TUFF
Notes from the house: on brandy, stone and Armenia.
An aged brandy asks for little: the right glass, room temperature and a few quiet minutes. How to open the aroma, and what to serve alongside.
Brandy, dried fruit, lavash, carpets, ceramics and stone: what is truly worth taking home from Armenia, and how to get it there intact.
Pink Yerevan, the churches of Zvartnots and Ani, khachkars — all of it is tuff. What this stone is, where it comes from and why we chose it for the TUFF cap.
Why Armenians say “cognac” while labels increasingly read “brandy”, which grapes it is made from, and what the years of ageing mean.
Age, occasion, packaging and miniatures for guests. A short guide to choosing a bottle you will be glad to give.
Chocolate, nuts, apricots, cheese, coffee, Armenian pastry and khorovats. What suits an aged brandy, and what is better left for another evening.
Hot summers, cold winters, volcanic soil and Mount Ararat on the horizon. Why the grapes for Armenian brandy grow here.
