SINGLE CASK SPIRITS
Embrace armagnac
Armagnac might not have the profile of cognac, but as France’s oldest eau-de-vie it can be a hidden treasure. If you haven’t experienced it yet, the Society’s bottlings are the perfect introduction
Here’s the first thing you need to know: there is no town called Armagnac. The brandy takes its name from a historic county of the Duchy of Gascony, tucked away in a rural oasis south of Bordeaux, west of Toulouse and north of the Pyrenees. A decree from 1909 dictates three departements where armagnac can be produced: the Gers, the Landes and the Lot-et-Garonne. Within those three departements are the three terroirs that define armagnac: Bas-Armagnac, Armagnac-Ténarèze, and Haut Armagnac.
Each terroir has its own distinct soil and produces different styles of armagnac. Like cognac, armagnac has been recognised as an “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” (Controlled Appellation of Origin) since 1936, but there is evidence of distillation taking place at least 200 years before cognac was being produced – making it France’s oldest eau-de-vie.
“You could say we’ve been craft distilling here for 700 years,” says Claire de Montesquiou, the force of nature who runs Domaine d'Espérance in Bas-Armagnac, one of about 250 family-owned armagnac-producing houses across the whole region. When we visit her chateau the harvest is underway and vinification of her treasured baco and folle blanche grape varieties will soon start. In this part of the world, however, there’s always time for lunch and conversation.
“Variety is the key to armagnac,” Claire tells us, explaining what grapes are used across the three terroirs that define the spirit.
“I specialise in baco, for its balance and freshness, and folle blanche, which adds more floral, feminine notes. People say armagnac should taste ‘rustic’ – but not for me. And you can find ugni blanc anywhere – it’s too much like cognac.”
ABOVE: Claire de Montesquiou runs Domaine d'Espérance in Bas-Armagnac, which specialises in the baco grape variety
A TALE OF TWO SPIRITS
Ah yes, cognac, armagnac’s near neighbour both geographically and spiritually. But there are certain key differences. First and perhaps foremost is the scale: armagnac produces a comparatively miniscule amount of around five million bottles sold a year – compared with 175 million for cognac (or 1.2 billion for Scotch) – predominantly by single family-owned estates rather than larger houses or conglomerates. “The angels’ share alone in cognac is five times the annual sale of armagnac,” Stephane Volpato at Jean Cavé tells us.
Grape variety is also different. Where cognac is made up of more than 95 per cent ugni blanc, in armagnac that figure is only about 55 per cent.
The baco variety, a hybrid developed in the late 19th century to be more resistant to disease, makes up a further 35 per cent, and is never used in cognac. Baco is noted for contributing roundness, smoothness and aromas of ripe fruits, and is also the only hybrid permitted for use in Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée wines.
Another important point of difference between cognac and armagnac is in the practice of aeration that takes place. Many producers “work” their armagnac while it’s maturing by regularly emptying out their barrels into tanks, and then pumping the spirit either back into the original cask or into a different cask (often an older one that imparts fewer tannins). The spirit may also be diluted at this point. Benoît Hillion at Maison Dartigalongue tells us: “Armagnac is lively – we have to calm its aggressive character.”
ABOVE: Kai and Euan from the Society’s Whisky Team get hands on with some grape varieties in the Armagnac region
Perhaps the most fundamental difference between armagnac and cognac is that 95 per cent of armagnac is only distilled once, using a specific form of still – the Armagnac alambic.
This continuous still allows the wine to be pre-heated in a cylinder by the pipes containing hot alcoholic vapours from the still. The wine then flows over a series of plates in the main column, clashing with the alcohol vapours produced by the heated wine in the lower half of the still.
Distillers control the strength depending on the number of plates, their position and the flow rate of the wine. Armagnac can legally be distilled from 52% abv to 72.4% abv according to AOC production conditions, but traditionally the strength is around 52-60% abv.
While many producers have their own alambic, up to 30 per cent of distillation is still carried out by travelling versions that make their way from farm to farm, using liquid propane gas or even sometimes wood as fuel for distillation.
Another point of difference with cognac – age statements on bottles are much more common. The concept of vintage year bottlings is far more developed with armagnac, with many producers making bottlings available with a statement of the year in which it was born.
ABOVE: armagnac is an intriguing and compelling discovery for the whisky drinker
A COMPELLING DISCOVERY
For the whisky drinker, that makes armagnac an intriguing and compelling discovery. As with whisky, aromas are extremely varied and the rusticity and small-scale production of armagnac means characteristics vary dramatically from distiller to distiller, even within the same region. The spirit can range from big, bold and robust, with complex, full-grape flavours, to light and floral, or deeply spicy, with heavy dark fruit and leather or chocolate.
Like the world of whisky – you have to taste a lot of different armagnacs to find what kind of profile you like best. Even better, visit the region and the distillers yourself. You’re guaranteed not only wonderful armagnac – but outstanding regional Gascon food to accompany it.
For SMWS members in the UK and EU, look out for Cask No. A4.8: Classic cherry clafoutis for an outstanding example of baco grape armagnac, and check your local website for other offerings from this underappreciated spirit
ABOVE: The concept of vintage year bottlings is more developed with armagnac than cognac, with many producers making bottlings available with a statement of the year in which it was born