In 1887 the owners of Sánchez Romate Hermanos began to make a unique, different brandy for their own consumption. The quality soon earned increasing fame and the winery decided to market it with the name Cardenal Mendoza.

The brandy Cardenal Mendoza, matured in Sherry casks, has an average age of at least 15 years, much more than the required minimum. All our brandies are Solera Gran Reserva, the highest category within the regulating council of Brandy de Jerez. It is the noble spirit from the area around Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. Cask at the Back refers to those barrels which were stored at the back of the warehouse and were usually there for longer than those at the front since Access was more difficult. The gin they contained thus developed a deeper colour and a slightly different carácter, above all in those barrels which had contained sherry.

The Legacy of Non Plus Ultra

The top brandy in the Cardenal Mendoza range, began in 1971.

Prior to the 200th anniversary of Bodegas Sánchez Romate Hermanos, 38 barrels of brandy were set aside for further ageing to commemorate the bi-centenary with a truly special brandy. After decades of more ageing, the result was the inimitable Non Plus Ultra, a brandy which represents an evocation of over two centuries of experience at Sánchez Romate.

Cardenal Mendoza Non Plus Ultra is a Solera Gran Reserva Brandy and is the Bodega’s flagship Brandy, aged for an average of 50 years.

Cardenal Mendoza Carta Real brandy, already 25 years old, is further aged in American Oak barrels previously seasoned with old Oloroso Sherry. Such a prolonged period of ageing allows many more nuances to be accumulated and results in a highly sophisticated and desirable brandy which is bottled in an elegant decanter.