Armagnac: a vintage,
a story to give.

Armagnac, the brandy of Gascony

Armagnac is a brandy made from white wine, distilled and then aged in oak casks in South West France. Its production area covers three French départements: the Gers, the Landes and the Lot-et-Garonne. It is also the oldest brandy in France. The history of armagnac goes back to 1310, when Vital du Four, prior of Eauze, praised its "forty virtues" in a medical treatise. By 1461 it was already being sold at the market in Saint-Sever. Seven centuries later, this corner of Gascony, which also gave the world d'Artagnan, remains true to its spirit.

At Plaisirs de Gascogne, we are specialist armagnac merchants, with a particular focus on vintage armagnac. Our cellar brings together some fifteen houses and estates, vintages ranging from 1888 to 2015, blends, cask strength bottlings and white armagnacs. This guide gathers what we explain to our customers every day: where armagnac comes from, how it is made, what the words on the label mean, and how to choose the bottle that suits you, or the one you are about to give.

One appellation, three terroirs: Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze, Haut-Armagnac

Armagnac has been a protected designation of origin (AOC) since a decree of 1936. Its specification, overseen by the INAO, sets out the grape varieties and the rules for production, distillation and ageing. The Bureau national interprofessionnel de l'armagnac (BNIA), based in Eauze, looks after the whole industry. Within the appellation area there are three terroirs, which may appear on the label.

Bas-Armagnac

In the west, between the Gers and the Landes, around Eauze, Bas-Armagnac accounts for roughly two thirds of the vineyard's registered area. Its sandy silt soils, the famous "sables fauves" (tawny sands), and its boulbènes produce fine, delicate and fruity brandies, renowned for their quality. Most of the bottles in our cellar come from here: the houses of Lannepax, Nogaro and Sorbets have their cellars in this area.

Ténarèze

In the centre, around Condom, between the north-west of the Gers and the Lot-et-Garonne, Ténarèze covers about a third of the area. Its clay-limestone slopes and boulbènes give armagnacs that are often powerful and full-bodied, and that benefit from long ageing. Domaine de Pellehaut, in Montréal-du-Gers, is a fine example.

Haut-Armagnac

In the east of the Gers, Haut-Armagnac is today the least planted of the three. Its limestone soils earned it the nickname "Armagnac blanc" (white Armagnac). Vines were mainly planted here in the 19th century, and armagnac production remains very limited.

The main armagnac grape varieties

The specification allows ten varieties, but four make up most of the production:

• ugni blanc, the distilling grape par excellence, giving fine, fresh brandies;
• baco blanc, a hybrid unique to the region, bringing roundness, smoothness and ripe fruit aromas;
• folle blanche, the historic variety, for elegant and often floral brandies;
• colombard, with fruity and spicy notes, mostly used in blends.

The others (plant de graisse, jurançon, clairette, mauzac, meslier saint-françois...) remain rare. Some estates distil each plot or each variety separately, which is why you will find 100% folle blanche armagnacs in our range, such as the cask strength bottlings from the house of Castarède, with their lively, floral character.

How armagnac is made, from vine to cask

A wine distilled in winter

After the harvest in September and October, the grapes are made into a wine that is low in alcohol and fairly acidic, not meant for drinking. Distillation begins as soon as this wine is ready, often in November, and must be finished by 31 March of the following year at the latest. On many estates it is still a time of celebration, when the still is lit and the whole village drops by the cellar.

The armagnac still

Around 95% of armagnac is distilled in the alambic armagnacais, a copper column still patented in 1818, which runs continuously in a single pass. This single distillation keeps a great deal of aroma in the spirit, which comes off the still at between 52 and 72% ABV, most often between 52 and 60%. A few houses also practise double distillation, in the Charente style. This is one of the major differences from cognac, which is distilled twice.

Ageing in oak casks

Colourless when it leaves the still, the new spirit is then filled into casks. The 400-litre oak barrels come mainly from the forests of Gascony or the Limousin. Over time, the wood gives armagnac its amber colour and its notes of vanilla, spice and prune, while part of the alcohol evaporates: this is the "angels' share", which costs around half a degree of strength a year. The cellar master tastes, changes the casks, moves them from a damp cellar to a drier one, and then decides when to bottle.

To bring the strength down to bottling level (40% ABV minimum), most houses reduce the spirit by very gradually adding "petites eaux", a mix of water and armagnac. An armagnac bottled without reduction, at its natural strength, is called brut de fût: cask strength, not reduced.

