Our gateway drug to this class of alcoholic beverages was Armagnac, thanks to a French bistro cream of artichoke soup recipe we tried and liked very much and then modified to make our terrific cream of chestnut soup that we make several times each fall/winter season. Close to Ani's Armenian heritage is the prized Ararat (brandy) cognac of the ex-Soviet Union produced in Yerevan by the Yerevan Brandy Company, which we were lucky to visit in 2014. The term cognac is only used in the ex-Soviet Union nations, since France holds brand control over "cognac" in the rest of the world. The French bought out the company during hard times for Armenia.
We did a tasting of several different ages of the stuff, each year given its own name. 7 years is Ani.
This was a really special experience for non-serious hard liquor people like us. Reflected in the perfect ani smile.
Here we are in the famous Republic Square in Yerevan.
and years later, some past and current stock of Ararat, 7 years and 20 years aged side by side.