Armagnac 1991

1991 armagnac, a harvest in a bottle

A vintage armagnac contains only one harvest, the one written on the label. The 1991 armagnac therefore comes solely from grapes harvested in 1991, without blending with other years, unlike a VSOP, an XO or a hors d'âge. It is a faithful portrait of one harvest and of the savoir-faire of a château or a house.

It all starts with a dry white wine made from the grape varieties of the appellation, such as folle blanche or colombard. In winter, this wine goes through the armagnac still, in continuous distillation, following the Gascon tradition. The distillate, still clear, then goes into oak casks, in the cellar. For years, it breathes through the wood, loses a little alcohol, and gains its amber colour, its roundness and its aromas. It is in the heart of this cellar that the character of each spirit is shaped.

A key point: armagnac only ages in the cask. Once bottled, it stays as it is. The bottling date, when it appears on the label, indicates the real length of ageing.

1991, a first in France

On 15 May 1991, François Mitterrand appointed Édith Cresson to Matignon: she became the first woman appointed Prime Minister in France (source: Wikipedia, article "Édith Cresson"). That same year, in the heart of Gascony, Bas-Armagnac gave the harvest that fills the bottles on this page today.

Our 1991 armagnacs, house by house

Seven Bas-Armagnac houses kept their 1991 armagnacs in cask before bottling them. The same harvest, but not the same estate, nor the same grape varieties, nor the same length of ageing:

• Armagnac Delord, a family house in Lannepax founded in 1893: a 1991 at 40% ABV, in 70 cl and 150 cl magnum, with an elegant and very aromatic nose of stewed fruit (fig, quince) and warm barrel wood (cocoa, vanilla), followed by roasted coffee, cocoa and liquorice;
• Château de Laubade, in Sorbets: a 1991 at 40% ABV, made from baco, ugni blanc, folle blanche and colombard, aged in 420 litre Gascon oak casks, with plum and candied grapes, powerful, supple and rich, and a finish of great finesse;
• Dartigalongue, a Nogaro house since 1838: a 1991 at 42% ABV, with an original profile between mocha, vanilla and pastry notes, well balanced with dried fruit and sandalwood;
• Armagnac Castarède, a house founded in 1832 and run from Château de Maniban by Florence Castarède, the sixth generation: a 1991 at 40% ABV, which spent 29 years in cask before being bottled in 2020. Castarède distils on an armagnac still from 1942 and ages first in new casks, then in used casks;
• Baron de Sigognac, at Château de Bordeneuve: a 1991 at 40% ABV, amber in colour, elegant, with exotic fruit and candied orange, very fine, with a long finish of raisins and hazelnut;
• Clés des Ducs, a house born in Panjas: a 1991 at 40% ABV, never blended, with deliberately light oak, presented in a 70 cl Exception bottle with a cardboard gift box;
• Jean Cavé, in Lannepax since 1883: a 1991 brut de fût (cask strength, not reduced), bottled at its natural strength, without reduction.

Lovers of natural strength will find other vintages among our brut de fût armagnacs.

Bas-Armagnac, the heart of the appellation

The armagnac AOC brings together three terroirs: Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze and Haut-Armagnac. All our 1991s come from the Bas-Armagnac AOC, to the west, where tawny sands produce fine, fruity brandies. Château de Laubade, Château de Bordeneuve, houses in Lannepax or Nogaro: each grows its grapes, runs its still and ages its casks in its own way, which explains why the same vintage can show such different faces from one house to another, a far cry from cognac and its double distillation.

Characteristics and tasting of a 35 year old armagnac

Thirty-five years in cask produce an armagnac that is both mature and still lively. In our 1991 selection, the houses' notes mention stewed fig and quince, plum, raisins, candied orange, hazelnut, then cocoa, mocha, vanilla, roasted coffee and sweet spices. On the palate, it is often round and harmonious, with a long finish.

To taste it, serve it at room temperature in a tulip glass, without ice. Let it breathe for a few minutes, warm the glass in your hand, then take small sips. Served as a digestif, it goes well with a square of dark chocolate or a coffee. There is no need to decant it: armagnac is served straight from the bottle.

A gift for a 35th birthday or a coral wedding anniversary

In 2026, people born in 1991 celebrate their 35th birthday, and couples married in 1991 their coral wedding anniversary. An armagnac from their year is a gift that has lived through the same years as they have, to open on the day of the celebration or to keep for another great moment. The Delord magnum lends itself to celebrations for sharing; the 70 cl bottle, in a case or a gift box depending on the house, remains the most common choice.

To keep it, store the bottle upright, away from light and heat. Unopened, it keeps for a very long time; once opened, for several months.

Frequently asked questions about 1991 armagnac

How much does a 1991 armagnac cost?

It depends on the estate, the size (70 cl or magnum), the strength and the type of bottling, reduced or brut de fût. Each product page on this page shows the producer, the bottle size and the price.

Which grape varieties are used for the 1991 armagnac?

Depending on the house: the Château de Laubade 1991 brings together baco, ugni blanc, folle blanche and colombard; the Baron de Sigognac, aged at Château de Bordeneuve, combines the first two. Castarède also grows folle blanche, a historic grape variety, and Dartigalongue works with ugni blanc, baco and folle blanche.

What is the story of the 1991 armagnac?

Distilled in the winter after the 1991 harvest, it then aged in cask in each house's cellar. At Castarède, for example, this 1991 spent 29 years in wood before being bottled in 2020.

Where can I buy 1991 armagnac?

At Plaisirs de Gascogne, an online wine and spirits merchant specialising in vintage armagnac: our selection comes directly from the Gascon houses, payment is secure and shipping is handled with care, in France and across Europe. Our customer service will help you choose before you order.

What is the merchant's view on the 1991 armagnac?

For softness and roundness, a 1991 at 40% ABV such as Laubade, Delord or Sigognac; for a more original profile, the Dartigalongue at 42% ABV; for the intensity of natural strength, the Jean Cavé brut de fût.

Also discover all our vintage armagnacs, year by year, or the 1990 armagnac for the previous year.

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