Reading a label: VS, VSOP, XO, hors d'âge

On a blended armagnac, the age statement always refers to the youngest brandy in the blend. The official categories, as set out by the BNIA:

• VS or 3 stars: at least 1 year in cask. A young, lively armagnac for aperitifs, cooking or cocktails;
• VSOP: at least 4 years. Rounder, perfect for discovering the appellation;
• XO and hors d'âge: at least 10 years. The time for a fine after-dinner digestif;
• age statements (12, 20, 25, 30 years...): the youngest brandy is at least the stated age;
• vintage: the year on the label refers exclusively to the harvest, and the armagnac comes from that single harvest only.

Alongside these oak-aged armagnacs, Blanche Armagnac AOC has been an appellation in its own right since 2005: a brandy that never goes into cask, kept for at least three months in a neutral container, giving a clear, fruity and fresh spirit. Finally, the Armagnac region also makes an aperitif, Floc de Gascogne, a blend of fresh grape must and young armagnac.

Vintage armagnac, our speciality

Armagnac is one of the few spirits where vintages are a genuine tradition. Many producers keep brandies from a single harvest in cask and bottle them over time, sometimes after several decades. Each bottle then carries the signature of its summer and autumn, followed by the style of the house that aged it: a unique character that can never be reproduced.

This is what makes armagnac the ideal gift for a birth, a wedding or a birthday. Among our vintage armagnacs you will find harvests from 1888 to 2015, with several houses to choose from for most decades of the 20th century: tasting the same vintage from two producers is already a memorable experience. The oldest bottles come from houses that have kept casks for a very long time, such as Jean Cavé, founded in 1883 in Lannepax, or Armagnac Delord, whose cellars hold brandies from the 1960s to the present day.

How to choose an armagnac

There is no such thing as the best armagnac in absolute terms: there is the one that suits the moment and the person. Our merchant's guidelines:

• To discover armagnac: a VSOP or a blend of around ten years, round and easy, with notes of fruit and vanilla;
• For a digestif with character: an XO, a hors d'âge or a 20 year old, more complex, with the prune, cocoa and leather notes of old armagnacs;
• As a gift: the vintage that matters, in 70 cl or in magnum for a large gathering;
• For the demanding connoisseur: a cask strength armagnac, at its natural strength, or a single-variety armagnac;
• For aperitifs or cocktails: a well-chilled blanche, or a VS.

Terroir matters too: a Bas-Armagnac tends to be fine and fruity, a Ténarèze more structured. And every estate armagnac has its own taste, which we describe on each producer's page. To browse the full selection by age, by house or by bottle size, head to all our armagnacs.

How to taste armagnac

Serve armagnac at room temperature, in a tulip glass, in a small measure. First look at its colour, from the pale gold of a young armagnac to the mahogany of a very old one. Leave it in the glass for a few minutes: the first nose, a little spirity, gives way to aromas of dried fruit, prune, vanilla, candied citrus or flowers. On the palate, take a small sip, hold it for a moment, then let the finish unfold. The next day, the empty glass still smells of armagnac: this is often how you recognise a remarkable brandy.

Armagnac pairs well with dark chocolate, a cigar, foie gras or a prune dessert. Younger armagnacs lend themselves to cooking, sauces and cocktails; old ones are best enjoyed neat, without ice.

How to store armagnac

Unlike wine, armagnac is stored upright, so that the alcohol does not damage the cork, away from light and at a stable temperature. Armagnac no longer ages once bottled: a 1970 bottled ten years ago will not improve in your cellar, but it will not deteriorate either. An opened bottle keeps for several months; when only a little is left, decant it into a smaller container to preserve its aromas.

Frequently asked questions about armagnac

What is armagnac?

It is a brandy made from white wine, produced in Gascony (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne), usually distilled just once in the armagnac column still and then aged in oak casks. It has held AOC status since 1936.

Where is Armagnac?

In South West France, between the Atlantic coast and Toulouse. The appellation area mainly covers the Gers, with part of the Landes and the Lot-et-Garonne. Eauze is its capital.

What is the difference between armagnac and cognac?

Both are wine brandies aged in oak casks, but they come from different regions. Cognac comes from the Charentes and goes through the Charentais pot still twice; armagnac is overwhelmingly distilled just once, continuously. The result is often more aromatic, with more character. Armagnac also has a genuine culture of vintages.

What are the different types of armagnac?

Blends (VS, VSOP, XO, hors d'âge, age statements), single-harvest vintages, cask strength armagnacs at their natural strength, and Blanche Armagnac, which is not aged.

How much does armagnac cost?

The price of an armagnac depends mainly on its age, its rarity and its bottle size: a VSOP remains affordable, a very old vintage much less so. Every product page in our shop shows its price, making it easy to compare houses.

Why choose armagnac?

Because it is a producers' brandy, often made by families settled for generations who distil their own wine. And because it lets you give something rare: an armagnac from the exact year of a birth or a wedding, carrying a piece of Gascon heritage.

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