Brandy is a somewhat generic or should I say highly inclusive term. Brandy refers to almost any non sweetened distilled product made from fruit aged or unaged. Specific ingredients, growing areas, and aging (or lack of it) distinguish various types of brandy from one another. A general rule is that an unaged brandy is an eau de vie (called many different names in different locales) and an aged brandy is called a brandy (again many different names locally). Most are grape based, and sometimes mixed with other fruits as flavorings, but aged fruit eau de vies can also be classified as brandies. Be sure to read the labels carefully to see what you are actually getting.