1995 vintage armagnac, the imprint of a single harvest
On the label of a vintage armagnac, the year is that of the harvest. A 1995 armagnac is therefore made solely from brandies from the 1995 harvest. A VSOP, an XO or a hors d'âge, on the other hand, blend brandies of several ages to keep a consistent style. A vintage tells the story of one year, one terroir and one house.
In Gascony, the story begins with a dry white wine made from the grape varieties of the appellation: ugni blanc, baco, folle blanche and colombard. This wine is not meant for drinking: it is distilled over the winter in the armagnac still, continuously. The clear, colourless spirit then goes down into oak casks, in the cellar. Over the years, the oak gives it its colour and aromas and softens its strength. Once in the bottle, armagnac no longer evolves.
The appellation covers three terroirs in the South West: Bas-Armagnac in the west, Ténarèze in the centre and Haut-Armagnac in the east. Each estate on this page ages its brandies in the Gers, most of them in Bas-Armagnac; Ténarèze, with more clay and limestone, produces armagnacs in a different style.
1995, the year of Toy Story
1995 is the year Toy Story was released, the first feature film made entirely with computer-generated images, a small revolution for animated cinema. Meanwhile, in Gascony, the autumn harvest was made into wine and then distilled. The brandies from this harvest now have three decades in cask behind them, or a little less for those bottled earlier.
Our 1995 armagnacs, house by house
The same harvest, seven different interpretations. Here are the houses in our cellar and the tasting notes they publish for their 1995.
- Armagnac Delord, a family house founded in 1893 in Lannepax. Its 1995, at 40% ABV, comes in a 70 cl bottle and a magnum: a nose of candied fruit, prune, spices and blond tobacco; a palate of soft caramel, baked apple and tender wood, with the tannins from ageing still perceptible. The house also offers a 1995 harvest Bas-Armagnac brut de fût (cask strength, not reduced), drawn from a single cask, no. 2433, at 47.5% ABV: vanilla, beeswax and dried fruit, then bitter orange, honey, cedar and spices, for a long, rich and smooth finish. It is presented in a wooden case.
- Château de Laubade, in Sorbets, in the heart of Bas-Armagnac. Its 1995, made 100% from this harvest, was aged in Gascon pedunculate oak casks and bottled at the château, at 40%. Behind a mahogany colour, it reveals vanilla, candied orange and oak; the powerful palate combines structure and elegance.
- Armagnac Castarède, a house founded in 1832. Its 1995 spent 25 years in oak casks before being bottled in 2020, at 40%.
- Baron de Sigognac, made by the Guasch family at Château de Bordeneuve. This 1995 at 40% offers a lovely golden yellow colour, a fine and elegant nose of exotic fruit and hazelnut, a very smooth and round palate, and a superb finish of cocoa and roasted coffee.
- Clés des Ducs, a house in Panjas. Its 1995, unblended, at 40%, is aged with deliberately light oak to preserve the typicity of the harvest.
- Dartigalongue, a family house in Nogaro since 1838. Its 1995, at 42% ABV, won the silver medal at the Talents de l'Armagnac 2024. A nose of toasted oak, liquorice and pastry notes; a palate well balanced between tannins and fruit; a finish of quince jelly.
- Jean Cavé, a distiller and ageing house in Lannepax since 1883. Its 1995 is a brut de fût, bottled at 51.6% ABV.
Reduced or brut de fût: which 1995 armagnac to choose?
Most vintages are gradually brought down to around 40 or 42% ABV before bottling: they are supple and easy to share. A brut de fût is bottled at its natural strength, with no added water: more concentrated, it is savoured slowly, possibly with a few drops of water. With around thirty years in cask, a 1995 armagnac often keeps more liveliness than a very old armagnac: a good choice for discovering the style. To compare, browse the product pages on this page.
How to taste a 1995 armagnac
Serve it at room temperature, in a tulip glass, without ice. Look at its colour, then let it breathe for a few minutes before nosing it. Take a small sip and hold it on your tongue for a moment: the aromas reveal themselves little by little. As a digestif, it pairs nicely with a square of dark chocolate. Once opened, the bottle keeps upright, away from light and heat, for several months.
Giving a 1995 armagnac for a 31st birthday or a wedding anniversary
In 2026, people born in 1995 celebrate their 31st birthday, and couples married in 1995 their 31st wedding anniversary. An armagnac from their year is a gift that means something: a brandy harvested in the year of their birth or their marriage, which has aged in Gascony all that time. The Delord magnum is for sharing around a large table, the Delord brut de fût, delivered in a wooden case, will delight a connoisseur, and the 70 cl bottle remains the most popular choice for a gift.
Frequently asked questions about 1995 armagnac
What is the best 1995 armagnac?
There is no single one: it all depends on the style you are looking for. Sigognac leans towards roundness, Laubade towards structure, Dartigalongue, a silver medallist in 2024, towards balance between tannins and fruit, and Armagnac Delord and Jean Cavé towards the power of a brut de fût. Each estate has its own character.
Where can I buy a 1995 vintage armagnac?
At Plaisirs de Gascogne, an online shop dedicated to vintage armagnac: the bottles come directly from the Gascon houses, from Delord to Jean Cavé, payment is secure and delivery is handled with care, in France and elsewhere in Europe.
What are the aromas of 1995 armagnac?
Depending on the house: candied fruit, prune, candied orange, exotic fruit, hazelnut, vanilla, liquorice, caramel, cocoa and roasted coffee. Each product page details the producer's tasting note.
How much does a 1995 armagnac cost?
It varies according to the estate, the size and the strength. Each product page on this page shows the price, the bottle size and the producer.
Also discover 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
Baron de Sigognac
90 bottles
Château de Millet
83 bottles
Sempé
82 bottles
Dartigalongue
77 bottles
Marcel Trépout
72 bottles
Clés des Ducs
67 bottles
Château de Monluc
64 bottles
Armagnac Castarède
63 bottles
Château de Laubade
42 bottles
Château de Bordeneuve
32 bottles
