When Spirits are Talking: Brandy and Chacha from Georgia

 

October often comes with a chill in the air and a touch of the mysterious. Spirits are in season—both the ghostly kind and the kind you sip by candlelight. If you’re looking to warm up with something soulful, it’s time to meet Georgia’s most strong and spirited creations: Brandy and Chacha.

Not Vodka. Not Quite.

Let’s get one thing straight. If someone says “Georgian vodka” meaning chacha, it’s something like calling Nino Katamadze a Georgian Nina Simone, or Ajaruli khachapuri a Georgian scotch egg.

Yes, Georgia does make a few neutral grain spirits, but vodka is neither a national treasure nor a proud export. It’s the local brandies and grape-based distillates that really carry Georgia’s liquid legacy.

What is What?

Brandy is a spirit usually distilled from wine and aged in oak, gaining colour, richness and complexity from time in barrel.

Vodka, on the other hand, is distilled to be neutral and pure—traditionally from grains or potatoes.

Chacha is Georgia’s own pomace brandy, made by distilling the skins, seeds and stems left over after winemaking. Clear, fiery, and full of personality, it’s closer to Italian grappa than to vodka.

David Sarajishvili: A Man with a Mission

Georgia’s brandy tradition owes a great deal to David Sarajishvili, a chemist, entrepreneur and philanthropist who, in 1888, founded the country’s first proper brandy house. Inspired by French Cognac methods, he combined Western techniques with local grapes and know-how. His brandies won international medals and acclaim by the early 1900s—and the company bearing his name still produces some of the finest Georgian spirits today.

Fruit, Fire, and Magic

While classic chacha is clear and strong (usually around 45% ABV), Georgian distillers don’t stop there. Many infuse their chacha with seasonal fruits—apple, pear, plum, quince, feijoa, and tangerine skin—or with walnut skins and membranes for added depth.

And then there are fruit distillates made not from grapes but from the fermented juice of the fruits themselves. Think pear, apple, or wild plum spirits.

How to Drink It

Chacha is usually served as a room-temp shot, often as a coda of the feast. It also tastes excellent after a steep hike in the mountains or on cold winter evenings after a long day of skiing. You know, the Caucasus lifestyle… Unlike vodka, it’s not meant to be ice-cold—Georgians want you to taste the fire and fruit.

Brandy, on the other hand, is best sipped slowly in a glass with a wide bowl and a tapered top, ideally by candlelight, fireside, or any suitably dramatic October setting.

A Season for Spirits

If autumn makes you reach for something smoky, warming, and a little mysterious, Georgian brandy and chacha are more than up to the task. These aren’t just drinks—they’re also part of local gastronomic culture, homemade remedies, and at times, party starters. And, as British wine experts found out, Georgian brandy also tastes excellent with Catalan desserts!

Where to Find Them in the UK

Chacha:

Brandy:


Let us know if you have already tasted Georgian spirits!

 
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