Armagnac (/ˈɑːrmən.jæk/,French:[aʁmaɲak]ⓘ) is a distinctive kind ofbrandy produced in theArmagnac region inGascony, southwestFrance. It isdistilled fromwine usually made from a blend of grapes includingBaco 22A,Colombard,Folle blanche andUgni blanc, traditionally usingcolumn stills. This is in contrast to thepot stills used in the production ofcognac, which is made predominantly from ugni blanc grapes. The resulting spirit isaged inoakbarrels before release. Production is overseen by theInstitut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) and the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l'Armagnac (BNIA).
Armagnac was one of the first areas in France to begindistilling spirits. Because the overall volume of production is far smaller than cognac production, the brandy is less known outside Europe. In addition, for the most part it is made and sold by small producers, whereas cognac production is dominated by big-name brands, especiallyCourvoisier (owned byCampari Group),Hennessy (LVMH),Martell (Pernod Ricard), andRémy Martin (Rémy Cointreau).
Armagnac is the oldest brandy (and liquor) recorded to be still distilled in the world. In 1310,PriorVital du Four, acardinal, wrote of its 40 virtues.[1][2] Vital du Four was born inBazas, in the centre of Armagnac. He was known as the prior ofEauze, today the location of the Bureau National Interprofessionnel de l'Armagnac (BNIA). But historians have not found evidence that he ever visited Eauze, much less that he was writing specifically about distilledeau de vie from Armagnac.[3] In the past it was consumed for its therapeuticbenefits, as were other liquors.
Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Armagnac was traded on the markets ofSaint-Sever,Mont-de-Marsan, andAire-sur-l'Adour. Subsequently,Dutch merchants began promoting the trade more widely and providing or financingalembics.[3]
The first record of Armagnac distillation does not appear until 1646, with the purchase of an alembic. In the following century, Armagnac was served in the palace ofVersailles. By 1800, most of the Armagnac region was dedicated to the production of the brandy. In 1818, a patent for a continuous distillation alembic resulted in the main difference between Armagnac and Cognac. The latter is double distilled in batches.[3]
The French gourmet dishortolan has traditionally been prepared by force-feeding anortolan bunting before drowning it in Armagnac and roasting it. The dish is now legally prohibited due to laws protecting the bird.[4][5]
The Armagnac region lies between theAdour andGaronne rivers in the foothills of thePyrenees. The region was grantedAppellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status in 1936.[6] The official production area is divided into three districts that lie in the departments ofGers,Landes, andLot-et-Garonne. The region contains 150 square kilometres (37,000 acres) of grape-producing vines. The Fallières Decree of 25 May 1909 names the three districts as:
Each of these areas is controlled by separate AOC regulations. The newest appellationBlanche d'Armagnac ('white Armagnac') was established to allow the production and export of clear, unaged brandies.[7]
Armagnac is traditionally distilled once, resulting in alcohol content between 52% and 60%.[3] The result is a more fragrant and flavorful spirit than cognac, which is produced by double distillation.[clarification needed] Long aging in oak barrels softens the taste and causes the development of more complex flavours and a brown colour. Ageing in thebarrel removes a part of the alcohol and water by evaporation (known aspart des anges—"angels' tribute" or "angels' share") and allows more complex aromatic compounds to appear by oxidation, which further modifies the flavour. Since alcohol evaporates faster than water, thealcohol degree is naturally reduced by an average of 0.4% per year depending on the characteristics of the cellars (average temperature and humidity). When the Armagnac is considered as matured, it is transferred to large glass bottles (called "Dame Jeanne") for storage. The main difference between Armagnac and other spirits is that, due to its relatively low alcoholic content, it is generally not diluted with water.
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, orVS, Armagnac is a mix of several Armagnacs that have seen at least one year of ageing in wood. ForVSOP the ageing is at least four years, and forXO andHors 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.[8]
The Armagnac region produces 3 million bottles a year of brandy, compared to the 220 million produced in Cognac. However, the French drink only 4 million bottles of Cognac compared to 1.5 million of Armagnac.[3]
Ten different varieties of Armagnac grapes are authorised for use in the production of Armagnac. Of these, four are most common:
