serpentine, coupe à la

, is a method of increasing the purity of a distillate that belongs to the intermediate period in the history of cognac, when it was already established as a superior-quality product but the procedures for its production had not yet been fully perfected. See cognac. In the 1680s, as cognac was establishing itself as an export product, it was generally made by redistilling low wines, often with fresh wine added to them, and diluting them with the secondes, or tails. With the coupe à la serpentine, the distiller cut the flow of spirits from the condensing coil—the serpentine—before the secondes came through, diverting them to be retained separately and mixed with the next batch of low wines for redistillation. At roughly 60 percent ABV, the spirit thus produced was considerably stronger and cleaner than the alternative, albeit more expensive (although that was partially offset by saving money on shipping). The adoption of this practice began in the mid-1700s and became an industry standard by the 1770s. While the examples of Peruvian piscos and a number of Mexican mezcals and tequilas demonstrate that it is quite possible to make quality spirits that are reduced to bottling proof with the tails, the adoption of the coupe à la serpentine nonetheless can be seen as one of the foundational moments of modern spirit making, with its prioritization on purity and emphasis on efficiency. See mezcal; pisco;, tequila.

Cullen, L. M. The Brandy Trade under the Ancien Régime. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

By: David Wondrich