(n.) This type of brandy is made from distilling fermented fruit, most often tree fruits and berries, such as plums (mirabelle), pears (poire), raspberries (framboise) and cherries (kirsch). The final product is usually bottled un-aged to preserve the fresh and vibrant fruit flavors. Alpine locales may produce the most famous versions, but the spirit is made around the world. With roots as old as alcohol distillation, historians believe the category arose for medicinal purposes, hence the name, which means “water of life”. Though primarily consumed primarily as a digestif, growing cadres of bartenders are now using eau de vies in cocktails as well.