Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Armagnac was traded on the markets of Saint-Sever, Mont-de-Marsan, and Aire-sur-l'Adour. Subsequently, Dutch merchants began promoting the trade more widely and providing or financing alembics. [3] Ten different varieties of Armagnac grapes are authorised for use in the production of Armagnac. Of these, four are most common: Castarède then goes a step further and ages the fine spirit for another ten years in new oak casks, delivering one of the finest Armagnac’s available. On The Nose Salted caramel, sugared almonds and dark chocolate on the opening with dried prunes and dates mid-palate. The finish is rich, warm and well spiced. Best Served

Armagnac is sold under several classifications, mostly referring to the age of the constituent brandies. Armagnac is allowed to be sold under vintages. When Armagnacs of different ages have been blended, the age on the bottle refers to the youngest component. A three-star, or VS, Armagnac is a mix of several Armagnacs that have seen at least one year of ageing in wood. For VSOP the ageing is at least four years, and for XO and Hors d'âge ten years. Older and better Armagnacs are often sold as vintages, with the bottles containing Armagnac from a single year, the year being noted on the bottle, aged for a minimum of 10 years. Vintages flavour and appearance change depending on factors including the grape, ageing time, barrel used for ageing, grape variety, weather that year, storage location and more. [7] All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 5-8 samples. Reviewers may know general information about a flight to provide context—vintage, variety or appellation—but never the producer or retail price of any given selection. When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.Sundried figs, honey, and caramel hints of roasted nuts and leather remind me of Metaxa Brandy. On The Palate Clés Des Ducs VSOP Vieil Armagnac is a blend of Armagnacs that have been left to age for a minimum of four years in new light oak casks. The Armagnacs are then bottled in the Distillery’s trademark bottle called “Hammered). On The Nose Castarède XO 20-Year-Old is made from Folly Blanche grapes grown on the estate. The wine is distilled through a column still and placed in white oak casks for a minimum of ten years to comply with the “Hors d’ Age” requirements for XO Armagnac. Prosper Delord, a cellar master and distiller, roamed the Armagnac region as a travelling distiller, creating Armagnac French brandy from white wine. He passed this knowledge down to his sons, who started the Delord’s Distillery in 1932.

Each of these areas is controlled by separate AOC regulations. The newest appellation Blanche d'Armagnac ('white Armagnac') was established to allow the production and export of clear, unaged brandies. [6] Production [ edit ] Column still, domaine d'Ognoas, Arthez-d'Armagnac, Landes, 1936 Column still, domaine d'Ognoas, Arthez-d'Armagnac, Landes, 1804 Marquis de Montesquiou Reserve Armagnac is made from a selection of the finest wine spirits from the Bas Armagnac grapes and aged for five years. Delord 25 Year Old Bas-Armagnac is distilled from Ugni-Blanc, Baco, Folle-Blanche and Colombard grapes. The spirit is double distilled through column stills, placed in oak casks, and left to mature for a quarter of a century. On The Nose Our team provides a worldwide drinks review service to assist our readers from every country make informed drinks purchasing decisions for events, parties, gifts, or simply enjoying at home.

Baron De Lustrac X.O. 25-Year-Old Bas Armagnac is made predominantly with Folle Blanche grapes and blended with other Armagnac from the surrounding regions. The spirit is then left to age in new oak casks for 25 years and bottled at cask strength. On The Nose The UK’s only retail and commercial drinks specialist. We’ve been selling wholesale winesfor over 40 years. As a country-wide business, we know your customers and what they drink better than anyone else. A smooth, creamy toffee and cinnamon opening with dried fruits and floral hints mid-palate. Spice and oak on the finish. Best Served The French gourmet dish ortolan has traditionally been prepared by force-feeding an ortolan bunting before drowning it in Armagnac and roasting it. The dish is now legally prohibited due to laws protecting the bird. [4] [5] Geography [ edit ] Vineyards in the Armagnac region near Landes and Gers TheJanneau distilleryis situated in the centre of the Tenareze region, France. The Distillery has produced this delightful Armagnac that has won six gold and six silver international spirit awards since its launch.