Armagnac 2014

Our 2014 armagnac in brief

Here are the characteristics of this 2014 vintage from our cellar, as published by the Clés des Ducs house:

• a single harvest, that of 2014, with no blending with other years;
• the Armagnac appellation, with no area mentioned on the label;
• an alcohol content of 40% ABV: the brandy was reduced by adding water before bottling, so it is not a brut de fût;
• ageing in oak casks, with deliberately light oak;
• the 70 cl Exception bottle, delivered in a cardboard gift box.

For each of its dated harvests, and whatever the character of the year, the cellar master selects his casks to obtain, according to the house, a long, rich and smooth armagnac. The estate does not, however, publish a tasting note or grape varieties specific to the 2014: we do not attribute any to it.

A young armagnac, and that is its strength

Twelve is the age of an armagnac still in its youth. Fruit speaks louder than wood, the vanilla and caramel of the oak stay in the background, and rancio, that complex note of very old armagnacs, does not belong to its age. This profile makes it a good way in for anyone discovering the spirits of Gascony, and an armagnac you do not hesitate to open.

It therefore suits several moments:

• as a digestif, at room temperature, in a tulip glass, after a few minutes of airing;
• as an aperitif, over an ice cube, for a fresher first sip;
• in a cocktail, where a very old armagnac would be wasted: a young, supple armagnac brings its character without overpowering the other ingredients;
• at the table, with a prune dessert, an apple croustade or a square of dark chocolate.

Vintage, VSOP, XO: reading the label

The vintage indicates the year of the harvest. A 2014 armagnac therefore comes only from grapes harvested in autumn 2014, distilled the following winter in the armagnac still, continuously, then aged in the cellar. Age statements, VSOP, XO or hors d'âge, on the contrary blend brandies of several ages, and it is the youngest that gives the mention. Once in the bottle, armagnac no longer ages: this 2014 will stay as it is, which makes it an easy bottle to keep.

How to taste a 12 year old armagnac

Start with the colour: an armagnac of this age is often golden or amber, lighter than an old vintage. On the nose, take your time: the first aromas are often fruity, plum, dried fruit, then come the vanilla and sweet spices of the cask. On the palate, look for the balance between the softness of the attack, the warmth of the alcohol and the wood; the finish tells you the length of the brandy. The complexity of an armagnac grows with years in cask: at 12, you mainly taste freshness and fruit. Our advice: taste it in small sips, and add a drop of water if you find it too lively.

2014, the year of the fourth German title

On 13 July 2014, at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Germany beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time and won its fourth football World Cup, with a goal by Mario Götze (source: Wikipedia, article "Coupe du monde de football 2014"). On 12 November of the same year, the Philae lander, released by the European Rosetta probe, touched down on comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, a first (source: Wikipedia, article "Philae (sonde spatiale)"). In the vineyards of the Gers, the harvest comes in autumn, then the stills run in winter. We have no producer assessment of the 2014 harvest, so we do not describe it.

Panjas, since 1774

Clés des Ducs was born in 1774 in Panjas, where Paul Baylac, lord of the village, distilled his first brandies. The house has belonged to the Armanoir Group since 2008. Its armagnacs are based on the traditional Gascon grape varieties, ugni blanc first, with baco, folle blanche and colombard. Continuous distillation takes place at low temperature, in a copper armagnac still; ageing in black Gascon oak casks, with a medium to light toast and time in new casks limited to three or four months. Hence this discreet oak, a choice claimed by the cellar. Its VSOP cuvée won a silver medal at the Talents de l'Armagnac competition.

A vertical from Panjas

This estate signs several successive harvests in our shop, all presented in the same way, at 40% ABV and in 70 cl. It is the opportunity for a vertical tasting: tasting several years from the same cellar side by side, to sense what the harvest changes when the know-how stays the same. The 2014 can thus be compared with the 2013 armagnac and the 2015 armagnac, or with older years in our selection of vintage armagnacs.

If, on the contrary, you are looking for a more intense style, see our brut de fût armagnacs, bottled at their natural strength, or the 2012 Bas-Armagnac from the Delord house, drawn from a single cask of baco.

Three terroirs, other estates to discover

The appellation covers three terroirs: Bas-Armagnac, with its tawny sands, Ténarèze, with more clay-limestone soils, and Haut-Armagnac, the most confidential. Everywhere, the grapes, ugni blanc, baco, folle blanche or colombard, first give a dry white wine before the still. Our 2014 bears the Armagnac appellation, with no area mentioned. To enrich your collection with other styles, each armagnac house in our cellar has its own signature:

• Château de Laubade, in Sorbets, in Bas-Armagnac;
• Château de Millet, in Eauze, and Château de Bordeneuve, in Castelnau d'Auzan;
• Dartigalongue, in Nogaro since 1838;
• Jean Cavé, in Lannepax since 1883, for old vintages.

Giving a 2014 armagnac

In 2026, couples married in 2014 celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary: an armagnac from their year is a gift that suits them, to share that very evening. For a child born in 2014, it is a birth bottle to entrust to the parents, who will open it with them for their 18th birthday, in 2032. The sale of alcoholic drinks to minors is prohibited by the French public health code, and proof of age may be required from the buyer.

Store it upright, away from light and heat, so that the alcohol does not touch the cork. Unopened, it lasts for years; once opened, it keeps for several months.

Frequently asked questions about 2014 armagnac

Who produces the 2014 armagnac in our selection?

The Clés des Ducs house, whose history begins in Panjas, in the Gers, in 1774.

What is the best 2014 armagnac?

The best is the one you enjoy. This 2014, with light oak, plays on softness and remains approachable; if you like intensity, a brut de fût from another year will suit you better.

Is a 12 year old armagnac old enough?

It is young, but it is a true vintage: the brandy from a single harvest, aged in cask. It will please those who like fruit and suppleness more than notes of very old wood.

What is the price of a 2014 armagnac?

It is shown on the product page, with the bottle size. From one estate to another, the price of a vintage varies depending on the strength, the format and the rarity.

Where can I buy a 2014 armagnac?

At Plaisirs de Gascogne, an online shop specialising in vintage armagnacs: bottles from houses in the Gers, secure ordering and payment, delivery in France and across Europe, and a customer service to advise you.

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