1994 vintage armagnac, the taste of a single harvest
On an armagnac label, the vintage indicates the year of the harvest. A 1994 vintage armagnac therefore brings together only spirits born from grapes picked in 1994, with nothing from other years. That is the big difference with a VSOP, an XO or a hors d'âge, which marry several ages to keep a consistent style. The vintage, on the other hand, lets one harvest speak, along with the savoir-faire of whoever aged it.
In Gascony, it all starts with a dry white wine made from the grape varieties of the appellation: ugni blanc, baco, folle blanche and colombard. This wine is distilled during the winter in the armagnac still, a continuous still, following the tradition of the appellation. The still colourless armagnac then goes into oak casks, where it spends years taking on its colour, its roundness and its aromas.
Remember: once bottled, armagnac no longer evolves. The Castarède 1994, for example, spent 26 years in cask before being bottled in 2020.
1994, the Channel Tunnel and Nelson Mandela as president
On 6 May 1994, the Channel Tunnel was inaugurated, linking France and England by rail. Four days later, on 10 May, Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa after the first multiracial elections. In the autumn, in the South West, Gascon winegrowers were harvesting the grapes that fill the bottles on this page today.
Our 1994 armagnacs: eight houses, eight styles
Each estate distilled and aged its harvest in its own way. Terroir, grape varieties and time in cask shape the personality of each 1994:
- Armagnac Delord, a family house in Lannepax founded in 1893: a 1994 reduced to 40% ABV, in bottle and magnum, aged in Gascon oak casks;
- Château de Laubade, in Sorbets, in Bas-Armagnac: a 1994 at 40%, made from four grape varieties and aged in 420 litre casks, with a bright mahogany colour, greengage plum, then chocolate, light oak and butter, all softness;
- Château de Millet, the Dèche family estate in Eauze: a 1994 at 42%, from baco and ugni, in bottle, magnum and 250 centilitre Gascon pot; the house does not publish tasting notes for this year;
- Dartigalongue, in Nogaro since 1838: a 1994 at 42%, with a nose of vanilla, plum, peach and toasted notes, very intense, with an attack of yellow fruit before the tannins and sandalwood reveal themselves;
- Armagnac Castarède, a house founded in 1832: a 1994 at 40%, which spent 26 years in cask;
- Baron de Sigognac, at Château de Bordeneuve: a 1994 at 40%, pale amber in colour, fresh and elegant with candied fruit, harmonious, with a long prune finish;
- Domaine de Pellehaut, in Ténarèze: a brut de fût at 47.8% ABV, 100% folle blanche, supple and soft, where savouriness takes the lead;
- Jean Cavé, a distiller and ageing house in Lannepax since 1883: a 1994 at 48% ABV, bottled without reduction.
These two bottles at natural strength can also be discovered among our brut de fût armagnacs.
The aromas of 1994 armagnac
With a little over thirty years in cask, our 1994s keep plenty of freshness: plum, greengage, peach, candied fruit. Then come vanilla, dark chocolate, toast, sandalwood and a buttery touch. The colour ranges from pale amber at Sigognac to mahogany at Laubade. On the palate, they are supple and round at 40%, more intense at 42%, and powerful at natural strength, around 48%.
How to taste a 1994 armagnac
Serve it at room temperature, in a tulip glass, without ice. Let it open up for a few minutes, smell it first from a distance, then warm the glass in your hand. Taste in small sips to let the aromas develop. As a digestif, a square of dark chocolate or a few toasted hazelnuts go very well with it.
32 in 2026, 40 in 2034: a gift that bears the date
People born in 1994 celebrate their 32nd birthday in 2026, and couples married in 1994 their 32nd wedding anniversary; the 40th will follow in 2034. Giving an armagnac from their year means giving a spirit harvested and distilled at the time of their birth or their union, then aged in Gascony ever since. For a large gathering, the Gascon pot and the Delord and Millet magnums are made for sharing; for a more intimate gift, the bottle, in a case or a gift box depending on the house, remains the most common choice.
Storing a 1994 armagnac properly
Store the bottle upright, away from light and heat, so that the alcohol stays away from the cork. Unopened, it keeps for a very long time. Once opened, it stays enjoyable for several months; if the level drops a lot, finish it without waiting too long.
Frequently asked questions about 1994 armagnac
What are the characteristics of the 1994 armagnac?
An armagnac from a single harvest, unblended, aged for more than thirty years in oak casks, made from Gascon grape varieties, with a strength of 40% to 48%.
Which producers offer a 1994 armagnac?
Three châteaux (Château de Laubade, Château de Millet and Château de Bordeneuve, which makes Baron de Sigognac), three family houses in the Gers (Delord, Dartigalongue, Castarède), Domaine de Pellehaut and Jean Cavé, whose cellar in Lannepax holds a fine collection of old vintages.
How much does a 1994 armagnac cost?
It depends on the house, the bottle size (bottle, magnum, Gascon pot) and the bottling, reduced or not. Each product page shows its price.
Where can I buy 1994 armagnac?
At Plaisirs de Gascogne, an online shop dedicated to vintage armagnac: the bottles come directly from the Gascon estates, payment is secure and shipping is available in France and across Europe, in protective packaging.
What do people say about the 1994 armagnac?
We rely on the notes published by the houses themselves, shown on each product page: chocolate and plum at Laubade, intensity at Dartigalongue, freshness at Sigognac, savoury softness at Pellehaut.
For a neighbouring year, discover the 1995 armagnac or all our vintage armagnacs, year by year.
Please enjoy responsibly. Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to health.
Jean Cavé
113 bottles
Armagnac Delord
92 bottles
Château de Millet
83 bottles
Dartigalongue
76 bottles
Baron de Sigognac
69 bottles
Armagnac Castarède
63 bottles
Clés des Ducs
48 bottles
Château de Laubade
43 bottles
Domaine de Pellehaut
28 bottles
Château de Bordeneuve
17 bottles
Charles de Granville
13 bottles
Domaine de Danis
7 bottles
