The Spirits group includes wine spirits, grape marc spirits and fruit spirits. When aged in wooden casks, wine spirits acquire, through the influence of the wood itself and of time, special characteristics. 
In Portugal it is understood that the meaning of the expressions is the following:

- V.S.,V.O. or V.V.O. - quality product, with a minimum ageing of four years;
- V.S.O.P. - reserve spirit with a minimum ageing period of five years;
- V.A.V.E. (real sparkling wine spirit);
- X.O. Reserva with ageing for over thirty years;

- Finíssima, Velha reserva, Velhíssima - quality product with a minimum ageing of five years.

Cognac is a wine spirit which owes its name to a locality in the Charente region in France. This brandy is distilled exclusively from white wines which are produced from selected grape varieties. Cognac is aged in oak casks and has a strength of between 40 and 43º.

Brandy is the English word for wine spirits, with a minimum alcohol content of 35º, aged for a minimum of six months in oak casks.