Armagnac 1970

1970 armagnac, a single year in the glass

On the label of a vintage armagnac, the year is that of the harvest. A 1970 armagnac therefore contains only brandies made from grapes harvested in the autumn of 1970. No blending with other years, as in a VSOP or an XO: the vintage keeps the imprint of one season, one terroir and one estate.

Its origin is Gascon. The grape varieties of the appellation, ugni blanc, baco, folle blanche and colombard, produce a dry white wine, distilled over the winter in the armagnac still, continuously. The spirit then goes down into the cellar, in oak casks, for a long ageing. The wood gives it its colour, its vanilla and its spices; time softens its alcohol. Once bottled, armagnac no longer evolves: it is the cask, and the cask alone, that shapes an old armagnac.

Our 1970 armagnacs, estate by estate

Here are the houses and estates behind the bottles in our cellar, with the tasting notes they publish.

• Armagnac Castarède, a family house founded in 1832 and run from Château de Maniban, in Bas-Armagnac. Its 1970 spent 50 years in oak casks before being bottled in 2020, at 40% ABV. A deep amber colour, bright and clear; a nose of candied prunes and rancio; a frank attack, a powerful and round palate, with prune, rancio and smooth spices such as nutmeg.
• Armagnac Delord, a house born in 1893 in Lannepax, in the Gers. Its 1970, at 40% ABV, comes in 70 cl and in a 150 cl magnum. The nose immediately reveals the character of an old brandy: dried linden, blond tobacco, roasted coffee, stewed fruit.
• Clés des Ducs, a house whose story begins in 1774 in Panjas, where this 1970 was distilled. Like every vintage in the range, it is never blended: the cellar master chooses the casks for a long, rich and smooth brandy with discreet oak. It is 40% ABV.
• Dartigalongue, a family house based in Nogaro since 1838. Its 1970 is bottled at 42% ABV: a very intense nose of smoked wood, rancio and cinnamon, a subtle and fine palate, and a long finish of liquorice and dried apple.
• Jean Cavé, a distiller and ageing house in Lannepax since 1883, keeper of a historic collection of old vintages. Its 1970 is a brut de fût (cask strength, not reduced), bottled without reduction at 54.6% ABV.

This page also features a 1970 Grande Champagne cognac from Gaston de Casteljac, for those who prefer the Charentes.

Reduced or brut de fût: which to choose?

Most vintages are gradually reduced to around 40 or 42% ABV: they are softer and easy to share. A brut de fût is bottled at its natural strength, with no added water. More intense, it is savoured slowly, and a drop of water can be added to release its aromas. Our selection of cask strength armagnacs brings together these bottles of character, from every year.

How to taste a 1970 armagnac

After more than fifty years in cask, armagnacs of this age often offer a rich aromatic bouquet: prune, dried fruit, honey, vanilla, sweet spices, coffee, tobacco, and the undergrowth notes that are the signature of old brandies. The finish is long and warming.

Serve it at room temperature, in a tulip glass rather than a balloon glass, which disperses the aromas. Look at its colour, then smell it first from a distance. Take a small sip and hold it in your mouth for a moment. As a digestif, on its own or with a square of dark chocolate, it needs nothing else. Once opened, keep the bottle upright, away from light and heat: it will keep for several months.

A gift for the 56th birthday of someone born in 1970

In 2026, people born in 1970 celebrate their 56th birthday, and couples married in 1970 their 56th wedding anniversary. A vintage armagnac from their year is one of the most personal gifts there is: a brandy harvested in the very year of their birth or their marriage, then aged in Gascony for more than half a century. The Delord magnum marks a big celebration; the 70 cl bottle, sometimes presented in a gift case or gift box depending on the house, remains the most popular gift.

Frequently asked questions about 1970 armagnac

Where can I buy a 1970 armagnac?

At Plaisirs de Gascogne, an online shop dedicated to vintage armagnac: bottles that come directly from the Gascon houses, secure payment, careful delivery in France and across Europe.

How much does 1970 armagnac cost?

The price depends on the estate, the size (70 cl or magnum) and the strength. Dartigalongue, Castarède or Delord: each house has its own range. Each product page on this page shows the producer, the bottle size and the price.

Where does 1970 armagnac come from?

All our 1970 armagnacs come from Gascony: Lannepax and Nogaro for Delord, Jean Cavé and Dartigalongue, Panjas for Clés des Ducs, Bas-Armagnac for Castarède.

What types of 1970 armagnac are there?

Two main families: reduced vintages, at 40 or 42% ABV, and those bottled at their natural strength, like the Jean Cavé. Sizes range from 70 cl to magnum, depending on the estate.

Also discover all our vintage armagnacs, year by year, or the 1975 armagnac.

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