French term (German "Schwachmacher" - also petite eau) for the slightly alcoholic mixture of distilled and demineralised water and mostly older wine distillates. Mature distillates, already finished to the final recipe, are reduced to drinking strength by adding weakness at larger intervals. This process takes several weeks and is used for almost all good brandies such as Armagnac and Cognac. See also under distillation.
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