 10 years, from cheffing to food manufacturing. While working in manufacturing he specialised in bespoke product and menu development for several start-ups and well-known brands such as Wrap It Up! and HOP Vietnamese. He holds the WSET Level 2 in wine, a Level 3 in spirits and has a particular interest in agave spirits.
