Armagnac 1988

1988, the year of the Seoul Games

From 17 September to 2 October 1988, the Summer Olympic Games were held in Seoul, South Korea. In Gascony, at the same time, preparations were under way for the harvest. We do not have a published harvest report for armagnac that year, and we prefer not to invent anything: what a 1988 tells you is first and foremost the choices of each house or estate, its terroir, its grapes and the length of ageing in the cellar.

Seven houses, seven readings of the 1988 vintage

Bringing several estates together for the same year makes comparison possible. Here are the bottles in our selection, with what the producers say about them:

• Armagnac Delord, in Lannepax: a 1988 at 40% ABV, in 70 cl and 150 cl magnum. The powerful, rich nose plays on toasted and roasted notes and candied fruit; the palate is dominated by cocoa;
• Château de Laubade, in Sorbets, in the heart of Bas-Armagnac: 40% ABV, aged in 420 litre casks of Gascon pedunculate oak, from four grape varieties. Toasted almond, bread, vanilla and integrated oak, for a fine, velvety texture;
• Dartigalongue, a family house in Nogaro: bottled at 42%, it opens with candied fruit, sandalwood and prune, a round attack of dried fruit, and a taut, distinguished finish;
• Armagnac Castarède: 32 years in cask, bottled in 2020, brought down to 40% ABV;
• Baron de Sigognac, distilled by the Guasch family at Château de Bordeneuve: amber colour with mahogany highlights, a nose of candied citrus, dried fruit and vanilla, a delicate and elegant palate;
• Domaine de Pellehaut, in Ténarèze: a brut de fût at 45%, 100% ugni blanc, aged in 400 litre barrels of coarse-grained oak, with a light, refreshing palate of lovely freshness;
• Jean Cavé, a distiller in Lannepax since 1883: a brut de fût at 47.5% ABV.

40% or brut de fût: two ways to taste 1988

Most houses bring their vintage down to 40 or 42% very gradually: the spirit gains in softness and is easy to approach. A brut de fût armagnac, on the other hand, is bottled at its natural strength. The two estates offering one here sign a more intense version, which will please connoisseurs used to spirits with character. For a first tasting of old armagnac, a 40% such as the Laubade or the Sigognac remains more approachable.

Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze, Haut-Armagnac: the region

Most of our 1988 bottles come from Bas-Armagnac, in the west of the region, where tawny sands produce fine, fruity armagnacs. The Montréal-du-Gers estate works in Ténarèze, on clay and limestone soils that often bring more structure. Haut-Armagnac, to the east, is not represented in this selection. The choice of grape varieties matters too: ugni blanc brings liveliness, baco blanc roundness, folle blanche floral finesse.

How a vintage from this year is born

After the 1988 harvest, the resulting dry white wine is distilled during the winter in the armagnac still, a continuous still. The colourless distillate then goes into an oak cask in the cellar, where it gradually takes on its amber colour, its tannins and its aromas. No other year is mixed in: that is the difference with a blend such as an XO. Once in the bottle, ageing stops; the bottling date, when it appears on the label (2020 for the Castarède), tells you how long the spirit spent in wood: this is the real age of the bottle.

Giving an armagnac for a 38th birthday or a 38th wedding anniversary

In 2026, people born in 1988 are 38 and couples married that year celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary. A bottle from the exact year is a personal gift, to open on the day itself or to keep for later. Its amber colour, its age and its story make it a present that stands out on the table. The Delord magnum lends itself to a large family meal; the 70 cl bottle remains the simplest size to give.

Tasting a 1988 armagnac

Serve it at room temperature, in a tulip glass, without ice. Leave it a few minutes in the glass, warm it in your hand, then first smell it from a distance. On the palate, a small sip is enough. The spices, fruit and oak reveal themselves little by little, and the finish stays long and complex. It goes well with a square of dark chocolate, a dessert with dried fruit or a cigar, as the Delord house recommends. A brut de fût is tasted even more slowly, slightly warmed.

Store the bottle upright, away from light and heat. Once opened, it keeps for several months without losing its qualities.

Frequently asked questions about 1988 armagnac

What is the best 1988 armagnac?

None stands out above the rest: it all depends on the style you are looking for. For roundness and velvetiness, Laubade or Sigognac; for toasted and cocoa notes, Delord; for power, the brut de fût bottlings from Pellehaut and Jean Cavé.

What are the characteristics of a 1988 armagnac?

A long stay in cask gives it an amber colour, aromas of candied fruit, dried fruit and vanilla, and integrated oak. Depending on the house, the style ranges from velvety to more taut.

Which grape varieties make up a 1988 armagnac?

It varies with the house: 100% ugni blanc in Ténarèze, ugni blanc, baco, folle blanche and colombard at Laubade, ugni blanc and baco at Baron de Sigognac.

How much does a 1988 armagnac cost?

It depends on the estate, the size and the strength. Each product page shows the price, the bottle size and the producer, making it easy to compare.

How do I buy a 1988 vintage armagnac?

In our online shop, specialising in vintage armagnac: add the bottle to your basket, payment for your order is secure and shipping is in protective packaging, in France and across Europe.

To compare with other years, browse all our vintage armagnacs.

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