Armagnac 1931

A single autumn in the bottle

When a label bears the figure 1931, it commits the house: the armagnac comes from that harvest, and from no other. A VSOP, an XO or a hors d'âge, by contrast, mix armagnacs of several ages to keep a steady profile. A vintage, for its part, accepts the whims of a season. That is what gives a vintage nearly a century old all its charm.

The harvest still had to survive the decades. Every winter, the angels' share takes a little volume from the casks; every generation had to forgo selling this lot sooner. What remains of 1931 therefore comes down to a few bottles.

1931, a year of exhibitions and skyscrapers

On 1 May 1931, the Empire State Building was inaugurated in New York; it would remain the tallest building in the world for nearly forty years (source: Wikipedia, article "Empire State Building"). A few days later, on 6 May, the International Colonial Exhibition opened in Paris, in the Bois de Vincennes, welcoming millions of visitors until November (source: Wikipedia, article "Exposition coloniale internationale de 1931"). In Gascony, the grapes were harvested in the autumn, and the wine went to the still during the winter. No producer source tells us about the quality of this harvest, so we refrain from judging it.

Our 1931 armagnacs

• Armagnac Castarède: a 1931 from a single year, unblended, at 40% ABV. According to the house, it spent 89 years in oak casks before being bottled in 2020. The 70 cl bottle comes in a gift case, and Castarède recommends it as a digestif, to celebrate a birth, a wedding or an anniversary from 1931;
• Jean Cavé: a 1931 vintage Bas-Armagnac AOP, drawn from the Cavé family's collection of old years, in Lannepax. According to its product page, it has undergone no blending and is bottled brut de fût, with no added water: its natural strength is shown on the label. Presented in a wooden box.

Neither house publishes a tasting commentary for 1931, and we do not write one in their place. If the strength of an unreduced armagnac appeals to you, continue with our brut de fût armagnacs from other years.

89 years in cask, then nothing moves

The information given by Castarède is rare and valuable. An armagnac ages only in wood: from 1931 to 2020, this spirit evolved in contact with the oak, gained colour, grew rounder, and lost a little alcohol and volume every year. Since bottling, it has remained just as it was on the day it was drawn. We are therefore talking about an armagnac with 89 years of ageing, not 95: the difference lies in the years spent in glass.

Single cask: a mention not to be assumed

For very old vintages, you often read the expression single cask, borrowed from whisky: a bottle drawn from one cask, with no mixing with another barrel. A vintage can be a single cask, but it is not automatic, since a house may bring together several casks from the same year. Castarède and Jean Cavé do not claim the single cask mention for their 1931s, so we do not attribute it to them. Their shared guarantee remains the one on the label: a single harvest.

Castarède and Jean Cavé, two Gascon memories

Founded in 1832, the house of Castarède presents itself as the oldest armagnac trading house to have remained independent and family-owned. Florence Castarède, of the sixth generation, runs it from Château de Maniban, in Mauléon-d'Armagnac, in Bas-Armagnac. The vineyard brings together ugni blanc, colombard, folle blanche and, since 2015, baco; distillation takes place continuously in an armagnac still from 1942. The brandies begin their ageing in new casks before moving to older ones. The house holds the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label.

In Lannepax, in the Gers, Jean Cavé set up in 1883 as a winegrower, distiller and cellar master. Henri Cavé, of the fourth generation, continues continuous distillation today and watches over a collection of old vintages renowned throughout the appellation, part of which sleeps in demijohns in the paradis of the cellar.

For other years, our shop also brings together producers from across the region: Baron de Sigognac, Clés des Ducs, Château de Laubade, Château de Millet, Delord, Dartigalongue and Domaine de Pellehaut. Each estate has its own page, and each vintage its product page, with the bottle size and strength.

Folle blanche, ugni blanc, baco: the grape varieties of armagnac

The appellation mainly permits four white grape varieties. Ugni blanc, the most widely planted, gives fine brandies that need time. Baco, a hybrid born in Gascony, brings roundness and ages well. Folle blanche, a historic grape variety that became rare after phylloxera, is sought after for its floral finesse; Castarède is among the houses that still grow it. Colombard completes the palette. The product pages of our two 1931s do not specify their grape varieties, and we do not guess them.

The wine, white and dry, is distilled just once in the armagnac still, continuously, whereas cognac goes twice through the Charentais still. The appellation covers three terroirs, Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze and Haut-Armagnac; Castarède and Jean Cavé are both based in Bas-Armagnac.

Serving a 1931 armagnac

A small measure is enough. Choose a tulip glass, serve at room temperature, and let the armagnac breathe for a good quarter of an hour. Armagnacs of this age generally show a mahogany colour and readily suggest, on the nose as on the palate, aromas of prune, walnut, cocoa, leather or spices, sometimes with the taste of rancio that very long ageing brings; only tasting will reveal the aromatic character of each bottle. With the brut de fût, proceed in small sips, and add a drop of water if the attack seems lively.

Store the bottle upright, away from light and heat, so that the alcohol does not touch the cork. Unopened, it will wait for years; once opened, it will keep for several months.

A gift for a 95th birthday

In 2026, a 1931 armagnac celebrates the 95th birthday of someone born that year: a gift that has lived through the same century as they have. It also marks the anniversary of a company, an estate or an association created in 1931, or delights a collector lining up old years, between our 1930 armagnac and our 1932 armagnac.

Frequently asked questions about 1931 armagnac

What is the price of a 1931 armagnac?

It depends on the house, the length of ageing and the bottling, reduced or brut de fût. Each product page shows the price, the bottle size and the alcohol content.

Where can I buy a 1931 armagnac online?

At Plaisirs de Gascogne, an online cellar dedicated to armagnac: add the bottle to your basket, confirm your order, pay securely, and it ships to France or elsewhere in Europe in protective packaging. Our general terms and conditions of sale detail delivery, and our customer service team will answer your questions.

Who are the producers of 1931 armagnac?

In our selection, Castarède and Jean Cavé, two Bas-Armagnac houses.

What are the characteristics of the 1931 armagnac?

Two 70 cl bottles from a single harvest, AOC Armagnac, unblended: a Castarède at 40% ABV, with 89 years in cask and bottled in 2020, delivered in a gift case, and a Jean Cavé brut de fût, in a wooden box.

How do I choose a vintage armagnac?

Start from the year that matters to you, then from the style: an armagnac reduced to 40% ABV for smoothness, a brut de fût for intensity. The bottling date, when the house gives it, indicates the real length of ageing.

Do I need to be of legal age to buy armagnac?

Yes. The French Public Health Code prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors, and proof of age may be required from the buyer. Armagnac, like any alcoholic beverage, carries health risks when consumed to excess.

Discover all our vintage armagnacs, year by year.

Please enjoy responsibly. Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to health.