Pass the Courvoisier

Jan 25 2007 by Andrew Higgins, Liverpool Daily Post

No longer a medicinal tipple, brandy is now the drink of choice for the hip-hop generation, as Andrew Higgins discovers

THE great Dr Samuel Johnson once said: "Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy."
 
The problem for many years was nobody wanted to be Johnson's hero; brandy was seen as an old gent's tipple and production far outweighed demand.
 
Now it appears that the statement has been turned on its head and the sweet brown sauce is now the drink of choice for a new generation of connoisseurs.
 
As with most trends, it appears we may have celebrities to thank for this revival.
 
This time it's the stars of the American hip-hop scene, for whom having wealth is nothing if you don't show it off.
 
Given that top Cognacs sell for up to £3,000 a bottle, stars including Busta Rhymes - who released the tune "Pass the Courvoisier" - and 50 Cent have ditched the champagne flute for a snifter of "liquid gold".
 
Conor Shields, 22, barman at the trendy Living Room, on Victoria Street, says he has noticed a growing number of brandy drinkers and attributes its sudden popularity to hip-hop music.
 
"You've had gin and the Belvedere vodka craze, now people are really into brandy," says Conor, who lives in the city centre.
 
"A lot of people now know the difference between their brands, even with a mixer in."