Juan Gil Reserva Solera Brandy makes UK debut
The new Spanish brandy from Bodegas Juan Gil is the brand’s first made with 100% Monastrell grapes.
The Gil family said the release realises their ‘long-held ambition to produce a premium brandy that aligns with fine Cognac’.
Boutinot will distribute Juan Gil Reserva Solera Brandy in the UK alongside the producer’s wine portfolio.
The brandy is made on a single estate outside Jumilla in south-eastern Spain from organically grown Monastrell grapes, which are picked early in the season to preserve acidity and freshness.
The grape must is distilled using traditional Charentais copper alembics – such as you would find in the Cognac region – and aged in American oak barrels.
After an initial 12 months in oak, the brandy is filled into a French oak solera system for six months of ‘dynamic ageing’.
Paco Gil, from the fifth generation of the winemaking family, said: “This dynamic solera system of ageing allows for a gradual integration of aromatic and structural components and ensures that the final product is a harmonious mix of many years, giving it further complexity as well as consistency year on year.”
Juan Gil Reserva Solera is available at an RRP of £50 (US$67) for 700ml. It is bottled without artificial sweeteners or colouring.
Tasting notes for the release describe red fruits, vanilla and spices as well as an ‘overall sense of elegance and balance’.
Juan Gil plans to follow this release with a Gran Reserva brandy, which will debut later this year.
Head winemaker Bartolomé Abellán said: “We are really excited about the next step in our brandy journey. We’re working hard to ensure that our Gran Reserva will be something really special and hope to release it before too long.”
Paco Gil added: “We believe that our brandy is a literal and symbolic distillation of the Gil family. It is a concentration of the fruits of our land, our Monastrell, our winemaking heritage – it is singular, authentic and has a distinct identity.”
Forecasting for the brandy category remains mixed, as global spirits sales fell by 3% last year.
The 2025 World Spirits Report predicted difficult conditions for Cognac, but expected the broader brandy category to grow by 1.2% in 2026.
Related news
Torres Brandy unveils football-inspired bottles
Top 10 biggest-selling brandy and Cognac Brand Champions
Why Armenian Brandy is ready to join the world’s great spirits
